Premier Horgan: It’s time to choose climate action!
From Georgia Straight Alliance: Let’s fight the fire that threatens our home. Join the thousands who have written Premier Horgan to end subsidies to fracking and start powering the green economy this province, and our shared climate, desperately needs. Take action now!
Sign the open letter for bold, ambitious climate action now!
From LeadNow: Wildfires are raging across the country, cities are choke by smoke, and entire communities have been displaced. The climate crisis is at our doorstep. Add your name to the open letter calling for an immediate halt on all fossil fuel expansion and massive investments in a clean, green economy that leaves no-one behind. https://act.leadnow.ca/jt-ol/
B.C. is in a State of Climate Emergency with No Emergency Plan
From Seth Klein, National Observer: We mobilize to put fires out, but — so far, at least — not to prevent them. British Columbia is having its summer of reckoning with the climate emergency. Like other places before — California, Australia, Honduras, the Philippines — the province in which I reside is now experiencing a shift in the popular zeitgeist. With a jolt to our collective consciousness, most of us now understand the emergency is well and truly upon us. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/07/19/opinion/bc-climate-emergency-no-plan Feel forward Seth’s piece to your MLA, and to Premier John Horgan: premier@gov.bc.ca
Write a Letter toJonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
From Ross White, Highlands United Church, North Vancouver: We have scored a unique opportunity: on August 11th we are meeting in the courtyard of our church for a dialogue with Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. We are soliciting letters supporting our key ask: a federal climate reduction target of 60% by 2030. We will present him with a bound book of your letters, and some children’s art. The deadline for submission is this Sunday, July 25th. Please send your letter to Ross: ross.white@shaw.cahttp://www.highlandsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HUGG-Letter-points-for-J-Wilkinson.pdf
July 29 Deadline for sign-ons: Wood Pellets to Burn Energy Abroad – a False Climate Solution
From Stand.Earth Forest Team: I’m reaching out to invite you to sign-on to our public Wood Pellets opposition letter. We’ve crafted this letter to sound the alarm on the expansion of clearing our forests to burn for energy abroad as a false climate solution. The wood pellet sector wants to expand coast to coast in Canada, and it is actively preparing for pellet production to increase. The demand for burning biomass like wood pellets is growing, with emissions being even dirtier than coal at the smokestack. With your solidarity, we can make this public letter the first step in a series of escalations to collectively condemn the pelletization and export of vital forests across this country. Please sign on here by July 29th.
July 31 Deadline for Public Input: BC Hydro’s Completely Inadequate 20-year Plan
From the BC Climate Alliance: BC Hydro is asking for public input to their draft 20-year Integrated Resource Plan (the 111 page report is here . This plan is completely inadequate for the climate emergency, as it assumes we do not meet our legislated GHG reduction targets and that climate impacts will not intensify. As a Crown Corporation, BC Hydro should be working for us, but they are clearly being given poor guidance from the Premier and Cabinet. BC Climate Alliance put together some guidance here to encourage organizations and individuals to provide feedback for the consultation, as well as amplifying your message to the BC government and media. The deadline for submissions is a week tomorrow – Saturday July 31st.
August 12 Deadline for Public Input: BC’s Climate Adaptation Plan
From Andrew Gage, West Coast Environmental Law: Right now our provincial government is consulting British Columbians on a provincial adaptation strategy and, frankly, it’s lame – it won’t protect you from heat waves, or much else. It says only a little about heat waves, and when it does, it is vague, unclear about who is doing what and why, and comes with no new financial commitments. And, unfortunately, that’s pretty standard for the other climate risks discussed in the Strategy. Andrew has clear commentary and suggestions for how to respond: https://www.wcel.org/blog/bcs-climate-adaptation-plan-wont-protect-you-heat-waves-or-much-else
September 30 Deadline for Public Input: A Just Transition: Helping workers and communities thrive in a net-zero carbon economy
From the Government of Canada: The government is seeking public input for a Just Transition Plan, putting workers and communities at the centre of the government’s climate action. There will be stakeholder meetings in August and September. Details here: https://www.rncanengagenrcan.ca/en/collections/just-transition