Contents
- Seven more MPs signed on to the ClimateFast Pledge for Politicians
- ClimateFast Report
- What Then Shall We Do?
- Imminent Release of IPCC Synthesis Report
- The Great Climate March
- Climate Walk to Ground Zero
ClimateFast 2014 A Great Success!
Seven more MPs signed on to the ClimateFast Pledge for Politicians
Back in May 2014, MP Françoise Boivin, (NDP, Gatineau) signed on. During September and October 2014, the following MPs also signed on, bringing the number of MPs who have signed to 123, in addition to the 13 Senators who have signed on:
- Tarik Brahmi (NDP, Saint-Jean)
- Pierre Dionne labelle (NDP, Rivière-du-Nord)
- Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP, Alfred-Pellan)
- Adam Vaughan (Liberal, Trinity-Spadina)
- Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe (NDP, Pierrefonds-Dollard)
- Arnold Chan (Liberal, Scarborough-Agincourt)
- Tyrone Benskin (NDP, Jeanne-Le Ber)
To date, no Conservative MP has signed the pledge, nor has Justin Trudeau or Thomas Mulcair. Has your MP signed? Check on our website http://www.climatefast.ca/members-pledge-status. If your MP has signed – but their party leader has not – please send a note thanking your MP and asking him or her to ask their leader to sign as well.
We know that parties often respond to what the public expects. They know people are concerned about the climate crisis; however, the actions we are expecting from them might not be as clear. Please consider inviting your family, friends, or faith group members to write letters and join this call for action for three changes:
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end fossil fuel subsidies
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put a price on carbon and
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develop a renewable energy plan for Canada.
ClimateFast Report by Margaret Rao
For the third year in a row a group of dedicated climate activists held a fast and vigil (Sept. 28 - October 2) on Parliament Hill to draw the public's attention to the climate crisis and the need to act now. It was a great honour to be joined by Joseph Boutilier, of Unity for the Climate. www.unityfortheclimate.ca We continue to urge our political leaders, senators and members of parliament to sign the ClimateFast politicians' pledge, namely, pledging to work to 1. Put an end to fossil fuel subsidies 2. Put a price on carbon 3.Support the development of a renewable energy plan for Canada.
This year, we met with a number of MPs from various parties. In conjunction with the annual Ottawa Peace Festival we held a number of climate conversations, including an intergenerational conversation at the University of Ottawa, (plus screening of 'Do the Math!', a film featuring 350.org’s Bill McKibben); an interfaith discussion at St. Paul's United Church, and an activist conversation at the headquarters of Oxfam. People are eager to find and work with other people on climate issues.
All the participants agreed that meeting with one another in the flesh, and sharing our individual and collective stories - the highs and the lows - renewed our spirits and was a practical exercise in coalition building. We are part of a growing people's movement worldwide. Like the Indigenous-led 'Idle No More' movement, ordinary Canadians are starting to stand up and speak out for the rights of Mother Earth. Aside from the climate conversations, organized and led by the Reverend Frances Deverell, we watched two new films at the local library - Hands On: Women, Climate, Change and The Change Agents, a coming-of-age, must-see movie for all secondary students in Canada.
On October 1st, and in solidarity with the international Fast for the Climate, we held Climate Fastival, on the Hill bringing together speakers on climate - NDP MP Matt Kellway, who has reintroduced the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-619) and invites all to sign a petition in support of his bill, Liberal MP John McKay, who spoke on the urgent need to act on climate, Green Party Elizabeth May, fasting in solidarity with ClimateFast, and GP MP Bruce Hyer, who is vigorously promoting Carbon Fee and Dividend as a means of pricing carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There was also a wide array of talented musicians. And of course, the Ottawa Raging Grannies put in a strong vocal appearance. Just Voices' community-based Choir graced us with the Song for the Climate and other songs at our Opening Ceremony on the Hill and again at the Closing Ceremony.
See also: http://www.climatefast.ca/photos
We were blessed to have Anishnawbe elder Annie Smith St. George and her Métis husband, Robert, lead the Closing Ceremony by candlelight along with the Spirit Flowers Drumming Group led by Gabrielle Fayant. As we went around the circle, each person spoke from the heart and lifted one other up by highlighting memorable moments from the week gone by. A wonderful young transgender anarchist from Montreal, Atshak Kanimischt, also joined the ClimateFasters this year. She preached a gentle message of diversity and fluidity of body, mind and heart. She also promised to bring more young people to next year's Climatefast.
