(OTTAWA) – The clock is ticking for the Liberal government to live up to its climate action promises, said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands).
Ms. May and the Green Party of Canada are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to follow through on his campaign commitment to create a national framework for meaningful action on climate change. Ms. May made the comments on Wednesday during the GLOBE 2016 Leadership Summit for Sustainable Business in Vancouver, B.C.
“Time is running out for Liberal promises,” Ms. May said. “For a decade, the previous federal government sabotaged work on Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) targets, and those targets sunk to the worst in the G7. The Premiers must now set aside narrow self-interest to endorse a new and more ambitious target for Canada. Those renewed targets will pressure other countries to do more, and the global market will respond by increasingly betting on renewables and the future economy.”
On April 22, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the global community will gather to sign the Paris Agreement. Canada must not show up with the current embarrassing targets left behind by the Conservatives, Ms. May said.
Dr. Lynne Quarmby, Green Party Science Critic, said the federal government must provide aggressive leadership to limit GHG emissions and avoid catastrophic climate change.
“The science is in on climate change, and intransigent Premiers cannot be allowed to drag us all down,” Quarmby said. “Trudeau promised a national plan by March 12. That plan must align with real action on the climate file. I’ll be watching closely and hope to celebrate when PM Trudeau and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna announce the foundations of a national plan of carbon pricing and regulation in keeping with Canadian promises made at the Paris Climate summit.”
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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
Green Party of Canada | Parti vert du Canada
dan.palmer@greenparty.ca
mobile: (613) 614-4916