On December 6, 2005, Stephane Dion participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference. At a parallel event attached to this conference, he read the speech below. I've broken the speech out into sections in the left-hand column. The speech is reproduced in it's entirety except for the ending comments.
In the right-hand column is extracts from the Environment News Service article dated November 17, 2004. It summarizes the results from report Impacts of a Warming Arctic by the International Arctic Sciences Committee. That article extracts most of the elements from the Executive Summary of that report.
| Stephane Dion's Speech | Dr Robert Corell's Summary |
| Good morning everyone. Canada, as an Arctic nation, is proud to support the first Arctic Day. This is an opportunity to bring the Arctic to this forum and highlight both scientific, traditional knowledge and the culture of Northern indigenous peoples. I would like to thank the many Elders who have come from so far to be a part of this day to share their invaluable and traditional knowledge with us. I'd also like to thank Liseanne Forand from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Jose Kusugak, President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Grand Chief Andy Carvill from the Yukon First Nations, Dr. Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program, and Ms. Okpik Pitseolak for leading this morning's opening ceremony. The future of the North is critical to the health of our planet. | |
| 1. Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much larger changes are projected. | |
| Annual average arctic temperature has increased at almost twice the rate as that of the rest of the world over the past few decades, with some variations across the region. | |
| Additional evidence of arctic warming comes from widespread melting of glaciers and sea ice, and a shortening of the snow season. | |
| Increasing global concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, are projected to contribute to additional arctic warming of about 4-7°C over the next 100 years. | Increasing global concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, are projected to contribute to additional arctic warming of about 4-7°C over the next 100 years. |
| Increasing precipitation, shorter and warmer winters, and substantial decreases in snow cover and ice cover are among the projected changes that are very likely to persist for centuries. | Increasing precipitation, shorter and warmer winters, and substantial decreases in snow cover and ice cover are among the projected changes that are very likely to persist for centuries. |
| Unexpected and even larger shifts and fluctuations in climate are also possible. | |
| 2. Arctic warming and its consequences have worldwide implications. | |
| Melting of highly reflective arctic snow and ice reveals darker land and ocean surfaces, increasing absorption of the sun's heat and further warming the planet. | |
| Increases in glacial melt and river runoff add more freshwater to the ocean, raising global sea level and possibly slowing the ocean circulation that brings heat from the tropics to the poles, affecting global and regional climate. | |
| Warming is very likely to alter the release and uptake of greenhouse gases from soils, vegetation, and coastal oceans. | |
| Impacts of arctic climate change will have implications for biodiversity around the world because migratory species depend on breeding and feeding grounds in the Arctic. | |
| Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift, causing wide-ranging impacts. | 3. Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift, causing wide-ranging impacts. |
| Treeline is expected to move northward and to higher elevations, with forests replacing a significant fraction of existing tundra, and tundra vegetation moving into polar deserts. | |
| More-productive vegetation is likely to increase carbon uptake, although reduced reflectivity of the land surface is likely to outweigh this, causing further warming. | |
| Disturbances such as insect outbreaks and forest fires are very likely to increase in frequency, severity, and duration, facilitating invasions by non-native species. | Disturbances such as insect outbreaks and forest fires are very likely to increase in frequency, severity, and duration, facilitating invasions by non-native species. |
| Where suitable soils are present, agriculture will have the potential to expand northward due to a longer and warmer growing season. | |
| Animal species' diversity, ranges, and distribution will change. | Animal species' diversity, ranges, and distribution will change. |
| 4. Animal species' diversity, ranges, and distribution will change. | |
| Reductions in sea ice will drastically shrink marine habitat for polar bears, ice-inhabiting seals, and some seabirds, pushing some species toward extinction. | Reductions in sea ice will drastically shrink marine habitat for polar bears, ice-inhabiting seals, and some seabirds, pushing some species toward extinction. |
| The Arctic is not a laboratory, not only a place to conduct expeditions; it is a place where people live, with a rich culture that has evolved over thousands of years. Because of global warming, indigenous communities are facing major economic and cultural impacts. How is climate change affecting the peoples of the North, threatening their livelihood and cultural survival? | |
| Many Indigenous Peoples depend on hunting polar bear, walrus, seals, and caribou, herding reindeer, fishing, and gathering, not only for food and to support the local economy, but also as the basis for cultural and social identity. | Many Indigenous Peoples depend on hunting polar bear, walrus, seals, and caribou, herding reindeer, fishing, and gathering, not only for food and to support the local economy, but also as the basis for cultural and social identity. [Moved up from section 8] |
