Decarbonizing Quebec, a fake good idea? | The Press

Professor Daniel Gill’s letter on the decarbonization of Quebec1, published on April 11, did not fail to make our readers react. Here is an overview of the emails received.


Equip ourselves with several sources of energy

Prudence imposes indeed to acquire several sources of energy. On the other hand, exporting our know-how (and our gas, all the same less polluting than coal) would undoubtedly have a more significant impact on the environment on a planetary scale than small gestures where appearances outweigh the substance.

Sebastian Too

Everyone must do their part

Nice way to see things! Listening to you, we shouldn’t do our part, leave it to others and see how it’s going to end… Global warming is a global problem, precisely! If everyone waits for their neighbor to act before reacting, you might as well start building bubble cities that will protect the rich from climate change, because the middle class will not be able to afford to live there…

Bernard Lalonde, Saint-Andre-d’Argenteuil

We need gas and oil

I recognize that relying solely on electricity generated by Hydro-Quebec is a dangerous idea. We need gas, oil, especially since we are lucky to have these resources right here. Imagine a widespread power outage following a computer attack, or worse, a well-targeted military attack. Don’t forget that we are currently supporting Ukraine at war with Russia!

Nicole Lareau

The multitude of gestures makes the abundance of results

It is true that each isolated country has a minor impact on climate change. It takes the contribution of all countries to achieve results. If we follow your reasoning, each country is authorized not to fight climate change, insofar as they note the little influence of their actions. A drop of water is nothing taken in isolation, it is their multitude that makes their abundance. Not thinking in isolation is the solution to global warming, not the other way around.

Alain Rousseau

Let’s be strategic

Your letter hits the bull’s eye. We launch ourselves headlong towards false objectives. After more than 40 years of plans to reduce our waste, we continue to miss the targets. We continue the race for urban sprawl by confusing everything with the occupation of the territory. We build in flood zones and in wetlands. It is time to develop a strategic approach and no longer on a case-by-case basis. To clear your conscience by buying an electric car is to continue to ostrich. We need to change our behavior.

Ginette Lajoie

A justification for the lack of effort

These arguments, all countries can use to justify their lack of effort. This type of selfish thinking is precisely the source of the climate problem.

William Dion

(right letter)

Let’s stop looking away and act

This is called a left field idea. The arguments presented are credible, but this kind of debate is up to the countries participating in the various COPs. It was agreed by these countries that each would do its part to reduce its GHG emissions. Each country has made commitments to this effect. And each country must develop a strategy, allocate monetary and human resources, carry out serious follow-up, so that all these efforts bear fruit and make it possible to achieve its objectives. This approach and the results obtained make it possible to establish the credibility of the countries involved in the fight against climate change and, for some, to act as a model to follow. To choose to look elsewhere rather than in one’s own backyard is to carry on without fundamentally changing anything in our economy, which is what far too many government and corporate “leaders” have chosen to do for far too long, in constantly shoveling forward, resulting in the urgency to act that we know today to limit global warming (for which it is probably already too late). Yes to decarbonize Quebec and even faster than what our government expects, because we are off course to achieve our GHG reduction target.

Real Bilodeau


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