For the last 20 or so years concern over the climate has become a singular focus. First among youth, after repeated showings of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.” And as those youth joined the electorate, climate became a pre-occupation for elected officials. And not just at the federal level. The first act of the most recently elected Calgary City Council was to declare a climate emergency.
Government has employed a variety of “sticks”, like carbon taxes, increased regulation, and a looming ban on the sale of gasoline powered cars. The odd “carrot” has been thrown in, such as lavish subsidies on electric vehicles. And not just the vehicles themselves, but the components as well: $13 billion for a VW battery plant, and $11 billion for Stellantis.
It’s commonly understood that government isn’t very good at getting things done. Sure, government ran the Manhattan project, but wartime isn’t when people are focusing on value for money. A more current example is the Phoenix pay system – mention that to anyone employed by the federal government, but know to watch for signs of a stroke.
Politicians aren’t generally elected because they understand economics or business. What they do understand are the tools most readily at their disposal: taxes, regulation, and spending. When it comes to “net zero” maybe there’s a better way.
Think about innovations that shaped the world we live in. Carl Benz patenting a gasoline powered vehicle in 1886. The Wright brothers managing heavier-than-air flight. Frozen foods. Mobile phones. These weren’t government initiatives backed by taxpayer dollars. They came about because of the vision and effort of entrepreneurs.
What’s effectively happened over the last 20 years is that a generation of consumers has been raised to value GHG reduction. In other words, there’s a market waiting to be served. An entrepreneur who comes up with an idea for an effective contribution toward net zero stands to profit. But they’re being crowded out by governments trying to pick winners.
We don’t know how net-zero will happen. Given governments’ track record they are unlikely to get it right. But we know how entrepreneurs work. They put their time and resources into their idea. The few that succeed stand to profit. That’s what built this country. It’s a safe bet that entrepreneurs will guarantee its future, if given a chance.
https://www.narcity.com/canada-moving-forward-plan-ban-gas-powered-cars-changes-start-2026
https://www.wsj.com/articles/theyre-coming-for-your-cars-4ea8d6e1
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/volkswagen-battery-plant-analysis-1.6818025
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/dropping-24-billion-on-ev-subsidies-is-an-even-worse-idea-than-you-thought