[All] Fight For Farmland Town Hall Thursday & Monday, New Provincial Corruption News, Bill 165 Challenges Continue, and Lots of Local Events

Kevin Thomason kevinthomason at mac.com
Wed Jun 19 23:05:13 EDT 2024 

Good Day,

New week, new corruption news as well as the anticipated Wilmot Fight For Farmland Town Hall meetings start on Thursday evening.  Here’s the latest:

1) Starting Thursday!  Wilmot Farm Land Assembly Town Hall Meetings - Come to the New Hamburg Community Centre (251 Jacob Street) to show firsthand we are unwilling and learn about the Wilmot mega-industrial site proposal.  It is hoped that there will be strong attendance and to help keep things organized these will be ticketed events, with guaranteed entry until 6:50pm, after which any non-ticketholders will be admitted up to a maximum capacity of 300 people.

Secure your free ticket at the link below and be sure to arrive a few minutes early.  At the time of writing, there are still about 100 tickets available for Thursday and about 150 for Monday night.

	Get Free Tickets For Thursday, June 20th at 7:00pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-926202565807

	Get Free Tickets for Monday, June 24th at 7:00pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-927008355947

The Town Hall meeting will include a presentation on information we have learned so far and critical next steps to show we are unwilling, followed by a Question & Answer session.  You can send any questions you may have in advance to: wilmotlandowners at gmail.com

Don’t miss these opportunities to learn critical details about this massive industrial development that could forever change our communities and show that we are an unwilling host.


2) Wilmot Farm Land Assembly Update - It was fantastic to see dozens of people protesting at last Monday’s Wilmot Township Council meeting and again at this Wednesday’s Regional Council meeting.  Join at upcoming Council meetings to show elected officials we are unwilling and make our voices heard.  The next Wilmot Council meeting is this coming Monday night:

	Wilmot Township Council - 60 Snyder’s Road, West, Baden:
	Monday, June 24th at 6:30pm
	Monday, July 29th at 6:30pm

	Region of Waterloo Council - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener:
	Wednesday, August 28th at 6:30pm

Learn more at: www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/> including if the protests may start at an earlier time for any of these meetings if in-camera meetings in advance of regular Council meetings are planned for elected officials.

Lawn Signs - Fight For Farmland -  There are now over 2,750 signs up in our communities!  Order yours online, pick them up from local Sign Captains throughout Waterloo Region, and learn more at:

	www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/> 

Good media coverage continues including the following articles along with radio and news programs:

	The Record - Follow The Money Says Wilmot Councillor:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/follow-the-money-says-wilmot-councillor/article_12e5f67f-2d8c-5b0b-8424-1dd8542e2b51.html

	The Record - “Zero Respect Shown For Our Lives”:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/zero-respect-shown-for-our-lives/article_f932f0dd-8d60-5ebc-bab3-d7122fa10397.html

Action Required - Please continue to speak up and show firsthand that we are unwilling!


3) ALO - Five Ways Home Report - The Alliance For A Liveable Ontario (ALO) has launched a new report written by experts providing hope and easy solutions to our housing crisis.  Five simple solutions are outlined that can make homes more affordable and create liveable communities while protecting farmland, natural areas, and wetlands.

	Read and download the excellent report at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zx2DmSRLCJHskZmqFSQFcT4E4P1UnWvo/view

	Watch great 1 minute videos at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oI6TfVk4Eo

Take action now by sharing this information with your MPP and other elected officials: https://www.liveableontario.ca/five-ways-home

You can also share these materials on Facebook  - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/NbWX42ggcniajC7b/

And also share on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/C8Wyd2Xtu5W/


4) New Provincial Corruption News - Reporter Charlie Pinkerton at The Trillium has written an excellent article about how party insiders urged the town of Brighton, Ontario to hire a well-connected Conservative lobbying firm in pursuit of a desperately needed provincial wastewater treatment funding and how quickly it all unravelled:

