Here’s what 2020 taught us about fighting the climate emergency in 2021
Tags: Climate Action, Climate Change, Activism, Green New Deal, Social Movements

By Chris Gusen, Digital Organizer with 350 Canada

Photo Credit: Nhattan Nguyen

2020 was tough. But, as we look back on the past year, it also brings us a tremendous amount of hope.

Seeing how the world mobilized to fight COVID-19 gave us a glimpse of what might be possible if our elected officials treated the climate emergency just as seriously. As we rest up and prepare to continue our fight for a made-in-Canada Green New Deal in 2021, here are the biggest lessons we’re taking from 2020.

1. Bold government action has always been possible

We’re organizing to win a Green New Deal for Canada because it’s the only plan that meets the climate emergency at the scale and speed that science and justice demand. Some critics have called this vision for a rapid, just transition off fossil fuels unrealistic, but the COVID-19 crisis has proved them wrong. As we saw this year, our governments are more than capable of moving quickly and boldly when faced with a crisis.

The climate emergency requires the same decisiveness. Climate-driven disasters like extreme wildfires and floods are already taking lives and devastating communities around the world. 2020 is on track to have been the hottest year on record. And, just like with the pandemic’s exponential curve, climate chaos will accelerate beyond our capacity to manage it if we don’t aggressively flatten the carbon emissions curve.

In the past, politicians have gotten away with delaying climate action because global warming didn’t feel like an immediate threat to their personal wellbeing in the same way a global pandemic does. That’s changing fast thanks to the tireless work of social movement organizers, who have spent years building people power and holding politicians’ feet to the fire. A majority of Canadians now support a Green New Deal and, as 2020 has shown everyone, the level of government action the plan calls for has always been possible.

2. Listen to scientists

Photo Credit: Vjosana Shkurti

Donald Trump called COVID a hoax, but that didn’t stop COVID coming all the way to the White House. Along the way, over 300,000 Americans died and millions were infected. The pandemic made it clear that science denial is deadly.

In Alberta, Jason Kenney’s government preached personal responsibility instead of putting real prevention measures in place, consistently ignored the advice of their Chief Medical Officer, and fired thousands of public healthcare workers in the middle of the pandemic. The result? Alberta is suffering through a crushing second wave.

Many Canadians are looking jealousy to Australia where, after the government enforced strict lockdown measures in response to a second wave, life has returned to pre-pandemic normal.

While announcing his updated climate plan earlier this month, Prime Minister Trudeau took a jab at Conservatives with the line, “Science is not a pick-and-choose buffet.” We agree but, when it comes to the climate emergency, listening to the science means acting much more boldly than Trudeau is right now. Pipelines are off the menu. A Green New Deal is the main course.