Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Book Review: Canada and Climate Change
Canada and Climate Change
Author: William Leiss
Publisher: McGill-Queen’s University Press, hardcover, 181 pages
Reviewed by Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
The Author
At the time of this volume’s publication (2022), William Leiss was/is a fellow and past president of the Royal Society of Canada, an officer of the Order of Canada, and professor emeritus at the School of Policy Studies Queen’s University. He is the author of several books, including Mad Cows and Mother’s Milk: The Perils of Poor Risk Communication.
Contents
This volume is the second one of the Canadian Essentials Series, published jointly by McGill-Queen’s University Press and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. It contains Tables and Figures, Preface, Introduction, 1 What Is Climate? 2 The Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs, 3 Predictions of Climate Science, 4 Trusting Climate Science, 5 Canada: Negotiating Climate Change, 6 Treaty Framing and Climate Science, 7 Managing the Risks of Global Warming, 8 Canada: Mitigation, Impacts, and Adaptation, Reminiscences and Acknowledgments, Appendix 1: Notes and Calculations for Table 6.4, Appendix 2: The Risk Approach in IPCC’s AR6, Impacts of Climate Change, References and Sources, Index.
Brief Observations
The author begins by stating that in light of the copious written material on climate change, to write yet another book “might well be regarded as a monumentally foolish endeavour” (p. xi). He refers to the polar ends of the pendulum regarding attitudes toward climate change in fossil-fuel-producing countries, which have paralyzed politicians, thus failing to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions for the past thirty years. The audience Leiss hopes to reach is “the educated general reader,” and “secondary-school students, as well as college and university students enrolled in introductory courses” (p. xii). One of the purposes of writing this volume is to affirm the legitimacy of climate scientists and their research, as well as highlight how countries have responded—or have failed to respond appropriately—to climate science research and reports.
Leiss suggests that Canada needs to tackle three things in response to climate change/crisis: Mitigation—the how and why of reducing GHG emissions; how Canadians will likely need to adapt to climate change/crisis, and justice/equity—Canadian responses to achieve goals with consequences for all of humankind.
As early as the nineteenth century, a connection has been made with CO2 (carbon dioxide) and the warming of the earth’satmosphere. It came to the fore again in the twentieth century, but alas, humankind failed to take it seriously enough to do anything about it.
It wasn’t until 1988, at the International Conference on the Changing Atmosphere: Implications for Global Security, held in Toronto that the Canadian federal government and the governments of other countries started to make promises to reduce GHG emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has, in thousands of pages, warned the nations of the tragic consequences of ongoing climate change/crisis, which will only worsen if significant action is not taken. However, the agreements, including the one in Paris in 2015 have not been binding. Nations have set goals to reduce GHG emissions by 2030 and 2050. Scientists predict that surpassing a 1.5 degree C warming threshold by 2030, and a 2 degree C threshold by 2050 will likely be catastrophic. So far, Canada and other nations have drastically failed to reach these goals, and most likely will not reach them for a variety of reasons. For example, the oil and gas industry is still funded with billions of dollars, and China is still building coal plants. The developed nations are not spending enough money to fund alternative, environmentally-friendly energy sources in the developing countries. Far too many people doubt the research of climate scientists and live in denial of climate change/crisis. The federal and provincial governments lack the political will to act significantly to reduce CO2 and other GHG emissions.
This volume is informative, challenging and depressing. Hope for the future is required to motivate citizens, governments and industry to move more quickly to reduce GHG emissions. We need more than analysis, facts and figures, treaties and agreements. Therefore the author could have concluded this volume with a couple of chapters on contributions of First Nations and environmental organisations, and how citizens can connect with them to advocate and work for change and make a difference. Specific stories of what First Nations and environmental organisations are doing and have accomplished would inspire hope for the future.
Friday, September 6, 2024
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
A Brief Book Review: Remembering: A Novel
A Brief Book Review: Remembering: A Novel
Author: Wendell Berry
Publisher: North Point Press, paperback, 124 pages
Reviewed by Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
The Author
Wendell Berry, lived and taught in New York and California before returning to Kentucky, where he has lived for decades, writing and farming on 75 acres in Henry County. He is a social activist, environmentalist, a supporter of sustainable agriculture, advocate of rural communities, and a Christian pacifist.
Content
The novel begins with two quotes and a prayer. The two quotes are: “...to him that is joined to all the living there is hope...Ecclesiastes 9:4, and “Let the fragments of love be reassembled in you. Only then will you have true courage.” Hayden Carruth Following these quotes, there is a prayer which is reminiscent of at least two biblical texts from the creation narratives in Genesis, and Isaiah’s call in Isaiah 6. The prayer, in part, begins as follows: “Heavenly muse, Spirit who brooded on the world and raised it shapely out of nothing, touch my lips with fire and burn away all dross of speech, so that I keep in mind the truth and end to which my words now move....” This prayer is followed by 7 chapters: 1. Darkness Visible, 2. An Unknown Room, 3. Remembering, 4. A Long Choosing, 5. A Place Known and Dreamed, 6. Bridal, 7. The Hilltop.
Brief Observations
The novel begins with Andy Catlett—the main protagonist—a small farmer near Port William, Kentucky, who is angry and grieving about the loss of his hand in a farming accident, and whose relationships with his wife Flora and their children are strained. Andy leaves the farm for an agricultural conference. At the conference, he is upset with industrialized-large agribusiness farming which, he believes only exploits both the land and human beings. It is too focussed on analysis rather than the importance of relationships with humans and the land, and caring stewardship of the earth.
The novel mentions several people—past and present, whom Andy knew of, remembered, cared about, and mentored him. One significant encounter he had was with an Amish farmer, who, Andy thought, lived more in harmony with God’s creation than the large industrialized farmers.
The novel’s final chapter is a kind of vision for all of creation being restored and renewed, perhaps modelled after Isaiah’s vision of shalom. There is beauty and wonder in the natural world, and forgiveness and reconciliation for human beings.
One critique of the novel for this reader is that there was too much description—albeit sometimes very poetic—and inadequate dialogue and engagement between human beings.
In light of Berry’s own life, the novel seems somewhat autobiographical.
Monday, June 10, 2024
Bennett's Confirmation: June 9, 2024
Yesterday I had the honour and privilege of confirming Bennett M. at Skudesness Lutheran Church.
Bennett spoke of his confirmation project, which was the building of a faith chest, and what his faith means to him.
I presented Bennett with a Bible, and gave him his Bible verse, Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." This psalm also inspired our ancestor in the faith, Martin Luther, who based his most famous hymn on it: "A Mighty Fortress is our God." The congregation also presented Bennett with a Bible. So now he'll have plenty of opportunities to continue reading the Bible!
Bennett's parents (mom the auto harp, dad the 12-string guitar) accompanied the congregation for the hymns. Bennett's sister played the piano accompanying us for the liturgy.
The text for my sermon was a non-lectionary one: 1 Timothy 6:11-12, 20-21, words of encouragement and instruction: "But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you."
All-in-all, it was a wonderful, edifying, joyful, blessed day.
Saturday, May 11, 2024
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