|
|
|
 Dear Friend, I know you have likely been following the news from the United Arab Emirates and Dubai. What a place to hold critical climate talks - few failed to see the contradiction! But against the odds, and despite the presence of thousands of fossil fuel lobbyists, we got a global commitment from nearly 200 countries, including Canada, to "transition away from fossil fuels." We also got a commitment from those same nations to triple renewable energy installations and double energy efficiency by 2030. All of the pledges were framed against the IPCC message of urgency. That we must make significant changes before 2025. There are dozens of other pledges, large and small, around justice, equity, eliminating poverty and even pursuing the “circular economy” that we advocate for as Greens. Our challenge now is to ensure our own country, Canada, does something we have never done before - keep our word. As Leader of the Green Party of Canada, I talk to so many young people who are giving up. We have to communicate- especially to young people – that we are not giving up. We are not walking away from the opportunity - small and vanishing as it may be - to hold to no more than a 1.5 degree C global average temperature increase. Eco-Grief is a real thing - but it is not too late. This week in Dubai, we took a step away from the abyss. But there is a mountain of work to do to build on this small first step toward sanity. We need to reach as many people who care as possible to press for Canada to start implementing our promises. I so wish I had the kind of budget other parties have. Where they disseminate misinformation, and worse, disinformation. Where they want people to hate and fear each other - we need to share a positive message of a Green future, one people can believe in. Could you take a moment right now and donate to help me get the word out? Thanks to the bigger parties writing the fundraising rules, donations to political parties get better tax treatment than donations to charities, so giving now may cost less than you think - you can get up to 75 per cent of your donation back with your tax credit! Please do help Greens across Canada grab this lifeline and build on it - fast! Count me inThanks so much - for whatever you can spare! Elizabeth
P.S. Here is a link to a longer article I wrote from Dubai - Letter from COP28: A Climate Lifeline Worth Grabbing.
|
|
|