In October 2018, the world's premier climate science review agency, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), delivered its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 C, which laid out a prescription for avoiding "catastrophic climate change." It outlined the need for a 45 per cent reduction in global CO2 emissions from 2010 levels by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050. This was the first time in history that a leading science body laid out exactly what was required if our children were to enjoy a livable planet. It received little media, maybe because the IPCC concluded that there were no technological or financial reasons the goal could not be met. All that was missing was political will.
Following the release, the United Nations asked Canada to double our 2030 emission reduction target from 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 to 60 per cent (because 45 per cent of Canada's 2010 emissions equals 60 per cent of our 2005 emissions). Trudeau declined. No headlines about this, however.
In this election, only the Green Party has accepted the IPCC 2030 target. No headlines.
Since the release of Special Report on 1.5 C, the Green Party of Canada has designed their climate plan based on what the IPCC says is necessary. No other party has. Instead the other parties have plans that represent their political agenda, in blind disregard of the science.
What did make headlines was Trudeau's announcement of being 100 per cent fossil fuel free by 2050, with no mention of the fact the IPCC laid out two targets that if, as Trudeau plans, Canada misses the 2030 target, that failure kills 2050 as a meaningful target and if Trudeau can't reduce emissions 60 per cent by 2030, how can he reduce 100 per cent years before 2050?
Climate crisis is only survivable if all countries pull their weight and that is what the Green Party's Mission Possible is intended to do. It's a plan for how Canada can pull its own weight and lead by example. The plan is available on pdf at greenparty.ca.
Geoffrey May
Margaree Harbour