	The Trillium - How A Political Disaster Brewed In Brighton:
	https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/how-a-political-disaster-brewed-in-brighton-9095416


5) Climate ActionWR Presentations - Over the coming weeks ClimateActionWR will be attending local Councils to present the latest 2022 Greenhouse Gas Report (we are indeed half way through 2024 already but apparently these numbers take time to compile and report - only adding to our climate woes).  Unfortunately, instead of decreasing, our emissions are actually increasing and we are far off target to meet the 50% required emissions reduction target by 2030.  You can download the report at the following link:

	https://climateactionwr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-Waterloo-Region-Community-Greenhouse-Gas-Inventory-Report-Published-June-2024.pdf
Mon July 8, 6pm - North Dumfries (delegation form here <https://www.northdumfries.ca/en/township-services/speak-before-council.aspx>)
Tue July 16, 6:30pm - City of Cambridge (delegation form here <https://forms.cambridge.ca/Delegation-Request-Form>)
Mon August 28, 7pm - City of Kitchener (delegation form here <https://www.kitchener.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/appear-as-a-delegation.aspx>)
We would love to see more delegations and also expressions of support for bold climate action at the upcoming council meetings, as above. Please reach out to mats.vankleff at gmail.com <mailto:mats.vankleff at gmail.com> if you have any questions or are interested to support.


6) WRCE High Performance Development Standard Meetings - One of the best ways to reduce our Greenhouse Gas Emissions and be dramatically decreasing GHG like Toronto, rather than seeing GHG's increase, is through the implementation of Green Development Standards and High Performance Building Standards.  After years of preparations, it is exciting to finally see the initial public meetings happening on the weeks ahead.  Please join the upcoming Waterloo Region Community Energy Education and Design Workshops as follows:

	Monday, June 24th 6:00pm at the Cambridge Centre of the Arts - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-cambridge-tickets-924667012927
	Tuesday, June 25th 6:00pm at the Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-waterloo-tickets-924668226557
	Wednesday, June 26th 3:00pm at the Kitchener Public Library - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-kitchener-tickets-915403866607?aff=oddtdtcreator
	Wednesday, June 26th 7:00pm at the Kitchener Public Library - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-kitchener-tickets-915575660447?aff=oddtdtcreator
	Thursday, June 27th 7:00pm at the New Hamburg Community Centre - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-workshop-new-hamburg-tickets-924660864537

Learn more at EngageWR at: https://www.engagewr.ca/high-performance-development-standards


7) Recent Articles - Include the complete lack of condo sales and record inventory, Doug Ford’s NIMBY costing us millions, even lower home starts, and how British Columbia is building new homes at a rate 2.5 times that of Ontario:

	The Toronto Star - The Condo Market Right Now Is A Ghost Town: Toronto Has A Record Number Of Units For Sale.  Here’s Why They Aren’t Selling Despite A Housing Crisis:
	https://www.thestar.com/real-estate/the-condo-market-right-now-is-a-ghost-town-toronto-has-a-record-number-of/article_60f20a98-24e0-11ef-8d75-376ea6f76eaf.html
	“The province’s solution to the Ontario housing crisis has been to get rid of planning laws, development fees, the right of the public to have a conversation about the kind of city want and magically it will be fixed….  They were completely wrong.”

	The Toronto Star - Doug Ford Aided A Nimby Battle Over Affordable Housing In Willowdate And Now We Are All Paying For It:
	https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/doug-ford-aided-a-nimby-battle-over-affordable-housing-in-willowdale-and-now-we-re/article_ace094da-2a60-11ef-96f1-f79d5be4c00a.html

	TVO Today - Want To Understand The Housing Crisis?  Look To 175 Cummer Avenue:
	https://www.tvo.org/article/want-to-understand-the-housing-crisis-look-to-175-cummer-avenue

	CityNews - Cambridge LRT Expansion Still A Long Way Off: Regional Official:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/06/14/cambridge-lrt-expansion-still-a-long-way-off-regional-official/?

