I am very disappointed that…

I am very disappointed that the Ontario government is cancelling cap and trade without a strong and effective plan in place to replace it. With the most recent UN climate change report indicating we have only 10 to 12 years left to limit climate change before we begin to experience catastrophic effects, the need to act now is dire. If we continue to play politics with this critical issue, we are going to face severe consequences within our lifetimes, and be dooming our children to economic collapse, food and water shortages, scarcity and violence. We need our politicians to show leadership on this issue, our very survival depends on it.

In terms of specific recommendations, I urge you to support Ontario’s current science-based pollution reduction targets. Those targets set the province on track to be nearly carbon neutral by mid-century, which is what is required if we hope to limit global warming to 1.5. degrees, as agreed to by 195 countries in Paris. If we back away from these targets, it is not just a question of future generations facing consequences, we will face the dire consequences in our lifetime.

Ontario needs to develop and launch an effective plan to fight climate change as soon as possible. A good first step would be to begin consultations with businesses, economists, scientists and other climate change experts to forge a cost-effective and ambitious way forward.

An effective, made-in-Ontario climate change plan must tackle the major sources of carbon pollution in Ontario including transportation, industry, buildings and waste. Without strong action to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from these sources, the people of Ontario will face serious consequences to our health and our environment.

The plan must also include adequate funding for pollution reduction programs, transparency mechanisms to show Ontarians how this funding will be spent, and firm commitments and timelines for regular reporting on the plan’s progress.

I look forward to a plan that will transition Ontario to a healthier and more competitive province, create new jobs in many industries, and address the root cause of climate change by reducing carbon pollution.