Op-Ed: Obama, Harper, and Energy

While visiting Ottawa, US President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed to a new clean energy initiative. Yet if we look at the details of the agreement it is clear that more action is needed; and quickly.

When Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and United States President Barack Obama met Thursday February 19, 2009, talk of a new energy economy caught my attention. Announcing an initiative aimed at increasing the rate of the evolution and implementation of green energy technologies, ostensibly, the new agreement serves to lay the foundation of a bilateral movement toward establishing a new energy economy; an energy economy outfitted for the 21st century and all its challenges. Said Stephen Harper:

“President Obama and I agreed to a new initiative that will further cross-border cooperation on environmental protection and energy security. We are establishing a U.S.-Canada clean energy dialogue which commits senior officials from both countries to collaborate on the development of clean energy science and technologies that will reduce greenhouse gases and combat climate change.”

Of course, the agreement is only a first step toward creating a new energy system. As Obama said, there is no “silver bullet” that can cure the ills of the dirty fuels system that currently powers the North American electricity grid. With that said – even as a first step – the initiative does little to truly impact or alter the current energy system. To quote Barack Obama:

“[the initiative] will advance carbon reduction technologies and it will support the development of an electric grid that can help deliver the clean and renewable energy of the future to homes and businesses, both in Canada and the United States.”

Photo by species_snob

A view of an oil sands patch in Fort McMurray, Alberta

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In plainer term, as said by Harper, “both of our governments are making large investments in things such as carbon capture and storage and other new technologies designed to fight climate change.” And finally - to cut through all the jargon - Canada and the US have agreed to promote carbon sequestration and to consider other forms of renewable energy; talk about a baby step. If Harper and Obama were wholeheartedly interested in developing a 21st century energy system, they would do so not by committing to carbon sequestration, but rather, by provoking industry leaders to spur innovation. How could this be done? One word – incentives. Think tax breaks, think subsidies, think access to credit; and that is just the tip of the giant, titanic sinking iceberg (or rather, dirty fuels system sinking iceberg). In all, while talking about energy, Obama and Harper gave us reasons both to smile and to frown. On the bright side, it is great to see the two leaders make forward progress – if only a baby step – in the struggle to gentrify the North American energy grid. On the flip side, a commitment to carbon sequestration – which appears to be the bulk of the agreement – is not nearly enough to outfit North America for the 21st century, nor is it a true commitment to the next great economy; green energy technology. The next great economy includes not just coal and oil power, but also wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear, tidal, hydrogen, and yet to be invented power sources. Committing to green energy technologies is paramount to the survival and success of the Canadian and American economy. Seeing the heads of both states publicly acknowledge this and take a first step toward ensuring competitiveness in the 21st century is promising. However, if action isn’t taken quickly and effectively, we will soon hear of companies from other nations who have taken the lead and will be here to sell us a clean source of power for the 21st century, and a solution for the climate weirding that threatens to alter life as we know it. The only question is, do we want to buy those solutions from foreign companies, or do we want to create our own, and promote them abroad?

USAF, Airman 1st Class Nadine Y. Barclay

Giant Solar Array

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That question is as close to rhetorical as they come. With that said, the governments of Canada and the United States need to do more than just promote carbon sequestration. Perhaps Obama said it best when he stated, “how we produce and use energy is fundamental to our economic recovery, but also our security and our planet.” Of course, if he (and Harper) truly believes this, much greater (and truly great) action will be needed in the months and years to come. Thanks for reading. GRMM