Governments responsible for regulation of fossil fuels are also promoters of its production and consumption. British Columbia has committed billions of dollars to encourage liquified fossil gas and has extended subsidies by way of royalty credits worth over $15 billion in today’s dollars. Government’s commitment to growing the fossil fuel industry is in direct conflict with its role as protector of the public and the environment using fair and neutral regulation of a dangerous industry. Measuring escaped emissions of methane would make it impossible to meet political promises of emissions reductions for the oil and gas industry. So, it is not a priority.

A Conference of the Parties (COP) is held regularly to assess the effects of the measures taken by Parties and the progress made in dealing with climate change. Dubai, most populated city of the world’s seventh largest oil producer, will host COP27 in December 2023. Leaders of the top five oil producers — USA, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, Iraq — are already planning to speak at COP37.

Most Canadian politicians are blithe to climate science. The federal government is building or assisting construction of fossil fuel pipelines worth $45 billion. In the last few days, BC Premier David Eby joined Alberta Premier Danielle Smith at a Vancouver conference promoting production and consumption of fossil gas.

Individuals in government, industry, and media stand in the way of actions to protect humanity from climate change. It is time to treat them as criminals, and to treat defenders of life as heroes.

As climate disasters become more common, motivations to address underlying causes will decline as the general public accepts them as normal. Add the normal inclination to diminish gradually deteriorating situations and we are unlikely to save humanity from extinction.

Provincial and federal politicians talk about Canada being carbon neutral at some distant time, but continue using direct and indirect subsidies to promote higher production of fossil fuels. They pretend that this country’s oil, gas, and coal may impact global climate if consumed here, but will not if burned elsewhere.

Areas burned by wildfires in British Columbia have been steadily increasing, and with months remaining in fire season, this year’s destruction by fire is already more than double the average of the ten preceding years.

Turns out that people are like governments that are willing to moderate climate risks, but only if actions are not painful. Seems that cartoonist Walt Kelly was correct when he wrote for Earth Day 1970, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”