Canadians, like most developed countries, already have a very low birth rate. If you want to reduce the growth of human population, you have to look at countries and regions where the birth rate is significantly higher than two children per woman.
If you are concerned about the carbon footprint of individual people, you need to look at where most of that carbon goes and what can be done about it. In Canada, the two major contributors are heating and car use, both of which would be reduced by transforming suburban single family home developments into walkable medium density mixed-use neighborhoods.
I have brought two wonderful people to this world because I don’t underestimate humanity’s ability to understand, adapt and overcome the challenges ahead. Humans have lived and thrived through much tougher times in history. A defeatist attitude sure won’t help.
Nothing to apologize for. I understand that some people, particularly those who are young, environmentally conscious and lacking financial stability, look at the world and think that it’s all going to shit.
I’m old enough to remember the cold war and the fear we had of nuclear holocaust and nuclear winter. It’s just an example, there have been doomsday headlines every day for as long as I’ve lived and every single time humans have prevailed.
I’m not saying climate change isn’t serious, it is very serious. I’m saying our children and grandchildren will, for the most part, live good lives. Better than our lives in some ways, worse in others, just like it’s always happened. People adapt.
Yup. I’m a 1994 kid and both my parents have apologized for bringing me into the world. Back then things weren’t so bleak though and they were rich at the time too so I can’t fault them.
So proud that my parents are intelligent and are discouraging me and my siblings from having children. The family name dies with us.
I’m not surprised either. I doubt anyone here failed to feel the concern that we have a long life ahead, allowing hearts to remain and children to suffer.
But is it realistic? On what basis do you think we have such longevity ahead of us? Perhaps the claim that the world is about to end is the more viable conclusion?
Then the next gen is in for a reality check too like China is right now. No young people to support the old people and we get new problems. I guess all in all none of our systems have ever been perfect.
We will all need to come to terms with the scope and scale of our predicament - climate change is not ‘the’ problem, it is one facet of the overall collapse of the biosphere that we are causing (see: planetary boundaries). Guaranteeing some livable future for our children will require revolutionary change in our economic systems and our relationship with the environment. Real mitigation will involve: reserving our remaining carbon budget for critical activities (heating our houses, food transport, etc), significant build-out of resilient systems (local sustainable/regenerative agriculture), and preparing for a less complex economy with much lower energy use. We can do this in a controlled way over the next few decades, or in a chaotic way when we are left with no other options. It doesn’t seem like the public is ready or willing to have these conversations yet.
I’m in complete agreement. Humanity will transition to sustainability the good way or the bad way. The good way involves making some tough decisions and calculated sacrifices, while the bad way involves despair, famine, mass migrations, war and genocide.
But it will all eventually settle down to sustainability, one way or another. That’s why I’m an optimist.
I’m in Alberta. Our UCP overlords are still investigating the serial arsonists that are starting all these fires. FFS, how can we have even a modicum of hope that we can do anything with meatballs like that in charge?
Alberta voted for it. Fair and square. They will only have themselves to look in the mirror and blame, when everyone with a brain is long gone, and they can’t get anyone to reliably fulfil their services.
Or when the cheque comes due for their behaviour. But I ain’t holding my breath on that.
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