2019 Clean 50: Earth Day Open Letter
Earth Day, April 22, 2019
AN OPEN LETTER to OUR FELLOW CANADIANS
We, past and present Canada’s Clean50 Award winners, represent a wide cross section of Canadians from business, science, government and academia. We are very concerned that some Canadians and politicians alike have failed to recognize both the tremendous economic opportunity in decisively addressing the increasingly urgent climate crisis, and the looming threat to our shared future, should we continue to ignore it. We are asking all Canadians to make climate their very top priority in upcoming elections.
Taking immediate action to limit climate change, and mitigate its impacts on Canada, needs to be considered an emergency at every level of government. A recent study by the Federal Government shows that Canada’s climate is warming twice as fast as expected1. The best time to act is now. We simply cannot afford to postpone a response any longer.
Some individuals will try to claim that Canada is not the problem – that the problem is China or India or the USA. Unfortunately, that is simply not true.
Countries don’t cause carbon pollution: People do! Canadians may be surprised to learn that on a per-person basis, we Canadians are the worst offenders in the G72. Canadians, on average, produce 2.5 times more carbon pollution per person than do the Chinese, 9 times more than do Indians, and 5% more than Americans2. We are two to three times worse than the Japanese, the English, the French, and the Germans2. We simply cannot reasonably expect other countries to take meaningful action to reduce their country’s emissions, when our emissions are actually rising3.
Others will claim that present warming trends are part of a “natural cycle”. Science clearly tells us that is not true, that in fact temperatures should actually have been decreasing each century over the past 6,000 years4. Instead, temperatures have risen steadily, and the 5 hottest years ever recorded have been the last 5 years5. Climate change is real – and by both burning too many carbon based fuels – and cutting down the trees needed to absorb that carbon, humans are responsible6.
Some politicians claim that “Carbon Taxes Kill Jobs” or that they don’t work. Neither claim is true. Leading economists around the world agree7: Charging polluters is the very best way to cut emissions. Overwhelming evidence shows that taxing GHGs leads to reductions in GHGs and spurs investment in infrastructure, new technologies and building renovations by companies and individuals. Growth that creates companies, and more jobs – not fewer – while improving the environment. 8
Leading the fight against carbon pollution offers Canadians the chance to share in a massive $30 trillion market opportunity by 20309. That’s 18 times Canada’s entire present GDP10. As current leaders in the clean tech industry, Canada is well positioned to continue growing with this market. Over 280,000 Canadian workers are already employed in “green economy” jobs11, and Canada ranked third on a recent list, with 12 of the top 100 clean tech companies in the world 12. Charging pollution taxes will only increase the number of Canadian companies creating clean tech solutions and jobs. And while we know many of our industries are declining, jobs in the “green economy” continue to grow, and at $94,000, pay 48% better than the average Canadian job13.
When deciding who will earn your votes, now and in years to come, we urge you to vote only for candidates who have a credible plan to cut carbon emissions.
We ask you to demand that our leaders seize this opportunity to ensure we both slow down climate change, and build the most prosperous, lowest carbon future we can give to ourselves and our children: An economy that will offer Canadians a healthy environment, and growth and prosperity for years to come.
Signed,