| The reduction in sea ice will have serious consequences for polar bears, ice-dependent seals, and local people for whom these animals are a primary food source. | |
| Caribou/reindeer and other land animals are likely to be increasingly stressed as climate change alters their access to food sources, breeding grounds, and historic migration routes. | |
| Species ranges are projected to shift northward on both land and sea, bringing new species into the Arctic while severely limiting some species currently present. | |
| As new species move in, animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans, such as West Nile virus, are likely to pose increasing health risks. | |
| Some arctic marine fisheries, which are of global importance as well as providing major contributions to the region's economy, are likely to become more productive. Northern freshwater fisheries that are mainstays of local diets are likely to suffer. | |
| Many coastal communities and facilities face increasing exposure to storms. | 5. Many coastal communities and facilities face increasing exposure to storms. |
| Severe coastal erosion will be a growing problem as rising sea level and a reduction in sea ice allow higher waves and storm surges to reach the shore. | |
| Along some arctic coastlines, thawing permafrost weakens coastal lands, adding to their vulnerability. | |
| The risk of flooding in coastal wetlands is projected to increase, with impacts on society and natural ecosystems. | |
| The risk of flooding in coastal wetlands is projected to increase, with impacts on society and natural ecosystems. | |
| In some cases, communities and industrial facilities in coastal zones are already threatened or being forced to relocate, while others face increasing risks and costs. | In some cases, communities and industrial facilities in coastal zones are already threatened or being forced to relocate, while others face increasing risks and costs. |
| 6. Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine transport and access to resources. | |
| The continuing reduction of sea ice is very likely to lengthen the navigation season and increase marine access to the Arctic's natural resources. | |
| Seasonal opening of the Northern Sea Route is likely to make trans-arctic shipping during summer feasible within several decades. Increasing ice movement in some channels of the Northwest Passage could initially make shipping more difficult. | |
| Reduced sea ice is likely to allow increased offshore extraction of oil and gas, although increasing ice movement could hinder some operations. | |
| Sovereignty, security, and safety issues, as well as social, cultural, and environmental concerns are likely to arise as marine access increases. | |
| Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure. | 7. Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure. |
| Transportation and industry on land, including oil and gas extraction and forestry, will increasingly be disrupted by the shortening of the periods during which ice roads and tundra are frozen sufficiently to permit travel. | Transportation and industry on land, including oil and gas extraction and forestry, will increasingly be disrupted by the shortening of the periods during which ice roads and tundra are frozen sufficiently to permit travel. |
| As frozen ground thaws, many existing buildings, roads, pipelines, airports, and industrial facilities are likely to be destabilized, requiring substantial rebuilding, maintenance, and investment. | As frozen ground thaws, many existing buildings, roads, pipelines, airports, and industrial facilities are likely to be destabilized, requiring substantial rebuilding, maintenance, and investment. |
| What is happening to the Arctic is a harbinger of things to come in the rest of the world. Arctic warming and its consequences have worldwide implications. | |
| Melting of highly reflective arctic snow and ice reveals darker land and ocean surfaces, increasing absorption of the sun's heat and further warming the planet. | Melting of highly reflective arctic snow and ice reveals darker land and ocean surfaces, increasing absorption of the sun's heat and further warming the planet. [Moved from section 2] |
| Increases in glacial melt and river runoff add more freshwater to the ocean, raising global sea level and possibly slowing the ocean circulation that brings heat from the tropics to the poles, affecting global and regional climate. | Increases in glacial melt and river runoff add more freshwater to the ocean, raising global sea level and possibly slowing the ocean circulation that brings heat from the tropics to the poles, affecting global and regional climate. [Moved from section 2] |
| Future development will require new design elements to account for ongoing warming that will add to construction and maintenance costs. | |
| Permafrost degradation will also impact natural ecosystems through collapsing of the ground surface, draining of lakes, wetland development, and toppling of trees in susceptible areas. | |
| 8. Indigenous communities are facing major economic and cultural impacts. | |
| Many Indigenous Peoples depend on hunting polar bear, walrus, seals, and caribou, herding reindeer, fishing, and gathering, not only for food and to support the local economy, but also as the basis for cultural and social identity. | |
| Changes in species' ranges and availability, access to these species, a perceived reduction in weather predictability, and travel safety in changing ice and weather conditions present serious challenges to human health and food security, and possibly even the survival of some cultures. | |
