In the American election last November, and in our Canadian election in April, the environment was not a huge issue. Why not? Well, there are several reasons. Let's start with the American election. Donald Trump doesn't care about climate change. He thinks it's a Chinese hoax. He wants to revive the coal industry. He thinks that wind turbines cause cancer. He just wants to "drill, baby, drill!" During the 2024 presidential election campaign, the environment was not a popular topic among American voters. They were more understandably concerned about inflation and the cost of living. The price of groceries and gas affected them directly. Inflation seemed so much closer to home. So, despite Trump's horrible business record (he has filed for bankruptcy protection six times), many Americans thought he would be better for the economy than his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.
Americans were concerned about kitchen table issues and immigration. Trump managed to convince many of them that caravans of undocumented immigrants were about to pounce on their communities, causing crime and havoc. He repeated this lie over and over, playing into people's fears and bigotry. What they didn't understand is that climate change, immigration and the economy are inseparable. Each of those issues affects the other. Pollution is the cause of numerous illnesses and deaths worldwide. Everyone pays with the loss of life and the cost of healthcare.
Many lives have also been lost by the hurricanes and flooding and wildfires caused by climate change. These disasters not only cost precious live, but they cost millions in tax dollars. There doesn't have to be a choice between having a good economy and combatting climate change. A green economy creates green jobs. Furthermore, many immigrants have been forced to leave their homes due to climate change. They have no choice but to become refugees.
Since his return to the presidency, Trump has been erratic and unpredictable. His campaign to impose tariffs and his overall handling of the economy have been disastrous. Many Americans, with the exception of Trump's brain-washed die-hard MAGA loyalists, regret having voted for him. Of course the oil companies want to preserve their wealth. Oil is their cash cow. They want Trump to promote fossil fuels.
With regard to the environment, extreme right-wing conservatives are different from their more moderate counterparts. Moderates believe that conservatives should conserve the environment. Here in Canada, we call those moderate conservatives "Red Tories." Regrettably, there aren't many Red Tories left in this country anymore. They are a dying breed, replaced by populists and more far f right U.S. Republican types.
The far right, however, mock efforts to fight climate change. They don't want to cut down on plastic or make strong efforts to combat climate change. Remember how Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, ranted during the election campaign that he wanted to get rid of single-use plastics bans and bring back plastic straws. It's as if implementing any measures to deal with climate change is left-wing radicalism. The Conservatives criticized the carbon tax so harshly and so relentlessly that Mark Carney's Liberals would likely have lost the election if he he hadn't abolished it. There were endless cries to "axe the tax."
As I write this, two Canadian provinces, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, have declared a state of emergency due to wildfire. People are being evacuated from their homes. Flin Flom, Manitoba, a city of 5,000 people, about 631 kilometres (391 miles) northwest of Winnipeg, is engulfed by wildfire smoke.
I must also mention that the Village of Blatten, in the Swiss Alps, was evacuated due to a glacier collapse. Authorities ordered Blatten's 300 residents to leave. More than 500 glaciers have already disappeared from Switzerland.
We ignore these warnings at our peril. Climate change is not going to go away on its own. It's understandable that people are upset about inflation, but environmental threats can't be ignored.
- Joanne
