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In this "post-truth" era, with a climate-change-denying U.S. administration, those who want to keep humanity wedded to outdated, polluting technologies have been emboldened. It's up to the rest of us to cut through the misinformation and help humanity get on track to a cleaner, healthier future.
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Global average temperatures are hitting record highs every recent month and year, and atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are rising steadily, to levels unheard of in human history. Arctic sea ice is vanishing at unprecedented levels, mass bleaching is killing the Great Barrier Reef, and record-setting droughts, floods, heatwaves and extreme weather are happening around the world.
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It's astounding and tragic that, with all the evidence -- from volumes of scientific research to the very real effects we are experiencing everywhere -- some people stubbornly refuse to believe there's a problem worth addressing. Sadder still: Many of them are political leaders. Fortunately, most thinking people don't buy the lies. People from all sectors and walks of life -- religious, academic, business, political, activist, social justice and citizenry -- are calling for an urgent response to the greatest threat humanity faces.
American and Canadian transit opponents paint themselves as populist supporters of the common people, a tactic also used against carbon pricing. They fail to note that poor and middle class families will benefit most from public transit and other sustainable transportation options. To reduce pollution and address global warming, we must do everything we can, from conserving energy to shifting to cleaner energy sources. Improving transportation and transit infrastructure is one of the easiest ways to do so while providing more options for people to get around.
When I heard about the student protests in Montreal, I swallowed the line that Quebec's pampered youth pay lower fees than those in other parts of Canada but aren't aware that education costs money. And then I went to Quebec. There, I heard a different story.
Climate scientist Peter Gleick recently leaked documents from the Heartland Institute's board of director's meeting, proving the organization is using its taxpayer-supported status to spread lies and misinformation. Stealing is wrong, but Heartland is wrong when it lies about the most serious threat to humanity.