CSPG Executive Committee
Backgrounder for an Updated CSPG Commentary on Climate Change
To our Members:
As many of you are aware, the C.S.P.G. currently offers no official statement or position on the issue of climate change. A previous statement, presented in early 2003, was removed from our website last year because your Executive believed that it was somewhat dated and perhaps did not address the evolving realities of the climate change discussion.
The question, of course, is: "Should our Society have a position
on this issue?"
Unfortunately, the answer is not straightforward, due to the many and
varying (personal) viewpoints on this subject. Notwithstanding this diversity
of opinion, your Executive believes that the C.S.P.G. should offer a climate
change statement for two key reasons:
1) As a group of learned geoscientists, we provide a valuable perspective on the global history of climate change, and we have an obligation to Society to communicate this knowledge.
2) We have (and continue to build) an active outreach program, designed to encourage our youth to study and perhaps take up a career in the earth sciences. Our youth want to know that we have a perspective on climate change and they want to understand that we are being pro-active in a positive manner.
Therefore, your executive, with input from the Environmental subdivision, has embarked on a process to renew our Society's commentary regarding climate change. It attempts to present a neutral stance, focusing on the scientific perspectives that our members bring to the discussion. We do not advocate for or against any particular political or economic measures.
This draft commentary appeared in the May issue of the Reservoir. By way of this article, we are seeking members' input. Our plan is to collect this feedback and provide you with the results later this year. We will then determine if and what our climate change statement should be.
As usual, your input is welcomed. You can reach the Executive through me at: jim@resultenergy.com
On behalf of your 2007 Executive,
Jim Reimer, Past-President
View
Draft Commentary (23KB PDF)
