DECEMBER 2023

The ClimateFast newsletter shares information, resources, news, and activist opportunities about the climate crisis that may interest our readers, and does not necessarily reflect the views of ClimateFast members. If you have an event or resource you would like to share, please send it to newsletter@climatefast.ca.

On Friday, December 8th, members of ClimateFast joined others concerned about the state of the environment at Matt Cohen Park in Toronto. The candlelight vigil was one of a number organized across the country by For the Love of Creation, an OCEC member group which asked participants to reflect on and share their love for our planet, and their concern for all living things at risk from climate change. It was also a time to share hopes for truly transformative action at COP28. In addition to ClimateFast, participating organizations included For the Love of Creation, KAIROS, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Red Rebels Toronto, and Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!).

Great news from the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty!  More cities and countries join during COP28!

ClimateFast members urged Toronto to sign the FFNPT in July of 2021.  With the help of councillors Mike Layton and Shelley Carroll Toronto signed on.  Now there are 100 cities around the world calling for a complete fossil fuel phaseout.  Colombia is the second oil-producing country to join the FFNPT, the first was Timor Leste.  There are now 10 countries around the world calling for this treaty. Please sign on to support the treaty!  You can sign on as an individual, as an organization, or as a municipality.  12 municipalities in Canada support this treaty, let’s add more in 2024.

LET’S SHOW THE FEDS THAT CLEAN ELECTRICITY MATTERS!

Let's raise our voices for the transition to renewables - and a green electricity grid by 2035! The oil and gas industry is pushing back hard to delay this needed change. Let’s speak up!

Make sure the politicians hear us - please sign and shar this petition from 350.org

LOCAL CLIMATE NEWS - GHG EMISSIONS ARE RISING

We need federal government action to promote a clean electricity grid to push the province in the right direction.  TAF has released an inventory on GHG emissions in 2022 in the GTHA.  It does not look good.  Electricity emissions have risen 26% and the chief culprit is the increasing amount of electricity produced by fossil gas power plants in Ontario.  Doug Ford plans to continue building gas plants and expanding our reliance on fossil fuels - and unless we stop him emissions will continue to rise.  We need a halt to construction of fossil gas plants and we need to build renewables and promote conservation. 

SOME GOOD NEWS

Halton Hills council voted Dec 11 not to accept a new gas plant.  But Napanee voted to accept their third gas plant. It is being left to local communities to push their councils to fight for a safe climate future - and our thanks goes out to all who organize, depute, and resist fossil gas plant expansion in Ontario.  Special thanks to the Ontario Clean Air Alliance and Environmental Defence who have provided leadership in this life and death struggle. Sign the OCAA petition against expanding the Portlands gas plant in Toronto. Check out Environmental Defence’s no gas plants campaign page to learn more and how to take action. Toronto cannot achieve our Net Zero emissions reduction targets while reliance on fossil gas power increases. 

ClimateFast together with TEA (Toronto Environmental Alliance) and TCAN (Toronto Climate Action Network) will hold a budget deputation training on Jan 17th. The new draft city budget will be released January 10, and there will be an opportunity for the public to speak to the budget committee in deputations to be held Jan 22 and 23. Deputations can be made in person or in writing. 

Our presenters will provide information on the most useful areas to comment on in the budget.

It's really important for councillors to get the message that putting climate in the budget matters.

The budget is really tight and subject to cuts unless sufficient revenue is raised.  Let's make sure they hear from us that climate action is urgent - and fully funding the TransformTO NetZero plan is crucial.

The videos do an excellent job of connecting dots between many intersectional climate and social justice issues.  While heavy at times, The Week is also inspiring and uplifting, leaving viewers with a sense of hope that can often times be hard to hold on to. 

For more information on The Week please go to: https://www.theweek.ooo/

If you would like to register please email: Ingrid at ingridraedoucet@gmail.com

For a brief preview, watch Rick Hill on Indigenous education. 

Militarism, Climate Justice, Clean Energy, and Peace:

This was the first year that the COP 28 held a day to look at the intersection of peace, health, and climate.

Transitioning to clean energy will help make for true peace and justice in the world.

Here is an article from The National Observer published in November by Amara Possian who is an Armenian organizer living in Toronto. Amara Possian is currently Canada's team lead at 350.org. Her article speaks for itself.  Read it here in the National Observer.

Note: right now annual subscriptions to the National Observer are $49.99 (regularly $139.99)  Subscribe to support excellent investigative journalism.

CONGRATULATIONS!

TCAN co-chair, For Our Kids organizer, and former ClimateFast core member Anne Keary has received a Climate Parent Fellowship for 2024, awarded by the UK-based Our Kids Climate.  Anne wishes to thank the Climatefast community from whom she has learned so much and whose support she values deeply.  She hopes to use this award to support our collective climate work. Congrats Anne!

^{Delegates celebrating the adoption of the Global Stocktake (IISD COP28 coverage)}

As COP28 entered its second week, over 2000 signatories from across business, finance, philanthropy, politics, academia and civil society joined forces to call on Sultan Al Jaber and all Parties to deliver a 1.5C aligned outcome in response to the Global Stocktake - because later is too late This letter seems to have turned the tide in achieving a somewhat meaningful outcome of COP28. The letter and its signatories were projected on two giant screens outside the COP meeting venue…see 23:24 min. on this video.

While COP28 didn't achieve all that was hoped for, there were several good news items:

1. The final COP28 agreement also included a commitment to triple renewable energy capacity and double the average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
2. Commitment of nearly $800 million by rich countries to a loss and damages fund for developing countries.
3. A pledge by 155 countries to reduce emissions from methane by at least 30% from 2020  levels by 2030.
4. Draft regulations to cut methane leaks from Canada’s oil and gas sector 75% from 2012 levels by 2030.
5. A pledge by 50 oil and gas companies to end routine flaring by 2030 as part of an oil and gas decarbonization charter.

Read more about COP28 in The Energy Mix

12 GOOD GREEN THINGS FROM 2023

1. Ford backed down on changes to the Green Belt
2. ClimateFast helped to elect a progressive climate-concerned mayor for the City of Toronto.
3. Olivia Chow and Doug Ford struck a deal to make the city’s finances more sustainable and provide more funds for public transportation.
4. ClimateFast’s co-founder Lyn Adamson became co-chair of Toronto’s Climate Advisory Group.
5. The federal government released draft clean electricity regulations.
6. The federal government committed to an emissions  a cap on the oil and gas sector.
7. Despite some disappointments, COP28 ended with what many regard as the most significant set of decisions since the Paris Agreement, and many are celebrating it as the end of the fossil fuel era.
8. SCAN! succeeded in getting the provincial government to release long-suppressed reports on climate change adaptation in the Province of Ontario.
9. Toronto, Thorold, Kingston, Loyalist Township and Halton Hills said no to new gas plants.
10. The Ontario Clean Air Alliance pressured the provincial government into negotiating a multi-year deal with Hydro Quebec to import 600 MW in summer to reduce the need for gas-fired power.  
11. The Ford government is finally launching a competitive procurement process for renewable power generation.
12. The IESO, which runs Ontario’s power grid, launched a program to provide free cold climate heat pumps to income-eligible people reliant on electric heating, including renters.