	The Record - Housing Takes Another Hit As Waterloo Region Builders Pour Fewer Foundations:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/housing-takes-another-hit-as-waterloo-region-builders-pour-fewer-foundations/article_6e8022d2-ab67-5ef6-ad54-de7145bf32b6.html

	Frank Domenic - Why Is BC Building Homes At A Rate 2.5x Faster Than Ontario?:
	https://twitter.com/maritstiles/status/1802876455602253845?s=61&t=0cO-7_etKgBOlpj5w2070g


8) Meeting Waterloo Region’s Housing Targets Town Hall Meeting - June 20th, 7pm - An all-star panel is coming together at First United Church in Uptown Waterloo at 16 William Street.  Join Liberal MPP Adil Shamji, Housing Expert Cherise Burda, Expert Planner Kevin Eby, Activist Sean Campbell, and Urban Planner/Former Councillor Jeff Henry on a discussion on how Waterloo Region can meet its housing targets.  Learn more and register at:

	https://www.tickettailor.com/events/waterloopla/1278974


9) iON Light Rail Transit Turns 5! - It’s hard to believe that it has been over 5 years now since the extremely controversial iON Light Rail Transit launched in Waterloo Region.  Critics claimed it would be a disastrous white elephant with no ridership, endless issues, and billions in cost overruns.  Instead it has been a tremendous success with impressive ridership and new developments along the entire route that have transformed our communities as hoped while improving sustainability, lowering our carbon footprint, and protecting farmland through intensification and creating walkable, complete communities.

Kudo’s to all the citizens, brave Councillors, and others who helped to make it all happen through incredible community engagement, hundreds of meetings, so many delegations, and so much research/planning.  Hopefully we will see iON Phase 2 to Cambridge and iON Phase 3 East/West across Waterloo Region in the years ahead:

	The Record - The Game Changed Completely - Waterloo Region Celebrates Five Years With Ion:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/the-game-changed-completely-waterloo-region-celebrates-five-years-with-ion/article_38361cd3-5e2e-55df-8106-e28da044705d.html


10) Bill 165 Follow-Up - The concerns about Ontarians being forced to pay to expand the methane gas network in Bill 165 when we actually need to be reducing fossil gas and carbon emissions continue.  Here are some excellent articles from the past week:

	The Record - Stop Gas Expansion For Home Heating Or Risk Leaving Ratepayers On The Hook: Report:
	https://www.therecord.com/business/stop-gas-expansion-for-home-heating-or-risk-leaving-ratepayers-on-the-hook-report/article_d0ebc407-65c9-565f-afaa-b687986577fd.html

	The Toronto Star - Ontario’s New Energy Minister Says Natural Gas Plants Must Stay “To Help Fuel Our Economy”:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ontarios-new-energy-minister-says-natural-gas-plants-must-stay-to-help-fuel-our-economy/article_ff1b7d0e-299e-11ef-827d-a72a301250d5.html


11) The State Of Environmentalism In Hamilton - Listen to this excellent podcast from the The Environmental Urbanist featuring Lynda Lukasik on the state of environmentalism in Hamilton including really clear comments about the impact Bill 185 will have on the ability for boundary expansions their Official Plan had prevented now being able to happen anytime at the request of developers with little that can be done about it:

	The Environmental Urbanist Podcast - Dr. Lynda Lukasik And The State Of Environmentalism In Hamilton:
	https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/lynda-lukasik-and-the-state-of/id1616538550?i=1000658782701


12) Other Articles - Include wildfires, the far right determining our fate, Caledon, and 40% of land already unable to sustain crops:

	The Hamilton Spectator/The Record - Wildfires Are A Reminder That We Can’t Afford Not To Tackle Climate Change:
	https://www.therecord.com/opinion/contributors/wildfires-are-a-reminder-that-we-can-t-afford-not-to-tackle-climate-change/article_78e628eb-33d0-5ee2-9df1-07d3bbacdc77.html

