Developing a green transportation plan for Toronto
Yesterday Al Gore was in Toronto speaking about global warming. The Toronto Star article describing his talk can be found at this address.
http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/article/730496--bold-action-needed-on-climate-change-al-gore-says
The former U.S. vice-president reviewed the risks faced by human civilization -- melting polar ice caps, disruption of the fisheries and rising acidity of the world's oceans. He said the combination of rapid population growth, deforestation and uncontrolled production of greenhouses gases has "thrown into question the survival of our species."
But Gore believes that with prompt action we can reduce our reliance on carbon based fuels such as coal and oil, replacing them with renewable energy, including wind and solar power. The technology has been developed. What is lacking is the political will to build the new technology. It will be up to citizens to pressure government to make that happen.
Canada is doing little to meet this challenge. The Conservative government is protecting the exploitation of the tar sands in Alberta that adds enormously to the CO2 that is being pumped into the atmosphere. Even here in Toronto little is being done.
Now is the time to develop a Toronto centered plan to reduce the production of greenhouse gases. We live in the largest city in the country and our actions -- or lack of action -- sends an important message to the country.
There will be major new investments in public transit over the next few years. That is a beginning, but there is much more that we can do. We need to put a congestion tax, or toll, on cars coming into the city on the Gardiner and Don Valley Expressways. That will discourage people from driving their cars into the city, it will help to solve the problem of congestion in the downtown and reduce greenhouse gases. We need to begin to plan and build a system of high speed trains along the Windsor - Quebec City corridor. Above all now is the time that the Island Airport should be closed. As long as it stays open and continues to pump out greenhouse gases we will never reach our goal of a carbon neutral city.
Over the next months members of CommunityAIR will be developing an action plan for a City of Toronto green transportation plan. Stay tuned.
http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/article/730496--bold-action-needed-on-climate-change-al-gore-says
The former U.S. vice-president reviewed the risks faced by human civilization -- melting polar ice caps, disruption of the fisheries and rising acidity of the world's oceans. He said the combination of rapid population growth, deforestation and uncontrolled production of greenhouses gases has "thrown into question the survival of our species."
But Gore believes that with prompt action we can reduce our reliance on carbon based fuels such as coal and oil, replacing them with renewable energy, including wind and solar power. The technology has been developed. What is lacking is the political will to build the new technology. It will be up to citizens to pressure government to make that happen.
Canada is doing little to meet this challenge. The Conservative government is protecting the exploitation of the tar sands in Alberta that adds enormously to the CO2 that is being pumped into the atmosphere. Even here in Toronto little is being done.
Now is the time to develop a Toronto centered plan to reduce the production of greenhouse gases. We live in the largest city in the country and our actions -- or lack of action -- sends an important message to the country.
There will be major new investments in public transit over the next few years. That is a beginning, but there is much more that we can do. We need to put a congestion tax, or toll, on cars coming into the city on the Gardiner and Don Valley Expressways. That will discourage people from driving their cars into the city, it will help to solve the problem of congestion in the downtown and reduce greenhouse gases. We need to begin to plan and build a system of high speed trains along the Windsor - Quebec City corridor. Above all now is the time that the Island Airport should be closed. As long as it stays open and continues to pump out greenhouse gases we will never reach our goal of a carbon neutral city.
Over the next months members of CommunityAIR will be developing an action plan for a City of Toronto green transportation plan. Stay tuned.
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