OTTAWA – Today, on the fifty-first Earth Day, the Green Party of Canada urges people across Canada to take their place as global leaders on ambitious and effective climate action.
“This Earth Day is a watershed moment, but it’s not the first,” said Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. “Fifty-one years ago on this day, and every year since then, millions of people in Canada and around the world have rallied to demand better protection for the environment. This is the year that we can respect those demands, by launching a post-pandemic Green Recovery.
“A Green Recovery is the chance of a lifetime to set Canada on a path to sustainable prosperity and to dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. People in Canada have made it clear that they want bold, ambitious action on the climate crisis, and the pandemic has proven that our governments can work decisively and collaboratively to meet a challenge.
“As the Prime Minister joins President Biden and other global leaders today, we urge him to seize this opportunity for Canada to announce to the world that it is finally ready to do its fair share to tackle the climate crisis, and to meet its international climate obligations, by launching a Green Recovery.
“A Green Recovery is a win-win for Canada and the U.S. As both countries prepare to spend historic amounts on a post-pandemic recovery, the Green Party’s Plan for enhanced climate cooperation with the United States includes:
- A Canada-United States Carbon Border Adjustment, incentivizing other countries to adopt stronger GHG reduction policies while enhancing the competitiveness of Canadian businesses;
- Stronger climate targets. Canada and the U.S. should commit to a 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, with enforceable targets and accountability mechanisms;
- Cross-border renewable energy. The post-pandemic Green Recovery is the chance for Canada and the U.S. to modernise their shared energy infrastructure by investing in a 100 per cent renewable energy cross-border grid;
- Climate change as a national security threat. Canada should announce that it will join the U.S. in recognising the climate crisis as a national security threat, and appoint a Climate Minister to serve as a counterpart to President Biden’s Climate Envoy John Kerry;
- Ban Fracking. Both President Biden and the Prime Minister support hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Today, they can agree to ban this dangerous and polluting practice.
“Over the past year, we have come to understand just how connected the world is. If we are truly going to respect our commitment to the global community, to this generation and future generations of people in Canada and around the world, we must seize this historic opportunity and convert it into bold, ambitious action immediately.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
Rosie Emery
Press Secretary
613-562-4916x206