With the mounting body of…

With the mounting body of evidence surrounding global warming, not to mention the latest report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we can no longer dispute the fact that climate change is the most dire challenge facing our society today. The effects of climate change will have widespread consequences related to food supply, human and ecological health, public safety, and infrastructure.

If we fail to act now, the money saved by cancelling the cap and trade program today will fall far short of the funds that will be required to cover the costs related to extreme weather events alone. In the first five months of 2018, extreme weather events have already cost Ontarians $696 million, not including the flooding experienced in Toronto this summer.

We cannot cancel the existing cap and trade program without an ambitious, science-backed plan to replace it. We need major polluters to pay the price for their actions, incentivizing the development of more sustainable alternatives and producing funds that can be used to improve our public transit systems and stimulate the economy in the renewable energy sector.

Public education campaigns and marketing of the climate action plan will be critical. If the government is transparent with how the funds collected from polluters will be reinvested towards initiatives such as the development of clean tech and rebates for upgrades in the home, public support will continue to mount.

This is Ontario's chance to be a world leader, to present an aggressive climate action plan that will meet or exceed the commitments made under the Paris climate accord. The plan must include actionable steps to reach these targets and a commitment to measure and report on progress - the provincial government must be held accountable.

What good is a strong economy today, if we cannot ensure that our future generations will have access to basic human necessities such as food and clean water. Failing to enable the policies and incentives necessary to curtail the threat of global warming is not only negligent, it is criminal. We can no longer afford to do nothing.