'A Climate of Change' Interview

My May 7, 2020 interview on the Calgary Climate Hub's 'A Climate of Change' discussing my new book and what actions people can take to help stop climate change.

Public Talk at Bay Area (Ontario) Climate Change Forum

Here is a link to the a talk I gave on Feb. 26 in Hamilton, Ontario to the Bay Area Climate Change Forum. The event was supported by the Centre for Climate Change Management, in partnership with the Cities of Hamilton and Burlington, and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.

Public talk at Simon Fraser University on 'Citizen's Guide to Climate Success'

Here is the link to the 40-minute talk I gave recently in Vancouver discussing the key point in my new book.

The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success - Now Available

The book is available in paperback, hard cover, Kindle/Kobo and Audible.

Follow this link for reviews of "A Citizen's Guide to Climate Success"

Buy from Amazon.com

Buy from Amazon.ca

Or check other local and online retailers. 

Synopsis

Humanity has failed for three decades to decarbonize our energy system to address the climate threat, yet average citizens still don’t know what to do personally or what to demand from their politicians. For climate success, we need to understand the combined role of self-interested and wishful thinking biases that prevent us from acting effectively and strategically. Fossil fuel and other interests delude us about climate science or try to convince us that every new fossil fuel investment is beneficial. But even climate-concerned people propagate myths that hinder progress, holding to beliefs that all countries will agree voluntarily on sharing the cost of global decarbonization; that carbon offsets are effective; that behavioral change is critical; that energy efficiency and renewable energy are cheap; and that carbon taxes are absolutely essential. For success with the climate-energy challenge, we must strategically focus our efforts as citizens on a few key domestic sectors (especially electricity and transportation), a few key policies (regulations and/or carbon pricing); and the identification and election of climate-sincere politicians. As leading countries decarbonize their domestic electricity and transportation sectors, they must use various measures, including carbon tariffs, to ensure that their efforts spill over to affect the efforts of all countries. And although wealthier countries are unlikely to provide the support that developing countries desire to forego dependence on coal and oil, the combination of tariff threats and the local air pollution and climate benefits from decarbonization will motivate efforts even in these poorer countries. This book offers a clear and simple strategic path for climate-concerned citizens to drive climate success by acting locally while thinking globally.

Meet the MythBuster for climate change - Grist

Endorsements for 'Citizen's Guide to Climate Success'

‘Mark Jaccard gives us very direct, practical steps to make a real difference in the climate crisis – both in our daily lives and with our political powers. This is a potent, smart book that draws on Mark's decades of leadership on climate change, economics, and politics. A crucial read to learn what actions will effectively transform our world from climate crisis to a bright livable future.'

Gregor Robertson - Mayor of Vancouver (2008–2018), and Global Ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

‘What is effective climate leadership and how do we overcome political inertia and our biases to ensure swift action? If that's a question that haunts you, Mark Jaccard's The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success is the book for you. With the benefit of decades of experience, research, and designing policy, Mark shares his insights and explores some of the myths and delusions that are holding us back in this well-written and exhaustively researched book. I have more hope for our collective success on climate action after reading Mark's clear, uncompromising analysis. Whether you are a concerned citizen, a journalist, an academic, a student, or an elected politician, you should read this book.'

Tzeporah Berman - International Program Director, Stand.earth

‘A gem. Jaccard welds an activist's passion to a bullshit detector honed by decades of practical experience in the muck of energy policy. Mark has forged a uniquely personal voice out of decades of academic work tempered by hard-won experience in the energy-climate wars. It's smart and relevant yet also fun – finding time to explore the carbon footprint of our sex lives. A bucket of ice water to the face after too many soporific climate books. An impassioned yet dispassionate call to action.'

David Keith - Harvard University, and author of A Case for Climate Engineering

‘Mark Jaccard draws on three decades of extensive expertise and experience from the forefront of academic, national, and international energy policy to dismantle the common myths and skewer the sacred cows that hold us back from the clean energy transition. He doesn't shy away from discussing the difficult, thorny issues of justice and equality, the dirty politics behind policies, and the risks of putting all our eggs in one basket, whether it's nuclear power or carbon pricing. If you've ever wondered what it will take to fix climate change, this book offers the facts, the analysis, and, ultimately, the clarity we need to understand fully the challenges that confront us and the solutions that will lead us to a better future.'

Katharine Hayhoe - climate scientist, Texas Tech University

‘Besides taking an axe to the clichés that dominate the current climate change debate, Mark Jaccard tackles head-on the challenge of creating climate change policies that can achieve sustained political support. This is the book to read if you want a realistic, attainable, and sustainable climate change agenda. It's also a master class in teaching about climate science.'

Michael Ignatieff - President, Central European University

‘Mark Jaccard's new book is essential reading for the concerned citizen. Some of the described 'myths' were deliberate lies, but, armed with this deeply thoughtful book, bringing science and human bias and political foibles together, the engaged voter can find the path to meaningful climate action.'

Elizabeth May - Canadian Member of Parliament and Leader of the Green Party of Canada

‘At a time when all too many have given up hope in the battle to avert catastrophic climate change, Mark Jaccard's important new book The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success provides a roadmap for success. Jaccard details a viable strategy for citizens working together, placing collective pressure on politicians, to adopt policies that will lead to rapid decarbonization of our economy and the avoidance of truly dangerous planetary warming.'

