Frontier Radio Commentary

A Fracking Revolution (~2min) – April 26, 2013
There’s a green revolution happening in energy, but probably not what most are expecting. For years, environmental lobby groups have been pushing governments around the world to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases through carbon taxes, and large subsidies to encourage development of renewable energy. But for the most part, this top down approach has failed to change human behaviour in a significant way. (~2 min.)

Efforts to Create “Green Jobs” Seem to Backfire All Too Often (~2min) – April 19, 2013
Politicians often suggest that governments can strengthen the economy while improving the environment by using taxpayers money to create so-called “green jobs.” It sounds nice, but the idea is not based on solid economics. History has shown that governments can’t really “create” sustainable jobs in the private sector by subsidizing a particular industry. (~2 min.)

Good News on Canada’s Environment (~2min) – February 8, 2013
Environmental activists continue to claim that Canada is becoming less healthy as the years go by. But there is now considerable evidence to the contrary. In fact, Canada’s environment is in much better shape than it was years ago.Ottawa monitors levels of several different pollutants to measure air quality. (~2 min.)

Kyoto Failure (~2min) – December 14, 2012
The latest round of climate change negotiations were held in Doha on the Persian Gulf earlier this month. The discussions by world leaders spoke volumes about Canada’s decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. It was a year ago at the Durban round of UN Climate Change talks that Environment minister Peter Kent announced this country’s decision to withdraw from the 1997 Protocol. (~2 min.)

Developing Canada’s Oil Sands is Not a Mistake (~2min) – July 20, 2012
There is no shortage of so-called experts criticizing Canada over development of the Alberta oilsands. Economist Jeremy Rifkin is an adviser to the European Union. He says Canada has got it all wrong by emphasizing oilsands development instead of renewable energy. He argues that a rapid shift to renewable fuels will soon take place, leaving countries like Canada that have focused on traditional energy sources falling behind.

Canada Does Not Need a National Energy Strategy (~2min) – July 6, 2012
We have been hearing a lot in recent months about the need for a Canadian energy strategy. Beyond saying “it must not be a rebirth of Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Policy from 30 years ago”, no one seems able to define what it might mean going forward. (~2 min)

Canada's Environment is Getting Greener (~2min) – June 1, 2012
Over the past thirty years, Canada has truly been getting cleaner and greener. Far too often it seems, the merchants of gloom and doom have dominated public debate in this country about the environment. Some activists continue to claim that the air we breathe and the water we drink are becoming more polluted. (~2 min)

Cap and Trade is a Flawed Approach to Dealing with Climate Change (~2min) – March 9, 2012
A widely-recommended proposal for reducing carbon emissions in Canada is a system known as “cap and trade.” The idea is to reduce emissions by making it more expensive for firms to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But the evidence strongly suggests that cap-and-trade plans that have been tried, in Europe are not very effective. (~2 min)

Politically Motivated Green Jobs Schemes Often Backfire (~2min) – February 10, 2012
Politicians often subsidize the renewable energy sector, in an effort to create so-called “green jobs.” The idea is pretty straightforward, but the result can be counter-productive. When governments pump tax dollars into renewable energy, the companies involved are able to hire more people. (~2 min)

International Climate Policy Shouldn't Punish Growth (~2min) – December 9, 2011
Canada will no longer be part of the Kyoto Protocol or any similar agreements that follow. It's a wise decision because the Kyoto approach was flawed, in ways that put Canada at a disadvantage.

Oil Sands Supporters Duped by Climate Crusaders (~1min) – November 25, 2011
Climate change crusaders are claiming victory with the recent decision to delay the Keystone XL oil pipeline running from northern Alberta to Texas. But governments and the oil industry are partly to blame for the decision by the Obama Administration to delay a badly needed pipeline. More on this week’s Frontier Centre Commentary.

Burden of Lake Winnipeg Cleanup Should be Shared (MB) (~1min) – September 16, 2011
Cleaning up Lake Winnipeg should be an election priority, but the burden should not fall on one group. No one industry or group should bear the burden unfairly.Find out why on today’s Frontier Centre commentary.

“Green Jobs” Plans Are Based on An Economic Fallacy (~2min) – May 6, 2011
Politicians and activists often suggest that governments can strengthen the economy by spending money to create “green jobs.” The idea behind green job creation is that if governments provide subsidies to producers of renewable energy, this will improve the profitability of firms in those industries, causing them to expand and hire more employees. Evidence from Europe shows that government green jobs schemes often backfire. Hear more on this week’s Frontier Centre commentary.

Rumours of the Car’s Death Greatly Exaggerated (~2min) – October 15, 2010
The ability to rapidly go anywhere, anytime, has enriched modern lifestyles like nothing else. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Unintended Consequences of Regulation (~2min) – August 13, 2010
It would be more constructive for groups like the Sierra Club that favour aggressive environmental regulation to reflect on the origin of the SUV boom, in which regulation played a big role. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Climate Change Cross Examination (~2min) – July 9, 2010
What if the claim that climate change is driven by human greenhouse gas emissions was cross examined in a court of law? From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Happy Earth Day (~2min) – April 30, 2010
Earth Day should not be an occasion for scolding, hand-wringing and lamentation. It should instead be viewed as an opportunity to celebrate the tremendous progress we are making towards greater environmental sustainability.

Earth Hour Accomplishes Very Little (Manitoba) (~2min) – March 28, 2010
Sitting around in the dark for one hour each year may make some people feel good, but it does nothing to achieve the draconian carbon emission reduction targets promoted by climate change alarmists. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Earth Hour Accomplishes Very Little (Saskatchewan) (~2min) – March 28, 2010
Sitting around in the dark for one hour each year may make some people feel good, but it does nothing to achieve the draconian carbon emission reduction targets promoted by climate change alarmists. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Earth Hour Accomplishes Very Little (Alberta) (~2min) – March 28, 2010
Sitting around in the dark for one hour each year may make some people feel good, but it does nothing to achieve the draconian carbon emission reduction targets promoted by climate change alarmists. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.