Climate action program

Seth Klein, adjunct professor with Simon Fraser University’s Urban Studies program and the former BC director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, explains why inequality must be linked to climate emergency action.

In polling I commissioned for my book, research from Abacus data in the summer of 2019, affordability was named as the top concern of Canadians, just ahead of climate change. That only stands to reason; it is a more immediate concern to most people. Hence the powerful need to link these issues. When we do so, the appeal is dramatic, far surpassing the levels of support for any one political party. As the Abacus poll revealed, when Canadians were given a short explanation of the Green New Deal—describing it as an ambitious vision for tackling the twin crises of climate change and inequality—it proved immensely popular, supported by 72% of Canadians surveyed. Another key finding from the Abacus poll: The more a bold and transformative climate plan is seen as linked to an ambitious plan to tackle inequality, economic insecurity, poverty and job creation, the more likely people are to support it.1

 

David Suzuki asks again (He has been banging on about this for as long as the IPCC has been releasing reports), why the hell aren’t we doing more? Why, after more than 30 years of mounting evidence and certainty (almost 200 since the greenhouse effect was first observed), as well as easily observable evidence, are media outlets of record still publishing anti-science nonsense by industry shills and deniers? Why are governments failing to do what’s necessary?

People are willing to reduce their carbon footprints, but incremental change is no longer enough. We need transformational, systemic change that can only come from the top. Governments, business and industry, financial institutions, media and more must look out for the interests of those they’re supposed to serve and start acting on the evidence2

The top down action we need to mitigate the worst effects of the climate emergency requires a government committed to doing what it takes, immediately, in the manner of our response to COVID 19 or our action to address the threat of World War II.

References

1	(2020, September 21). Why inequality must be linked to climate emergency action. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.thinkupstream.ca/post/why-inequality-must-be-linked-to-climate-emergency-action
2	(2021, August 19). Climate report shows world pushed to the brink by fossil fuels. Retrieved August 23, 2021, from https://davidsuzuki.org/story/climate-report-shows-world-pushed-to-the-brink-by-fossil-fuels/