We are profoundly grateful to Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, for fasting in solidarity with us. We thank NDP MP, Peggy Nash, for commending ClimateFast activists on th Hill. We thank MP Peter Julian, Official Opposition House Leader, for inviting us to Friday's National Forum on Clean Energy and Industry. The forum brought together MPs, NGOs, the Canadian public and experts on renewable energies, energy efficiency, sustainable industries and urban centres as well as European experts on international models of energy already in use. This was a perfect way to end our week on the Hill.
We call upon all parties to demonstrate political will and act to protect our climate. Around the world, the call for a price on carbon is loud and clear, as is the call to end fossil fuel subsidies, and to transition rapidly to clean, green, renewable energy. No time to hesitate. It’s time to mitigate, adapt, and compensate.
If 'political will' is weak in our national, provincial and local governments to start transitioning to a green economy, then it is up to us, the citizens of Canada, to do our part and create the environment to act for a secure and sustainable future. Luckily, we are seeing moves in that direction from many quarters.
2015 will be a watershed year, a major turning point, not only because of the upcoming federal election but also for the world at large. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, pointed out in September at the People's March for the Climate, that the 21st U.N. Climate Change Summit, taking place in Paris at the end of November, has, as its objective, the first binding, Universal Agreement on Climate - an ambitious but necessary measure if we are not to exceed the dangerous point of 2 degree Celsius global mean temperature rise. Whichever party is in power in Canada next November, let’s insist they take a leadership role at the Climate Summit. We would do well to take to heart the lyrics of a ‘Sesame Street’ song my children learned long ago - “Co-operation makes it happen! Co-operation - working together.” You too can join the growing chorus of voices working together to save this beautiful blue planet for generations to come.
Margaret Rao
Climate Faster
What Then Shall We Do? by Frances Deverell
“Now that ClimateFast 2014 is over, what’s next?” everyone is asking. “Nothing has changed. We’re still in a race against time.” But is that true? Has nothing changed? Let’s look at our successes:
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Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, has acknowledged that we have to leave a large amount of coal, oil and gas, in the ground.
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Germany is now producing almost one third of its electricity using renewable energy and has created 370,000 renewable energy jobs.
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China has stopped building a coal plant every day and is a world leader in renewable energy production.
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California and Quebec are piloting a cap and trade system.
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Pipelines are still delayed from going ahead after five years of struggle or more.
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Researchers at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have invented a quick-charging, long-lasting battery that would make the electric car more feasible as a practical alternative to gas-fed cars.
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Energy policy is in the daily news on mainstream and business channels.
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We know today that a renewable energy future is technically and financially feasible if we can overcome corporate and political resistance and gather the political will.
On the other hand, with oil prices dropping and cheap gas available from hydraulic fracking, the typical economic signals are telling industry to keep on using cheap fossil fuels no matter what the long-term cost. The financing to stimulate innovation and new technology for renewables is still not plentiful but there are plenty of subsidies to search for new oil in the Arctic. It is really important that we get a world carbon pricing system in place, and tilt the subsidy and tax systems in favour of renewable energy if forward progress is to continue. We still have our work cut out for us.
The good news is that we have an opportunity to change our government in 2015. We can work hard to make energy policy an election issue. The Federal Election is rumoured to be as early as February or as late as November. It is time now to be planning events in your community. These could be generic events like film showings and discussions. They could be panel discussions with local people who are knowledgeable about what is being done and what can be done in your particular area. Ideally you might work with your local First Nations Communities, especially if any of them are on the frontline to stop a pipeline or protect a forest. You can plan to host an all-candidates meeting on energy, climate change planning, and the environment. We know that we need to focus on practical solutions that will appeal to people’s pocket books and make immediate sense (such as putting our young people to work doing climate retrofits to old buildings and reducing hydro bills through conservation.)
To build the political will we can work to build the Put Climate First on the First of the Month Campaign, supporting and amplifying the international Fast for the Climate campaign, www.fastfortheclimate.org. Would you pledge to write a letter every month on the first of the month? Would you pledge to write the letter with a friend or two, or host a monthly campaign at your church community or with some other group to which you belong? In 2014, with all our efforts, we got their attention. We need much more pressure to tip our fundamental policies in the right direction. See our sample letter campaign at http://www.climatefast.ca/sample-letters
Tailor it. Make it your own. And spread the word. Our goal is to have every MP in Canada receive more than 15 letters on the first of every month. Every letter you write makes a difference. The MPs we met on the Hill told us so.
