Seven Oaks Magazine.

Former two-time COPE city councillor Fred Bass has gotten an early start on the race to replace the NPA’s Sam Sullivan as mayor of Vancouver in 2008. The irrepressible septuagenarian, a retired medical doctor and veteran activist, announced his intention to seek the City’s top office in the pages of this week’s Georgia Straight.

Whatever one thinks of Bass’s prospects in 2008, his announcement provides a great pretext to ask a simple question: Is it not high time for a city like Vancouver to have a genuine environmentalist as mayor?

I would argue that it is, and not only because it would be an ideal fit for the self-image and general ethos of Vancouver. Far more important is the fact that climate change and the related issues around energy efficiency are among the most urgent threats facing humankind. Scientific consensus that global warming is being caused by growing emissions of greenhouse gases was reached some time ago, despite the obfuscation of the oil and gas industry pseudo-scientists and lobbyists.

There is still some debate about the exact relationship between global warming and extreme weather events, though surely this fall’s freakish weather and the massive storm damage to Stanley Park should give us all extra pause. Critically, the political consensus that action must be taken is finally catching up to the alarming science, no matter how grossly in denial are the Bushes and Harpers of the world.

Now all that remains is to find the political will to implement a profound transformation of our societies to minimize the devastation of climate change. This will require both an unprecedented grassroots social movement internationally, and principled political leaders willing to push the issue and confront the challenge of cutting through the pressure of business interests and the complacency or selfishness of the economically privileged. It’s a gigantic task before us: Guardian columnist George Monbiot, one of the world’s leading thinkers on climate change, estimates that a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions produced by the biggest polluters – including of course Canada -- is required by 2030 to avoid “run-away” global warming and the subsequent catastrophe.

The environmentalism needed today is that which is fundamentally integrated with the struggle for economic and social justice. The political Left needs to become an organic part of the movement for ecological sustainability, and the conservative minority of greens need to be marginalized further.

The objections that will no doubt be raised to the Bass candidacy, or to others like it and indeed to the very idea of an eco-socialistic run for the mayor’s office, are predictable. Some will argue that the best we can hope for is a centrist mayor, or for a “star” outsider to unite all the anti-NPA forces. But we’ve seen that movie before, and it resulted in the ramming through of the public-private RAV money pit, increased bus fares, and a petulant Liberal Senator and his friends splitting to play elsewhere. It’s certainly not an adequate Vision for genuine progressive change.

A very different municipal government could initiate and support a broad range of environmental programs, ranging from basic public education, to enhanced recycling programs, to a comprehensive, affordable (or even free) and vastly improved public transit system. The previous COPE City Council helped to bring the World Peace Forum to Vancouver in 2006. In 2010, a progressive council and a visionary mayor could host a massive international forum on Sustainability and Social Justice in advance of the Olympics.

Vancouver needs to go green -- but not Jim, again -- and it needs to do so while dealing seriously with gaping inequality and an out-of-control housing crisis. Fred Bass has given early notice of his intention to run in 2008. Hopefully the move will help to spark a long overdue discussion about how to build a green city, with social justice for all.