	The Walrus - The Far Right Will Decide The Environment’s Fate:
	https://thewalrus.ca/far-right-environment/

	The Pointer - Staff Comments Suggest Caledon Mayor Annette Groves’ Plan For 35,000 Homes May Not Be Viable: She Doubles Down:
	https://thepointer.com/article/2024-06-14/staff-comments-suggest-caledon-mayor-annette-groves-plan-for-35k-units-may-not-be-viable-she-doubles-down

	The BBC - The UN Says 40% Of The World’s Land Is Already Unable To Sustain Crops:
	https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977r51e1z0o.amp


13) Ontario Nature Blog - Take a minute to read this excellent recent blog post from Ontario Nature explaining how scapegoating immigration for our housing crisis and environmental degradation is unjustified:

	Ontario Nature - Scapegoating Immigration For Environmental Degradation And The Housing Crisis is Unjustified:
	https://ontarionature.org/scapegoating-immigration-env-degradation-housing-crisis-unjust-blog/


14) Hope - This Globe and Mail article is one of the best and most inspiring articles in a long time basically stating that the energy transition to cheaper, cleaner energy is inevitable and coming faster than expected because the developing world can’t afford fossil fuels but can afford cheap, abundant renewable energy.  So we are going to have to convert simply to remain competitive and not lose out to China, India, and so many other rapidly developing nations:

	The Globe and Mail - The Energy Transition Comes In 2 Ways: First Slowly, Then Suddenly:
	https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-the-energy-transition-comes-in-two-ways-first-slowly-then-suddenly/


15) Show Your Stripes - Friday June 21st - Climate Stripes were created by Professor Ed Hawkins, Climate Scientist from University of Reading as a representation of how temperatures have increased around the world since the industrial revolution.  Everyone is asked to share their stripes with their networks.  Learn more:

	https://www.reading.ac.uk/planet/events/show-your-stripes-day

	Get your stripes here:
	https://showyourstripes.info/

In related news Environment Canada expects that most of Canada will experience  above average temperatures in summer 2024.  The map is very alarming: 
	
	https://x.com/environmentca/status/1800592581249966532?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw


16) Heat Pump Event Hosted By Guelph Climate Action Network - Join the Guelph Climate Action Network on Tuesday, June 25 at 7pm at 42 Carden Street to learn about heat pumps.  Learn more by e-mailing Anne Moore at: guelphclimateactionnetwork at gmail.com <mailto:guelphclimateactionnetwork at gmail.com>


17) Heat Pump 101 Hosted by Woolwich Township Citizens - Join citizens from across Woolwich Township on Wednesday, July 17th from 7:00pm to 8:30pm for Heat Pumps 101 and talk to an expert at the Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira.


18) GreenDrinks KW - Green drinks is a casual gathering of environmentally conscious folks come together to chat and network.  Join on Wednesday, June 26th at 7:00pm at Arabella Park on the patio at 740 Belmont Ave. West, Kitchener.  Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/KWGreenDrinks/


19) Reminder - Next Meeting - Join us next Friday, June 28th at 5:30pm online at the Zoom link below:

	Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting
	Time: Every Other Friday at 5:30pm EST

	Join Zoom Meeting
	https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

	Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701
	Passcode: 713374


Thanks for all the great efforts so far - please share any questions or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin Thomason, Mike Marcolongo, and Joan Faux on behalf of all our community groups.

-----------------------------------
A) Upcoming Events - Please don’t claim there’s nothing happening over the next few weeks!  Get out and get involved!

