1. What is the Pact for a Green New Deal ?
The Pact for a Green New Deal is a roadmap to a vision of rapid, inclusive and far-reaching transition, to slash emissions, protect critical biodiversity, see the full implementation of UNDRIP, FPIC and the TRC recommendations, meet the demands of the multiple crises we face and create over a million jobs in the process.
2. Why a Green New Deal?
The climate crisis is here. Arctic permafrost is melting, forests, towns, and Indigenous territories are burning. Climate change, pollution and environmental destruction have exacerbated systemic injustices, and states of emergency – declared for once-in-a-century floods – are becoming commonplace, as millions around the world already face dislocation and starvation.
To make matters worse, this isn’t the only crisis we face. Economic inequality, precarious work, a housing crisis, and rising racism threaten our communities and social fabric.
It’s decision time: we can either slide into division and disaster or come together with a far-reaching plan to avoid it and build a safe, just and prosperous future for all of us. A green new deal is that plan.
3. But Why Now?
Scientists have told us we have less than 11-years to cut our emissions in half. Two billionaires control as much wealth as almost a third of the population in Canada, and hate crimes continue to rise. We have the ability to address all these crises but we have no time to waste and we need bold government leadership to do it. We are aiming to make 2019 the year of The Pact for a Green New Deal. This month members of parliament go back to their ridings and now is the chance for us, the people, during this election year, to make them realize and understand how crucial it is to build a future that meets the demands of science and justice and works for all of us.
4. What are your core demands ?
The Pact for a Green New Deal rests on two fundamental principles:
a. It must meet the demands of Indigenous knowledge and science and cut Canada’s emissions in half in 11 years while protecting cultural and biological diversity.
b. It must leave no one behind and create a better present and future for all of us. That means ensuring that solutions are universal and far reaching.
5. What’s the next step?
We’re hoping to do:
a. Unite a diverse movement: It’s going to take everyone to pull this off. We’re inviting people from all walks of life and all movements — Indigenous communities, migrant justice activists, the labour movement, environmentalists, and everyday people — to come together. Sign the pledge and join the movement.
b. Develop a shared vision: Then we’ll gather in community centres, union halls, and living rooms across the country to develop a shared vision for what a Green New Deal could look like in Canada. Sign up to host or attend a Green New Deal town hall in your community.
c. Push political leaders to act: Next, we’ll bring our shared vision for a Green New Deal to political leaders, and challenge them to adopt these visionary policies in their platforms.
6. Who is behind the Pact for a Green New Deal?
The Pact for a Green New Deal is non-partisan, grassroots initiative supported by individuals, scientists, unions, Indigenous and civil society organizations and youth from across the country who have come together to push for a plan that ensures a safe, just future for all of us.
7. Eleven years to cut emissions in half, isn’t that pretty unrealistic?
We must remember we are living a climate crisis. If we would have started acting decades ago we wouldn’t need such a wide-spread and rapid transition. But because of government delays and fossil fuel funded disinformation campaigns our window has become very short and our timelines are no longer negotiable. We have a 303 MT gap* to make up and we need to get started. We are talking about survival now. We either choose to act and avoid catastrophe or we don’t. We’d prefer the former.
8. Slashing emissions, implementing UNDRIP, the housing crisis, Isn’t what you’re calling for too big, impossible even?
We know that when the state perceives an emergency, rapid transformations occur. Banks are saved, auto companies are bailed out. We can build a 100% renewable economy based on public ownership and dignified, well-paying work. We know that the federal government, in collaboration with all other levels of government and Indigenous Nations, has the capacity to pull this off. But we also know that only the people – in a deep, wide, and democratic process – can give it the legitimacy and true diversity it needs to succeed.
9. Is this just the American Green New Deal?
No. The Pact for a Green New Deal (P4GND) was inspired by Le Pacte that started in Quebec and already has over 270,000 signatories. The P4GND is a call from scientists, youth, organizations, unions, Faith Groups and Indigenous leaders for Canada to meet the demands of the climate, economic, and social crises our communities are facing. It’s an open to call for people to get involved so we develop our own plan and solutions. It is guided by the same science that spurred the Green New Deal in the US because those are limits we all need to live within. We are all facing the same short window in which to act. We need solutions and a plan for this country for how to get us there.
10. Alright, you’ve sold me. How do I get involved?
The best way to get involved is to add your name here. Once you sign-on we’ll send you updates for how to get involved, about the town halls, future mobilizations and how you can bring the Green New Deal to your community.
**The IPCC 1.5 degree report uses a 2010 baseline. Canadian GHG emissions were 694 MT in 2010, so to meet the science Canada’s emissions would need to fall to 347 MT. The most recent data is on 2017 emissions (716 MT), so that’s a ~369 MT reduction from 2017 levels. Canada’s current climate plan gets us to 616 MT (excluding LULUCF), so there is still a 303 MT gap to get to 369 MT: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/eccc/En1-78-2018-eng.pdf
Greenpeace Canada is part of a network of workers, artists, Indigenous leaders, scientists, youth, and people directly impacted by climate catastrophe — from cities and towns, businesses and communities, working beyond our political differences and in solidarity with Indigenous peoples — who want to ensure a safe world for our children and all generations after that.