For immediate release
TORONTO
Jan 19, 5:30 pm
Matt Cohen Park
SE corner, Bloor and Spadina
Climate advocates from eighteen Toronto groups are calling for climate leadership at the local, provincial, national and international levels in the wake of the climate destruction that we are seeing take place in the deadly Los Angeles wildfires.
On the eve of Trump’s inauguration they will light candles and form the message 1.5C in candles. The world has crossed this temperature threshold that was set in the 2015 Paris Accords according to the 2024 report by Copernicus Climate Change Service, the European Union agency that monitors global warming,
‘It should be ringing our alarm bells that as the impact of climate disruption become more and more real, we are facing two elections where the anti-climate parties are in the lead,” said Lyn Adamson, Co-Chair of ClimateFast.
“ And on the eve of Trump’s inauguration we need to ask ourselves how the worst climate president ever can be taking office. Trump’s pro-oil and gas plans threaten our future.. It’s not just our economy that’s threatened - it’s the very survival of the living planet we depend on.”
“Another report about climate changes won’t make a difference if we don’t care about one another,” said Rev Michael Van Dusen of Faith & Climate Action. “Statistics about the hundreds of thousands who will die and the millions who will be displaced by extreme weather events are meaningless if we don’t feel concern about them and take action.”
Alex Lam, speaking for Fridays for Future, called on all of us to stand up and fight back.. "Yes, the LA fires are sad, yes it is tragic that we have passed 1.5 degrees of warming, yes it is devastating that a climate denier is returning to the White House. But now is not the time for sadness, it is time for rage, and for resistance."
"As much as Trump is frightening, we can't let ourselves get distracted from our local fights. If anything, he is a reminder of how much we need to fight the lying, fraudulent, backwards politicians we have at home: Ford and Poilievre" said Lam.
The advocates call on climate politicians to step up for a global Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty, to stop expanding gas and nuclear, to respect and protect bike lanes, build renewable energy and keep the carbon rebate, and for Ford to restore forest firefighting budgets.
"At a time when people all around the world are facing the devastating consequences of the climate crisis, including our neighbours in California, the Ontario government continues to push ahead with its short-sighted and climate-damaging plan of ramping up fossil gas burning. Its time for this government to wake up and be part of the solutions to this global crisis." Corey Helm of TERRE, Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy.
Contact:
Lyn Adamson - 416-731-6605, lyn.adamson9@gmail.com
TORONTO 350
FAITH AND CLIMATE ACTION
Greenspiration, Toronto East End Climate Collective, Greenpeace
Citizens' Climate Lobby Toronto East (CCL), Plant Based Treaty
Grand(m)others Act To Save The Planet (GASP)
Climate Action for Lifelong Learners (CALL)
Music Declares Emergency Canada
Seniors for Climate Action Now (SCAN!)
TERRE, Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy
Green 11, Green 13