Change Is Coming
Henry here. This morning’s paper was headlined Magdalene Islands datelined the CanWest News Service. The headline reads Erosion threatens Magdalene Islands. We are generally able to dismiss concern about rising sea levels to the future or to far off places out of our experience. But here is a set of islands in our hemisphere, in the Gulf of St Lawrence, which are being threatened by climate change. What concerns me is that this is the tiniest tip of the knife edge about climate change.
Recently there has been a cyclone in Bangladesh which killed thousands and destroyed countless homes. Last year there was a tsunami which killed vast numbers of people and again destroyed huge numbers of houses. Increased food shortages and creeping deserts force huge migrations, often to places already stressed for resources.
The point that comes home to me is that relatively soon, huge populations of people will not be able to live in their historic homes and will have to migrate. Where will they go?
I think we have an example in the U.S.A. of what will inevitably happen. Millions of Mexican’s have migrated illegally into the States. Europe has the same problem of fighting to control illegal immigration. There is a new migration of boat people as well as desperate people hiding away in containers in an attempt to get to North America… But, it strikes me that this cannot go on forever. The flood of displaced people will demand a home. But where can they go?
From their point of view the U.S. A., Australia, Canada, Europe, and maybe Russia are virtually empty. I wonder if they cannot get in legally if they will not force heir way in. I do think they will demand to be taken seriously. What an incredible clash of cultures, experiences, histories, religions, and expectations. It may not be for a while but I cannot believe it is not coming. Desperate people do desperate things.