Thursday, June 20th at 7:00pm - Fight For Farmland Town Hall Meeting - New Hamburg Community Centre Hall, 251 Jacob Street, Downtown New Hamburg - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>
	
Thursday, June 20th at 7:00pm - Housing Town Hall: Reaching Waterloo Region’s Housing Targets, First United Church, 16 William St. Waterloo - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/waterloopla/1278974

Monday, June 24th at 6:30pm - Fight For Farmland Rally at Wilmot Township Council - 60 Snyder’s Road, West, Baden - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>

Monday, June 24th 6:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Cambridge Centre of the Arts - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-cambridge-tickets-924667012927

Monday, June 24th at 7:00pm - Fight For Farmland Town Hall Meeting #2 - New Hamburg Community Centre Hall, 251 Jacob Street, Downtown New Hamburg - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>

Tuesday, June 25th 6:00pm -  GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-waterloo-tickets-924668226557

Tuesday, June 25th - 7pm - Guelph Climate Action Network - Heat Pump Event - 42 Carden Street

Wednesday, June 26th 3:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Kitchener Public Library - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-kitchener-tickets-915403866607?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wednesday, June 26th 7:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - Kitchener Public Library - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-design-workshop-kitchener-tickets-915575660447?aff=oddtdtcreator

Wednesday, June 26th - 7:00pm - GreenDrinks KW at Arabella Park, 740 Belmont Ave. West, Kitchener - https://www.facebook.com/groups/KWGreenDrinks/

Thursday, June 27th 7:00pm - GDS/High Performance Development Standards - New Hamburg Community Centre - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/high-performance-development-standards-community-workshop-new-hamburg-tickets-924660864537

Friday, June 28th at 5:30pm - Next group update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

Monday, July 8th - 6pm - North Dumfries Township ClimateActionWR/Waterloo Climate Collaborative Council Delegation - https://www.northdumfries.ca/en/township-services/speak-before-council.aspx

Tuesday, July 16th, 6:30pm - City of Cambridge - ClimateActionWR/Waterloo Climate Collaborative Council Delegation - https://forms.cambridge.ca/Delegation-Request-Form

Wednesday, July 17th - 7:00pm to 8:30pm - Heat Pumps 101 - Talk to an expert - Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira

Monday, July 29th at 6:30pm - Fight For Farmland Rally at Wilmot Township Council - 60 Snyder’s Road, West, Baden - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>

Monday, August 26th - 7pm - City of Kitchener ClimateActionWR/Waterloo Climate Collaborative Council Delegation - https://www.kitchener.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/appear-as-a-delegation.aspx

Wednesday, August 28th at 6:30pm - Fight For Farmland Rally at Region of Waterloo Council - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener - www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/>


-----------------------------
B) Fight For Farmland Town Hall Meetings - Thursday, June 20th at 7pm and/or Monday, June 24th at 7pm:

Reserve Free Tickets to Guarantee Admission - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-926202565807


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-for-farmland-group-town-hall-tickets-926202565807


---------------------------------
C) Housing Town Hall: Reaching Waterloo Region’s Housing Targets, Thursday, June 20th at 7:00pm -

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/waterloopla/1278974





https://www.tickettailor.com/events/waterloopla/1278974


-------------------------
D) GreenDrinks KW - June 26th 7:00pm




--------------------------------
E) Recent Media:
OPINION
The energy transition comes in two ways: First slowly, then suddenly
 <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/john-rapley/>
JOHN RAPLEY <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/john-rapley/>
SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL
PUBLISHED JUNE 15, 2024
Open this photo in gallery:
 <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/resizer/v2/ZVEVSJH3VFDWTAK6UYIBRGH4SU.jpg?auth=28cae1161a332f556da6b185d48762dcd278786d789d994b83167977fa7d9643&width=600&quality=80>This photograph was taken near Nufenenpass above Ulrichen on Sept. 2, 2022.
FABRICE COFFRINI/GETTY IMAGES

COMMENTS
 <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-the-energy-transition-comes-in-two-ways-first-slowly-then-suddenly/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links#comments>
SHARE

BOOKMARK
John Rapley is an author and academic who divides his time among London, Johannesburg and Ottawa. His books include Why Empires Fall(Yale University Press, 2023) and Twilight of the Money Gods (Simon and Schuster, 2017).