| Indigenous knowledge and observations provide an important source of information about climate change. This knowledge, consistent with complementary information from scientific research, indicates that substantial changes have already occurred. | |
| 9. Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect people, plants, and animals. | |
| The stratospheric ozone layer over the Arctic is not expected to improve significantly for at least a few decades, largely due to the effect of greenhouse gases on stratospheric temperatures. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) in the Arctic is thus projected to remain elevated in the coming decades. | |
| As a result, the current generation of arctic young people is likely to receive a lifetime dose of UV that is about 30% higher than any prior generation. Increased UV is known to cause skin cancer, cataracts, and immune system disorders in humans. Elevated UV can disrupt photosynthesis in plants and have detrimental effects on the early life stages of fish and amphibians. | |
| Risks to some arctic ecosystems are likely as the largest increases in UV occur in spring, when sensitive species are most vulnerable, and warming-related declines in snow and ice cover increase exposure for living things normally protected by such cover. | |
| 10. Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to people and ecosystems. | |
| Changes in climate are occurring in the context of many other stresses including chemical pollution, overfishing, land use changes, habitat fragmentation, human population increases, and cultural and economic changes. | |
| These multiple stresses can combine to amplify impacts on human and ecosystem health and well-being. In many cases, the total impact is greater than the sum of its parts, such as the combined impacts of contaminants, excess ultraviolet radiation, and climatic warming. | |
| Unique circumstances in arctic sub-regions determine which are the most important stresses and how they interact. | |
| We recognize the importance of the Arctic Council in addressing the many common concerns and challenges emerging from climate change and providing a forum for collective action on shared priorities. [remainder removed] |
As you can see, virtually all of the speech is lifted out of the executive summary. Now to be fair, Stephane Dion, now leader of the Liberal Party, but then the minister of the environment under Paul Martin, makes reference to the document, but he does not mention that he is reading the text verbatim:
Last November, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment was received at the fourth Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland. This is the first climate assessment of the Arctic - a result of four years of international efforts from over 300 scientists, as well as traditional knowledge of Northern Indigenous peoples.
Stephane Dion greets the guests to the conference, and the launches into the first lifted section from the report, and continues reading down the executive summary, word for word. Why bother? Why not mention that the ACIA report contains a list of risks for the Arctic, mention a couple as coming from the report, and move on?
Heck, some people in the audience probably read the report. Seems like a waste of time, really.
As it is, it looks like Stephane Dion flew to the conference just to read from someone else's report.
Better to integrate the report's executive summary seamlessly into the speech. Then it looks like a useful contribution, as opposed to a dictation exercise. Probably fooled a lot of people.
It makes you wonder if Stephane Dion has any original ideas.
Perhaps the saddest element of this was Stephane Dion's extortion that people who live in the Arctic be listened to:
It is also critical that the stories of the Arctic indigenous peoples be heard. That is why people from across the Arctic are here today -as witnesses of the impacts of climate change and as catalysts for action to slow that change in their homelands.
I'm not saying Stephane Dion wouldn't listen to the indigenous peoples. I'm just wondering if their contribution needs to appear in an official UN report first before Stephane Dion notices it.
Getting from here to there: Kady O'Malley makes a point about the travel plans:
Because this article - which seems to rely heavily on Steve Janke’s detective work - refers to Dion having “flown to a UN conference on climate change … to read — pretty much word for word — the executive summary of a year-old UN report.” The conference was in Montreal - a mere two hour drive from Ottawa, not in New York, or on the other side of the world....
I just double-checked, and I only referred to "getting to" the conference. As it was, Stephane Dion took an official government limo from Ottawa to Montreal.
Where did he present his ripped-off speech? Kady O'Malley sets us right on which speech got ripped off:
UPDATE: Um. Y’all realize that this was’t one of the two major speeches which were given by Dion at the opening and closing of the Montreal conference, right? It was a much shorter address - remarks, really - that were delivered at a parallel event to mark Arctic Day, and not - as some commenters and bloggers seem to have mistakenly concluded - during what he has called a pivotal moment in his career.
True enough. I missed the significance of the "paraellel event" subtitle. I apologize for that. Stephane Dion went to the parallel event, gave some opening comments, then proceeded to read verbatim from the executive summary of a year-old UN report, then wrapped up his speech. Glad I got that straightened out. I've corrected the text above.
I've been plagiarized! Hardly. Looks like several of us got the heads up from the same avid reader. Check out Trusty Tory for another view on the same speech.
