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Montreal, September 21, 2021 - Équiterre is calling on the re-elected government to respect its promises to raise Canada’s climate ambition and to move more quickly on environmental and climate policies and regulations.
"The good news in this election is that 94% of voters opted for parties that propose a carbon pricing system -- 20% more than in the last election. We will never go backwards on this," says Marc-André Viau, Équiterre’s Director of Government Relations. “But carbon pricing alone is not enough. It will take much more to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to where they need to go.”
Équiterre urges the Prime Minister to forge alliances to ensure that his election promises are fulfilled - to protect our environment, biodiversity and to restore our natural environments.
We are also asking the opposition parties to actively collaborate with the government in the implementation of its action plan. Canadians have given them an important role to ensure that the government delivers, and delivers quickly.
"Canadians have sent a clear message that they want their elected officials to continue working together to address the enormous challenges of the climate crisis. As an environmental organization, we will do everything we can to support those who make climate action a priority," states Marc-André Viau.
Équiterre's short-term priorities:
- The International Energy Agency has warned governments against approving new oil and gas projects. We want a clear commitment from the government and its partners to stop the sector’s expansion.
- Nature magazine estimates that more than 80% of Canada's oil and gas must remain in the ground in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We want to see the details of the plan to cap and cut emissions from the sector within the first 100 days of the new mandate.
- 60% of Canadians voted to abolish subsidies to the fossil fuel sector. The promise to abolish these subsidies, which has been repeated since 2015, must be implemented in 2021.
- Support for fossil fuel workers must be at the heart of government priorities. We would like the $2B Future Fund for diversification and just transition for workers to be put in place in the first half of 2022.
- GHG emissions from oversized vehicles have wiped out emissions reduction efforts for cars. A regulatory plan will need to be filed in the first half of 2022 to meet the 2035 targets for electric vehicles.
- Drought has hit the agricultural sector hard and one-time compensation for climate change related losses is no longer enough. We want to see the creation of a permanent adaptation and transition assistance program as part of the negotiations on the next agricultural policy framework.
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For more information:
Anthony Côté Leduc, media relations
514-605-2000; acoteleduc@equiterre.org
