Photo: UBCO A panel of experts will discuss restricting personal freedoms for the good of the earth at the University of British Columbia Okanagan later this month. Keynote speaker Michael Ignatieff and a team of experts including Ed Dolan, John Dryzek, Kathryn Harrison, William Rees, Meghan Robinson, Mark Sagoff, Marlowe Sam and Andrew Weaver will investigate whether restrictions on freedoms are needed to achieve climate stability. The online virtual chat will take place on Tuesday, April 12, between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and the question is, “should individual choice for climate conservation be curtailed?” The commission begins with the assumption that climate change is responsible for increasing fires, floods and other natural disasters. The event will explore whether restrictive human choices can promote climate stability. A panel of experts – including former Liberal Party of Canada leader and Official Opposition leader Michael Ignatieff from 2008 to 2011 – will explore the issue in individual and panel sessions. The organizer of the panel, Dr. Johannus Janmaat says the symposium comes at a critical time when there is a lack of efforts to stabilize the climate. “On April 4, 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the third element of its latest assessment, noting that the nations of the world have done far less than they promised to reduce climate change,” he said. “Why? The people of the world are simply not willing to sacrifice their freedoms now to reduce the chances of a less sustainable future.” The Roger W. Gale Symposium is a series of events focusing on current issues covering many disciplines. This virtual event is free and open to everyone, and online pre-registration is required.