Europe’s plan for a green new deal to rival U.S. President Joe Biden’s was set back last weekend when radical-right parties, which oppose climate policies, made big gains in the EU elections.

This is the current trend in Western countries. ESG investing, all the rage a couple of years ago, has gone out of fashion as politicians demand a pause in the renewable energy <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/topics/energy/> transition, saying strapped consumers can’t afford it. Donald Trump says he’d reverse it altogether should he win the November election. Seemingly anticipating this new reality, Toyota <https://www.ft.com/content/b54ddc3a-1924-457b-a680-0a2ef098de76> recently announced it will reorient its plans back to internal combustion engine (ICE) cars from EVs, whose sales it thinks will soon level off.

That may be a mistake. While a pause in the energy transition might bring short-term relief, any country doing it may soon regret the decision. That’s because outside the West, the energy transition is now picking up speed, with potentially profound implications for the world economy <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/topics/economy/>.

Until recently, led by a handful of North European countries, the developed world has dominated the energy transition. But whereas developing countries had hitherto used cheaper carbon-based energy to industrialize, the falling cost of new energy technology is changing that quickly <https://www.lombardodier.com/contents/corporate-news/responsible-capital/2024/april/picking-the-winners-in-the-energ.html>. Last year alone, China <https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/12/29/europe-us-china-where-installed-the-most-wind-and-solar-power-in-2023> built as much solar capacity as exists in all of Europe <https://www.statista.com/statistics/1424445/forecast-solar-photovoltaic-capacity-european-union/#:~:text=The%20solar%20photovoltaic%20power%20capacity,increasing%2C%20reaching%20roughly%20625%20gigawatts.>. This March, India <https://www.pv-magazine-india.com/2024/04/24/india-installed-7-1-gw-of-renewable-energy-capacity-in-march-2024/#:~:text=India%20set%20new%20record%20for,than%206.2%20GW%20from%20solar.> installed more than 10 times as much renewable capacity as it did the year before. After years of chronic power cuts, South Africa largely ended the problem after the government created tax breaks for households to put solar panels on their roofs, triggering a boom in solar-panel installations.

Developing countries now accelerating their energy transitions are doing it for the same, prosaic reason: to save money and secure supply. When Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled to Beijing hoping for a pipeline deal to replace Russia’s lost sales to Europe, he went home empty-handed <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-05-20/putin-in-china-russia-s-pipeline-dream-exposes-beijing-s-energy-advantage>. China wants to reduce its import dependence <https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2023/12/will-climate-change-drive-a-wedge-between-russia-and-china?lang=en&center=russia-eurasia>, and renewable energy ends its dependence on anyone. Besides, unlike with carbon-based energy, the marginal utility of green energy is zero: once installed, you have no more fuel bills.

Given that the future growth of global demand will come increasingly from the developing world, whose economies are growing faster than ours, what’s going on there should interest us. Ethiopia’s recent decision to ban imports of ICE cars may be a sign of things to come. Having ramped up its renewable electricity generation, the country wants to switch to an EV fleet, thereby reducing its hefty reliance on imported fuel <https://techpoint.africa/2024/02/08/ethiopia-ban-importation-fuel-powered-cars/>to free up money for other uses.

But it’s not just on the demand side of the equation that decarbonization in the developing world will pose a new challenge. As developing countries switch to cheaper renewables, their competitive advantage in labour costs will get a further boost from cheaper energy, hurting Western laggards. Take Germany. Not only will demand for its ICE cars drop, as has already happened in the crucial Chinese market <https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/shift-e-cars-may-herald-strong-disruption-chinese-german-trade-relations-economists>, but the other outputs of the country’s manufacturing-intensive economy may get comparatively expensive, further losing it global market share.

So if we leap off the decarbonization train, it will just continue on without us. Driving that is basic economics. Whereas further gains in the efficiency of carbon-based energy generation are incremental, the cost of producing renewable energy has plunged. The same is true of battery technology, which is improving so rapidly <https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/decade-of-the-battery-334?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=35345&post_id=145431253&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=59u5y&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email> the intermittency problem in renewable energy may soon be solved: We’ll be able to store energy for long periods and drive all day on a single charge.

