Human-caused climate change…

Human-caused climate change is a fact, and will be devastating to the most vulnerable of us. Who would we be if we didn't do everything we are capable of to prevent this tragic situation? How could any otherwise intelligent person feel that conducting ourselves in such a way as to guarantee that our planet remains habitable is optional? Especially since the innovative clean economy is worth 26 trillion dollars and creates countless good jobs. Ontario is one of the most prosperous, informed areas in the world should be leading the way with a real climate change plan to reduce emissions. Ontario can feasibly be 100% powered by clean energy by 2050. Ontario must end subsidies and handouts for fossil fuel companies and redirect this money to clean energy solutions.

Putting a price on pollution, making polluters pay for their emissions and returning the revenues to the pockets of Ontarians so they can lower their carbon footprint makes logical sense and, if properly managed, will be an effective means of rewarding innovation and deterring environmentally destructive practices. Legally binding emissions targets in line with our obligations to the Paris Climate Agreement are absolutely necessary.

Climate change is bigger than anything we as human beings have ever dealt with in history, and we need to be bigger as people to deal appropriately with it. We need to think long, long term, to the lives of our children's children's children as our actions today will shape their world immeasurably and in ways we cannot fathom.