Why Canada's Withdrawal from Kyoto is a Blessing in Disguise

After returning from the UN climate conference in Durban, South Africa, Environment Minister Peter Kent announced that Canada is withdrawing from Kyoto.

While this is very symbolic it is important to remember that an international climate change accord is only as strong as it's weakest link. Moreover the "all for one and one for all" mentality of several nations overshadowed any clear initiative. Have you ever noticed how much more effective you are when making decisions on your own in comparison to seeking a consensus from family and friends for something as trivial as what movie to rent or food to order? While noble, and useful for preventing rash or reactionary decisions, the consensus process is slow.

Collective change is difficult and obscure but change is accessible when we realize that a collective is a sum of parts. Global negotiations are conversations. Conversations are plans to act but they aren't actions. Waiting on a group of diverse interests to make a decision might not even be worth it in the end as a standard agreement ignores the diversity of cultures, traditions, economies and environments around the world. On the local scale, climate change is going to effect us differently depending on our infrastructure and geography. Not only does it make sense to plan for mitigation and adaptation on the provincial, regional, watershed, municipal or local scale but efforts will be more tangible, visible, communicable, and maybe even faster.

Though Canada as a government will not be meeting it's Kyoto obligations, this does not mean that Canadians will not. While it is optimistic to think that behaviour change can happen without being legislated, there are economic opportunities in adapting early. That is exactly what these recent events are, an opportunity.

It's difficult to be one's hero, especially when our image of heroes are people who were handed their destiny. It's almost as though we expect a decisive moment to grant us the authority to take leadership and initiative. In reality, every moment is an opportunity waiting to be seized.