As happened when Western economies originally transitioned from animal power into the carbon age, eventually a point will come that network effects kick in to make the old technologies more costly. For example, as the number of ICEs drop and gasoline demand falls, service stations will close and drivers of ICE cars will have to go further afield for refills.

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In addition, the political interests invested in the old technology will lose power. Although Mr. Trump says he’ll roll back Mr. Biden’s green new deal, he’ll run into major corporate interests, including in the oil industry <https://adamtooze.substack.com/p/chartbook-287-after-the-verdict-american?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=59u5y&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email>itself, which have taken advantage of Biden subsidies and would now defend them in a Trump presidency. Tellingly, during his term in office, Mr. Trump’s pro-carbon energy policies failed to stem the tide toward renewables in electricity generation <https://cleantechnica.com/2024/06/06/usa-solar-panel-manufacturing-capacity-soared-71-in-q1-2024/>, for the simple reason that they’d become more profitable than coal. Just look at Texas <https://www.ft.com/content/ef2f6f8e-60df-4ccd-8c4f-ef5cd0eb3176>. It may be the heart of oil country, but it’s also the epicentre of America’s green transition.

The same changing balance of political forces will then apply to countries. As more of the world decarbonizes, carbon-intensive countries will grow weaker in international negotiations. Past a certain threshold, therefore, the energy transition will attain escape velocity, leaving the snails behind.

Which is to say that like Hemingway’s line on bankruptcy, the energy transition, having begun slowly, will come quickly.


-------------------------------
F) Speak Up and Ensure Your Voice is Heard:

Wilmot Township Council

Natasha Salonen, Mayor, Wilmot, natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca <mailto:natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca>
Stewart Cressman, Councillor Ward 1, Wilmot, stewart.cressman at wilmot.ca <mailto:stewart.cressman at wilmot.ca>
Kris Wilkinson, Councillor Ward 2, Wilmot, kris.wilkinson at wilmot.ca <mailto:kris.wilkinson at wilmot.ca>
Havir Sidhu, Councillor Ward 3, Wilmot, harvir.sidhu at wilmot.ca <mailto:harvir.sidhu at wilmot.ca>
Lillianne Dunstall, Councillor Ward 4, Wilmot, lillianne.dunstall at wilmot.ca <mailto:lillianne.dunstall at wilmot.ca>
Steven Martin, Councillor Ward 4, Wilmot, steven.martin at wilmot.ca <mailto:steven.martin at wilmot.ca>


Region of Waterloo Council

Karen Redman, Regional Chair, kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor, Kitchener, berryv at kitchener.ca <mailto:berryv at kitchener.ca>
Dorothy McCabe, Mayor, City of Waterloo, dorothy.mccabe at waterloo.ca <mailto:dorothy.mccabe at waterloo.ca>
Jan Liggett, Cambridge Mayor, Cambridge, liggettj at cambridge.ca <mailto:liggettj at cambridge.ca>
Sue Foxton, Mayor, North Dumfries, sfoxton at northdumfries.ca <mailto:sfoxton at northdumfries.ca>
Natasha Salonen, Mayor, Wilmot, natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca <mailto:natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca>
Joe Nowak, Mayor, Wellesley, jnowak at wellesley.ca <mailto:jnowak at wellesley.ca>
Sandy Shantz, Mayor, Woolwich, sshantz at woolwich.ca <mailto:sshantz at woolwich.ca>
Doug Craig, Regional Councillor, Cambridge, dougcraig at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:dougcraig at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Pam Wolf, Regional Councillor, Cambridge, pwolf at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:pwolf at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Colleen James, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, CJames at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CJames at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Michael Harris, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, MHarris at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:MHarris at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Kari Williams, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, KariWilliams at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:KariWilliams at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Rob Deutschmann, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, RDeutschmann at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:RDeutschmann at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Jim Erb, Regional Councillor, Waterloo, JErb at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:JErb at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Chantal Huinink, Regional Councillor, Waterloo, CHuinink at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CHuinink at regionofwaterloo.ca>

