“Resolution 12, noted DeSmog, ‘harkens back to the 1990s fossil fuel industry playbook.’ Yes it does and should. Long Live the Greening Earth Society, which refuted (via CO2 science) the notion that carbon dioxide is a pollutant.”
“Alberta Conservatives Pass Climate Denial Resolution 12 to Celebrate CO2 Pollution,” DeSmog reported. “UCP pledges to abandon the provinceβs net zero targets, and remove the designation of CO2 as a pollutant.”
Denial? Pollution? Not so fast! The resolution from Albertaβs United Conservative Party recognizes the positive, settled-science side of CO2 and calls for a new debate predicated on
i. Abandoning “Net-Zero” targets,
ii. Removing the designation of CO2 as a pollutant, and
iii. Recognize that CO2 is a foundational nutrient for all life on Earth.”
Fantastic! And consonant with Trump energy policy, as well as the about-face by Argentina on alarmist climate policy. CO2 is not a pollutant but a political bogeyman. The nature of CO2 is laboratory-proven science compared to Black Box climate models predicting negatives from extreme temperatures.
Danielle Smith, leader of the United Conservative Party, reported on social media:
On behalf of the Government of Alberta, I would like to congratulate President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance on their victory. Alberta and the United States have a long standing trading partnership that has strengthened both economies and improved quality of life in both jurisdictions.
Alberta is a critical part of North American energy security as the single largest supplier of crude oil and natural gas to the United States β providing twice as much as Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined. We look forward to reinforcing Albertaβs ties in the United States and working together with the new administration on this partnership.
Her celebration attracted the following pushback from Zsolt Lengyel, self-described “indefatigable climate action pioneer with multiple hats.” [1] He complained:
Let me add Danielle Smith that your Conservatives (United Conservative Party of Alberta) have just ππ₯ππ―ππππ ππ₯π’π¦πππ ππ‘ππ§π π πππ§π’ππ₯ to the next level by celebrating CO2: your Party Resolution 12, which falls under the βenvironmental stewardship and emissions reductionβ section will βπ«πππ¨π π§π’π³π ππ‘π π’π¦π©π¨π«πππ§ππ π¨π πππ ππ¨ π₯π’ππ ππ§π ππ₯πππ«ππβπ¬ π©π«π¨π¬π©ππ«π’ππ².β (unless I misread this wording and your party actually meant: βCO2 would devastate both nature and economy unless it is cut back drasticallyβ).
What would Brian Mulroney, the Progressive Conservative prime minister between 1984-93, would think of this? Remember, Brian Mulroney “set the stage for a global ‘law of the atmosphere,’ arguing the first plank was acid rain, the second the protection of the ozone layer and the third addressing and preventing global warming. ππ π°ππ¬ ππππ.
Lengyel is assuming what is under debate and leaking water badly. And at a time when the climate movement is receding around the world. A fundamental rethink is in order.
Final Comment
Resolution 12, noted DeSmog, “harkens back to the 1990s fossil fuel industry playbook.” Yes it does and should. Long Live the Greening Earth Society, which refuted (via CO2 science) the notion that carbon dioxide is a pollutant (also see here). And who would know that some 27 years after its founding, their work is as important as ever. Long live Patrick Michaels and the rest of GES’s time-honored crew.
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[1] Zsolt Lengyel’s “About” includes “Policy-focused climate action dinosaur – having worked on the World’s two pioneering Kyoto Protocol flexible mechanism JI/CDM programmes, the Prototype Carbon Fund of the World Bank, and the Dutch Government…. Co-founder and elected Chairman (2015-20) of the Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy (IEECP) dedicated to scientifically sound and evidence-based policy making.”