Politics encroaches on all aspects of our lives. Powers at be is a column written by External Politics Columnist Maya Tommasi about the ways in which political power — corporate, federal, provincial, Indigenous and municipal — affects the lives of those who call themselves part of the UBC community.
Maya Tommasi (she/her) is a third-year political science student and The Ubyssey’s external politics columnist. She holds a previous degree in psychology and has five years of research experience, and is a proud trans woman and immigrant. You can find her work here and on her Substack.
This January, the Doomsday Clock hit 89 seconds from midnight, the closest we have ever been. It is a warning from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that humanity is playing a dangerous game. Of the various threats they list, they have listed four areas of concern: nuclear risk, climate change, biological threats and disruptive technologies.
One of them stands out to me: climate change — sometimes it seems as though we haven’t discussed it in a long time.
You might find this introduction dramatic, but climate change hasn’t stopped, its risks will not go away by ignoring it. After all, we did start this year watching one of the West’s main cultural and economic metropolis’ literally burning in flames — a disaster which might be the costliest in American history. Yet within a month, life seems to have gone ‘back to normal’ — and with it Americans’ collective concern about climate change.
Here in Canada, we are not doing much better. Heading into an election, on one side we have Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party, who, at least until American tariff threats, were running primarily on a platform with “axe the tax” as arguably its flagship policy. On the Liberal side, Prime Minister Mark Carney has, despite it until recently being a liberal flagship policy, effectively ended the consumer carbon tax. Despite the policy having a positive effect in reducing pollution while not, despite claims otherwise, causing inflation, opposition to it remains politically popular provincially and federally — without a clear alternative.
This paragraph will age me tremendously, but, as a second-degree student, I remember campus in 2019, when the climate movement was very different.
This was the time when the Fridays for Future movement was at its peak. At UBC, Extinction Rebellion stickers were plastered on every surface, there was graffiti calling for the AMS to immediately divest from fossil fuels and climate strikes and die-ins were common.
Then, climate action seemed inevitable. Change seemed inevitable, and it was all led by young students. The average reader will likely remember this movement, probably having been in high school at the time. Given the heavy involvement of high schoolers in climate movements of the time, it is not unlikely that the average UBC student would also have been sympathetic to their stated goals.
I do not mean to either romanticize the summer of 2019 or create some moralistic argument about contemporary climate activism. The change in the zeitgeist cannot be blamed on climate activists. They continue strong — today we have thousands of incredibly dedicated activists fighting to ensure the survival of humanity. These activists are no less hardworking or passionate than they were six years ago, and their work ought to be commended.
The climate movement fizzled mostly due to factors outside our control. The pandemic and social distancing made activism near impossible; for years, it became difficult to lead marches, strikes and protests — save for some notable exceptions such as the Black Lives Matter protests. Political mobilization slowed down. When momentum is gone, it is nigh impossible to maintain significant political prominence, especially at the level of climate activism had at the turn of the decade. The economy too is now strained, and the cost of living is significantly affecting people's lives more than in the late 2010s.
In times of economic woe, it becomes hard to get people active on climate action, especially because climate is a particularly difficult threat to conceptualize. Psychological distance can reduce our concern and perception of urgency. It's also not like there is a lack of causes to mobilize around and demand that situations be addressed: a genocide in Gaza and the return of imperialist wars like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This leaves climate activism in a complicated position — the danger is no less real, but those in power seem less willing to act, showing no will to implement climate policy. This comes at a time when climate action is especially crucial, because though Canadians are more likely to believe in climate science than Americans, fewer Canadians today, compared to the last few years, believe climate change is real. It is not clear why Canadians are less likely to believe in climate change now than two years ago, but I believe the rhetoric about climate might be a deciding factor. Attitudes seem to have shifted. Five years ago, you were likely to hear then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being criticized for failing to have a bold enough climate plan. Now people seem more likely to believe his plan was, if anything, too bold.
Politics isn’t static; the same way as the tides shifted against climate action, they can shift back.
If you are particularly passionate about climate action, do not be disheartened. At this moment we can make a profound impact, working on changing a conservative narrative on climate and creating a new mentality about climate action. After all, it is untrue that the carbon tax is the cause of all our economic woes. It's quite the opposite — the cost of inaction is what endangers our future. Let us be reminded of the tremendous costs of the climate catastrophes; financially, just the Los Angeles fires have cost America billions. And while natural disasters cost money, but they also ruin lives. In times like these, irresponsibility on climate policy is an untenable risk.
Opposition to climate action is not new. It is an organized movement with nefarious motives. Often, opposition to climate action is led by fossil fuel corporations who — despite being keenly aware of climate change’s threat — decide instead to prioritize profits. Multiple different studies, as well as the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, have found that oil companies in Canada fund climate misinformation. This is done not by outright denying climate change, but instead downplaying its effects — amongst other things by insisting Canadian fossil fuels are “cleaner” than foreign sources. These companies often will fund politicians, and this is especially the case in the United States. Just recently, big oil spent USD $445 million on the Republican campaign, according to climate action group Climate Power. While less brazen, our politicians might be no different: Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Canadian Conservative Party, has met with fossil fuel lobbyists on multiple occasions, according to reporting by The Narwhal.
This might all feel very gloomy; climate change is a massive threat, and we seem to be going in the wrong direction. For those of you, who like me are scratching your heads thinking of why more people aren’t making a fuss about the shift in the climate narrative. I remind you of the words of Tony Benn, an important labour voice and parliamentarian in the UK from 1950 to his retirement in 2001. Known for his relentless fight for workers' rights, Benn often said, “There is no final victory, and no final defeat.” To him, political history was a series of battles which had to be fought again and again over time. According to that philosophy, as long as you believe progress can be made, regression shouldn’t make you lose hope. Climate activists have shaped our perceptions before, and they can do it again.
Most young people I talk to don’t seem to have changed their stance on climate from 2019. Most of us are still keenly passionate about the preservation of our planet, and crucially, the facts are on our side.
If you still feel disheartened, however, I must remind you that campus activism has a long history of leading to social change. This has been a reality for over a century — today it is no different. Current university students helped shape Western discourse on Gaza. Many of whom have — as high schoolers — participated in last decade’s climate protests; as did a previous generation of UBC students. Change is possible, and we are all capable of shaping it. When it comes to climate, change is necessary.
This is an opinion article. It reflects the contributor's views and does not reflect the views of The Ubyssey as a whole. Contribute to the conversation by visiting ubyssey.ca/pages/submit-an-opinion.
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