Province of Ontario

Premier Doug Ford - doug.fordco at pc.ola.org <mailto:doug.fordco at pc.ola.org> or 416-325-1941
Paul Calandra - Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing - paul.calandra at pc.ola.org <mailto:steve.clark at pc.ola.org> or 416-585-7000
Andrea Khanjin - Minster of Environment, Conservation and Parks - andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org <mailto:andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org> or 705-722-0575
Todd Smith - Minister of Energy - todd.smith at pc.ola.org <mailto:todd.smith at pc.ola.org> or 613-962-1144
Michael Parsa - Associate Minister of Housing - michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org <mailto:michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org>

Local Conservative MPPs:
Mike Harris Jr - Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier, MPP Kitchener-Conestoga - mike.harris at pc.ola.org <mailto:mike.harris at pc.ola.org> or 519-669-2090
Brian Riddell - MPP Cambridge - brian.riddell at pc.ola.org <mailto:brian.riddell at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-2770
Jess Dixon - MPP Kitchener South - jess.dixon at pc.ola.org <mailto:jess.dixon at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-9413
Will Bouma - MPP Brantford-Brant - will.bouma at pc.ola.org <mailto:will.bouma at pc.ola.org> or (519) 759-0361
Ted Arnott - MPP Wellington-Halton Hills - ted.arnott at pc.ola.org <mailto:ted.arnott at pc.ola.org> or (519) 787-5247
Ernie Hardeman - MPP Oxford - ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org <mailto:ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org> or (519) 537-5222
Matthew Rae - MPP Perth-Wellington - matthew.rae at pc.ola.org <mailto:matthew.rae at pc.ola.org> or (519) 272-0660

Local NDP MPPs:
Catherine Fife - MPP Waterloo - cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-725-3477

Local Green Party MPPs:
Mike Schreiner - MPP Guelph - mschreiner at ola.or <mailto:mschreiner at ola.org>g or (519) 836-4190
New! - Aislinn Clancy - MPP Kitchener Centre - aclancy-co at ola.org <mailto:aclancy-co at ola.org> or 519-579-5460

Independent MPPs:
Bobbi Ann Brady - MPP Haldimand-Norfolk - babrady-co at ola.org <mailto:babrady-co at ola.org> or (519) 428-0446


Federal Members of Parliament

Local Liberal MPs:
Bryan May - MP Cambridge - bryan.may at parl.gc.ca <mailto:bryan.may at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 624-7440
Tim Louis - MP Kitchener-Conestoga - tim.louis at parl.gc.ca <mailto:tim.louis at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 578-3777
Valerie Bradford - MP Kitchener-South Hespeler - valerie.bradford at parl.gc.ca <mailto:valerie.bradford at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 571-5509
Bardish Chagger - MP Waterloo - bardish.chagger at parl.gc.ca <mailto:bardish.chagger at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 746-1573
Lloyd Longfield - MP Guelph - lloyd.longfield at parl.gc.ca <mailto:lloyd.longfield at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 837-8276

Local Conservative MPs:
Michael Chong - MP Wellington-Halton Hills - michael.chong at parl.gc.ca <mailto:michael.chong at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 843-7344
Larry Brok - MP Brantford-Brant - larry.brock at parl.gc.ca <mailto:larry.brock at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 754-4300
John Nater - MP Perth-Wellington - john.nater at parl.gc.ca <mailto:john.nater at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 273-1400

Local Green Party MPs:
Mike Morrice - MP Kitchener - mike.morrice at parl.gc.ca <mailto:mike.morrice at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 741-2001

-----------------------------------
Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network
www.gren.ca <http://www.gren.ca/>

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Twitter: @kthomason
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com <mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>
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