--> This Forum was turned into a podcast episode, find it HERE
Highlights of the Forum Policy Threats to Climate Action in Canada, with Maryo Wahba
Maryo Wahba, Climate Justice Policy Analyst at Citizens for Public Justice, organizer of the 'Give it up for the Earth' Campaign underlined the high cost of not doing anything on climate change, much higher than acting. He highlighted the economic case for the green revolution, for now hindered by the distortions of Oil and Gas subsidies, and the lack of political ambition in Canada.
Global Losses from Climate Change are estimated to rise to $38 trillion by 2050, to be compared to the size of the 2024 global economy: $185.7 trillion. Just in 2024, the cost of climate change related catastrophes is estimated to $143 billion.
Canada has only committed $16 million to the Loss and Damage Fund, supporting vulnerable countries and communities and equipping them with the means to avert, minimize and address loss and damage due to climate change.
Renewables are now competitive in cost, and numbers are on the side of the Green revolution. But the Oil and Gas lobby and the political inertia are in the way.
The ‘hidden tax’ of subsidies to the Oil and Gas industry amounted to $28.5 B in 2024 ($852 per taxpayer), while this industry’s profits surged (from $6.6 billions in 2019 to $66.6 billions in 2022).
Maryo showed the very thin efforts from Canada so far, despite its historical responsibility and high per individual carbon emissions. Looking at the future, Canada is not very ambitious: By 2035, Canada now targets a 45-50% reduction below its 2005 emissions levels, while the EU plans for a 72.5% reduction of emissions below its 1990 levels.
Maryo developed the example of pipelines, which are not economically viable. These “zombie projects’ don’t get appropriate funding from the industry and when State ends up buying them back, it means taxpayers end up paying for these projects.
Citizens for Public Justice advocates to minimize the impact on the Global South, to care for individuals and for the creation. They would like to see the principle ‘A polluter pays’ honoured, and good policies put inn place to accompany the green transition.
Initiatives that CPJ says yes to:
- Developing community owned renewable energy projects. Coops, indigenous owned (in the spirit of reconciliation) etc.
- Scaling up home retrofitting programs (solar panels, heat insulation etc.)
- Establish a ‘Youth Climate Corps’ to develop low carbon jobs for youth - a national paid job training program to do climate adaptation and mitigation work in their communities
- Investing in high-speed rail (Windsor Quebec corridor)
- Electrifying public transit fleets in Canada
- Developing a modernized smart interconnected East to West energy grid which would enhance energy resilience and security (between um the 13 Canadian provinces and territories)
Some insights shared after the listening circles:
- Every bit helps
- Prayer, action, and transforming encounters are good example
- Signing the 'Give it up for the Earth' petition could be a great start