Michael E. Mann - Director, Penn State Earth System Science Center, and co-author of The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy

‘If you're looking for a book that cuts through the contention and cant surrounding our climate crisis, this is the place to start. Renowned economist Mark Jaccard identifies and demolishes ten common myths about climate change and humanity's transition to a low-carbon future. Then he shows what steps we should take, as individuals and societies, to address this critical problem effectively. Fearless in challenging received wisdom, and bold in his prescriptions, Jaccard speaks with a clear, brilliantly informed voice about the greatest challenge of our time.'

Thomas Homer-Dixon - University of Waterloo, and author of The Ingenuity Gap

‘I cannot think of another book that covers this ground. Mark Jaccard has done a huge service, helping to lay out the vexed ground of climate information, disinformation, and conflicting conclusions. In doing so, he helps pave the way for a meaningful conversation on effective solutions to the climate crisis. This is a must-read and must-teach book.'

Naomi Oreskes - Harvard University, and author of Why Trust Science?

‘There could not be a more timely guide to taking effective climate action.'

Tim Flannery - author of The Weather Makers

Reviews of "A Citizen's Guide to Climate Success"

Numerous reviews have already appeared. To read them, follow the links below:

"Laurent Franckx's Reviews: The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths That Hinder Progress" by Laurent Franckx, March 21, 2020, Goodreads.

"Zen and the Art of Climate Success" by Matthew Klippenstein, February 28, 2020, The National Observer.

"The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success — a Must-Read for the Current Times" by Mihai Andrei, February 21, 2020, ZME Science.

"How to heal our planet" by Pilita Clark, February 18, 2020, Financial Times.

"Que faire pour combattre le changement climatique ? Arrêtez de croire ces mythes" translation of essay by Matt Simon, February 11, 2020, GQ France.

“Want to Fight Climate Change? Stop Believing These Myths" by Matt Simon, February 7, 2020. WIRED.

“Solving the climate crisis isn’t on consumers. It’s on the people in power” by John Geddes, January 30, 2020. Maclean’s Magazine.

"When taxes clash with politics, a price on carbon is a tough sell" by Patrick Brethour, January 22, 2020, The Globe and Mail.

"Take Your Climate Activism to the Next Level With January’s New Environmental Books" by John R. Platt, Jan. 10, 2020, The Revelator.

"What you can do in 2020 to keep the world from burning up" by Don Pittis, Dec. 30, 2019, CBC News.

"From a climate change guide to a case for Indigenous justice: five new books to keep your eye on" by Neil Moss, Nov. 18. 2019, Hill Times.

"Climate Confusion, Angst, and Sleeplessness" by Robert Hunziker, Nov. 12, 2019, Counter Currents.     
• Picked up by DissidentVoice.org
• Picked up by Counter Punch

"Meet the MythBuster for climate change" by Nathanael Johnson, Nov. 5, 2019, Grist.

An economist speculates on politics

A Trudeau minority government may do some good things. But claims that such a minority would achieve all the goals of the smaller parties to whom it would be beholden are unfounded. I repeat the brief case I made in a twitter stream on October 6, 2019.

_____________________________

Tweet thread of October 6, 2019

I frequently hear claims that NDP and Green MPs will force a post-election minority Trudeau government to cancel TransMountain Pipeline Expansion, implement proportional representation, and rapidly intensify national climate policies. I am not a political scientist, but this thinking seems delusional to me.

Polls consistently show that either the Liberals or the Conservatives will lead the next government. Two out of three Canadians support one of these parties. And both parties support TMX and are unlikely to implement proportional representation without holding a referendum first.

If Canadians elect a minority government October 21, to survive it will most likely (1) negotiate on a bill-by-bill basis to prevent losing a confidence vote (like the Martin government of 2004-06 and the Harper government of 2006-11) or (2) negotiate a confidence agreement with a small party (like today’s governing agreement in BC between the NDP and Greens).

Federally, these types of agreements will not enable smaller parties representing just one third of voters (NDP, Greens, Bloc) to impose their will on the two parties who represent two thirds of voters. Why? Because the Liberals and Conservatives can join forces as necessary to prevent the smaller parties from getting their way on TMX, prop-rep and a radically more ambitious climate effort.

A Liberal minority, to maintain enough NDP and/or Green support to stay in power, might intensify its climate effort and agree to hold a referendum on proportional representation, just as in BC the NDP gave these concessions for Green support. But it is unlikely to halt TMX, just as the BC NDP didn’t halt the Site-C dam or LNG development in spite of Green opposition.

If the NDP and/or Greens make TMX their line in the sand for supporting a Trudeau minority, they risk triggering another election, which could produce a Conservative or Liberal majority. The Greens in BC understand this, which is why they sustain a gov that has done many things they support, in spite of its continuation with Site-C and LNG. 

Federal Greens and NDP might make strong, uncompromising statements now while campaigning in an election. But after an election their tone will change as they weigh the benefits of influencing policy under a minority Trudeau government versus the risk of forcing a second election that the Conservatives might win.

It is interesting to look at detailed opinion polls on these three key issues: TMX, proportional representation and climate policy effort. The percentage of Canadians intending to vote Liberal or Conservative is similar to the percentage who support TMX, who don’t support proportional representation, and who don’t seem to want to pay extra for more ambitious climate efforts (as indicated by current support levels for Conservatives and Liberals).

Sorry folks, but if Trudeau forms a minority government thanks to support of NDP and/or Greens, you still won’t get him to reverse the big decisions that so angered you – at least not until more Canadians adopt your views. That’s democracy.