Stakes too high to stall on climate change action: WWF-Canada

TORONTO, April 2, 2019 – The government of Canada’s report on Canada’s changing climate, which documents warming Arctic temperatures and ice loss, acidifying oceans, and changes in freshwater flow associated with climate change, underscores the urgent need for dramatically heightened ambitions to reduce Canada’s significant contribution to climate change.
   
Megan Leslie, president and CEO for WWF-Canada, said:
“Late last year the International Panel on Climate Change reported we only have 12 years left to implement policy changes to limit warming to 1.5C and avoid the most significant impacts of climate change – but this new report outlines the real impacts being felt across Canada right now. These findings are consistent with changes we are witnessing in watersheds, in coastal areas, in Arctic communities – as well as in communities across Canada plagued by wildfire, drought, flooding, heat waves, tick and other insect invasions, and freeze/thaw extreme weather events. These communities, and wildlife that need these ecosystems to survive, don’t have time to wait. 
     
“In the face of such serious challenges, and considering the damage to wildlife habitat and nature, our communities and our homes, every one of us – individuals, companies, governments of all levels – we all need to double our efforts and not hide our heads in the sand. We need our governments to accelerate action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, consistent with the findings of the IPCC 1.5 degrees report, and take steps to restore and safeguard natural spaces like forests, wetlands and peat bogs that store carbon. Nature is part of the solution. And with climate change warming Canada at twice the global rate, accelerating the conditions that contribute to wildlife loss, protecting areas that store carbon is a key plank in a successful plan to fight climate change while benefitting biodiversity.” 
   

About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.

For further information
Rebecca Spring, senior communications specialist, [email protected], +1 647-338-6274