Had they paid attention to science years ago, political and industrial leaders would have known the world was heading for a crisis. Climate change is widely recognized as an existential threat, but they paid no attention and did not care.

Remember, the Guardian article was written in April 2009:

Almost nine out of 10 climate scientists do not believe political efforts to restrict global warming to 2C will succeed, a Guardian poll reveals today. An average rise of 4-5C by the end of this century is more likely, they say, given soaring carbon emissions and political constraints.

Such a change would disrupt food and water supplies, exterminate thousands of species of plants and animals and trigger massive sea level rises that would swamp the homes of hundreds of millions of people.

The poll of those who follow global warming most closely exposes a widening gulf between political rhetoric and scientific opinions on climate change...

World will not meet 2C warming target, climate change experts agree

The Kyoto Protocol was intended to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Jean Chretien’s Liberal government signed the accord in 1997 and Canada’s Parliament ratified Kyoto in 2002. But Stephen Harper opposed the accord. In a fundraising letter, Harper wrote, “Kyoto is essentially a socialist scheme to suck money out of wealth-producing nations.”

He also blasted the treaty for targeting carbon dioxide — which he said is “essential to life” — and played down the science of climate change as “tentative and contradictory.”

Harper letter called Kyoto ‘socialist scheme’

Harper was forced to moderate his agenda while his government was in a minority position. In 2011, the Conservatives achieved a majority despite gaining under 40 percent of the popular vote. Months later, Harper’s Government pulled Canada out of the Kyoto Protocol. Canadian emissions of greenhouse gases continued to climb.

Andrew Nikiforuk had written in 2009 that Harper’s government was beholden to “a religious agenda averse to science and rational debate.” New York Times published an opinion piece that discussed Harper’s assault on science.

Starting in 2007, shortly after Mr. Harper became prime minister, new rules were issued that prevented federal scientists from speaking freely with the media about their research without clearing it with public relations specialists or having an administrative “minder” accompany the scientists on interviews or to scientific conferences. More often, the government would simply deny permission for a scientist to speak with reporters if that person’s findings ran counter to Mr. Harper’s political agenda. Inquiries from journalists became mired in an obstinate bureaucracy, and media coverage of government climate research dropped 80 percent after the rules were imposed.

When Canadian Scientists Were Muzzled by Their Government

Trudeau Liberals are better than Conservatives on science and climate change but not by much. Few Liberals are outright deniers, but many are comfortable with soft denial. While promising responsible environmental stewardship, Liberals pander to fossil fuel interests and the industry’s powerful financiers. Polls show that Canadians want urgent climate action but politicians pay no attention and do not care.