Rev. Frances Deverell, Ottawa Host, ClimateFast
IMMINENT RELEASE OF IPCC SYNTHESIS REPORT
On November 2nd the IPCC ( Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) will release its Synthesis Report. In advance of Sunday's IPCC Synthesis Report release, the David Suzuki Foundation has put together a summary of the WG1-3 reports and how these are relevant to Canada: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/media/news/2014/10/special-briefing-global-climate-change-assessment/
They have also released a new video exploring the impacts of climate change on Canada's insurance sector
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/science/intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change/your-insurance-is-being-affected-by-climate-change-heres-how/ (and a French version will be released over the weekend).
For a sneak preview on urgent issues such as sea-level rise, extreme weather events, ecosystems, carbon budget/temperatures check out the two links below.
http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/10/3-infographics-explain-our-climate-past-and-future
proceeds from Bethesda, Maryland as of October 31, making its way to Washington, D.C. the morning of November 1st, with a Capitol Procession, Welcoming Rally, and Celebration! http://climatemarch.org/dc/
“The marchers of the Great March for Climate Action have walked 3,000 miles over 8 months to arrive at the nation’s capital. They have borne witness to those living on the front lines from coast to coast. They’ve become stewards for the people and the land, and have collected stories on behalf of the individuals facing injustices from climate change first hand. Their promise to share those stories in D.C will be an event that unites citizens of the U.S in solidarity. The Great March for Climate Action has created a living megaphone, and with their arrival into D.C they will amplify the collective voices with a resounding demonstration to our political leaders and corporate rulers that the people are resilient and intolerant of inaction on the climate crisis.”
See also the following report by Cheryl McNamara:
On October 2, Philippine activists began their 40-day walk to ground zero, remembering those devastated by super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, on this first anniversary. See http://tcktcktck.org/2014/10/40-day-climate-walk-kicks-philippines/64630 You can follow the walk at: https://www.facebook.com/ClimateWalkNow?fref=ts They arrive in Tacloban, the epicentre of Haiyan/Yolanda on November 8th, Philippines’ time.
Below, we are including word on Climate Walk.
We #fast for the climate onNovember 1st, and support the Climate Walk.
Dear Fasters,
The success of September’s People’s Climate Mobilisations are now behind us but their legacy of climate action continues. Our Fast for the Climate Movement has been calling for climate action throughout October by actively supporting the Climate Walk in the Philippines. Thirteen intrepid walkers started their 1000km, 40 day adventure in Manila and have since then been making their way south, through towns and villages affected by last year’s Typhoon Haiyan. They will arrive at Tacloban City, a city known as “Ground Zero’ because of the devastation wrought, on 8 November 2014, the first anniversary of the super typhoon.
In addition to battling tropical heat and rain during the walk, Yeb Sano, founder of the Fast for the Climate Movement, and Alan Burns from Carolina Climate Network will be fasting on the 1st November as well as walking the 20km for that day! Alan Burns is a passionate 68 year old faster who's also writing a blog of the journey (click here). He's the oldest person and only non-Filipino doing the whole 1000Km walk.
Day 22- Thursday October 23, Naga City to Sorsogon
“Recently Yeb said the possibility of a typhoon while we walked was about 50%. From others - I learned that typhoon shelters for Yolanda weren’t able to protect given the unexpected strength - Yolanda (Haiyan) was totally unexpected to be so devastating. The semi-official figure is now 15,000 dead, but many are still unaccounted for event a year later. A big ship thrown onto land is still there. I’m told, so I await to see this testimony to Yolanda’s force. Many NGOs and United Nations people are still there coping with the aftermath problems and because of all the increase in activity, I’m informed internet access there is now very good.” Alan Burns
You can do your part and support them from wherever you are in the last week of their historic walk. We want our fasting community to send them messages of solidarity – by showing us your feet! Very simply, we want you to show us your feet, on the ground, walking in solidarity and demanding climate action. You could put a sign by your feet or make a meme like the ones below.
Then you can put them on our Facebook and tweet them to @fastforclimate using our hashtag #fastfortheclimate and
A sample tweet or Facebook post could read: I'm from (insert country name). I supportPhilippines #climatewalk. 1 year since Yolanda and #fastfortheclimate (Attach your picture)
Please submit your picture between now and the 8th of November – the last day of the walk!
We’ll be sending another message towards the end of November to detail how you can get involved in your home country around the UN Climate Talks (COP) in Lima which kicks off on December 1st.
Happy Fasting for the 1st November and good luck with all your endeavors this month.
All the best,
Emily, Sean, Martin and the Fast for the Climate Working Group