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Media Release/Communiqué
For Immediate Release: April 26, 2006
Canadian
Parliamentarians Receive TIME-ly Warning
VICTORIA, BC-Each
member of the Canadian House of Commons has been sent a copy
of the recent TIME Magazine Special Report on Global Warming,
courtesy of clean energy advocates in British Columbia and
elsewhere.
Concerned about cuts to climate change programs and the apparent
abandonment of our obligations under Kyoto, the BC Sustainable
Energy Association (BCSEA) secured copies of the report for
Canada's 308 MPs. It wants to direct federal attention to
the mounting crisis already affecting human populations, vulnerable
ecosystems and species.
The cover of the TIME Magazine issue carries the words "BE
WORRIED. BE VERY WORRIED: Climate change isn't some vague
future problem - it's already damaging the planet at an alarming
rate."
"The scientific debate on whether or not Earth is warming
is over," said BCSEA president Guy Dauncey. "All
of our parliamentary representatives, and especially members
of the Conservative government, must determine how our country
will respond."
The Special Report focuses on the impact of climate change
on the polar ice caps, devastating droughts, rising sea levels,
forest fires, the extinction of species, and the vicious cycles
that make things worse, such as the loss of ice-cover which
reduces albedo, allowing the land to absorb more heat.
BC is already suffering its from the climate crisis. Its
interior pine forests are being devastated because winter
temperatures are no longer low enough to kill off pine beetle
larvae.
"Our use of polluting energy is to blame, the way we
commute and transport goods, the way we heat and light our
homes and power our economy, said Peter Ronald BCSEA Coordinator.
"Must we wait until the forests are gone, ski slopes
have melted, and rivers are too warm for spawning salmon before
we take determined action?"
"Canada could easily embrace a sustainable energy future,
such as Sweden and Germany and the state of California are
doing, but we must have political leadership," said Dauncey.
"We are urging our Members of Parliament to think about
their responsibilities to future generations."
The BCSEA is a non-profit association of citizens, professionals
and practitioners, committed to promoting the understanding,
development, and adoption of sustainable energy and energy
conservation and efficiency in British Columbia.
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For more information:
Guy Dauncey 250-881-1304
Peter Ronald 250-744-2720
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