The latest of the sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has justified why I am involved with the Green Party of Quebec. Indeed, the report is unequivocal: environmental problems are attributed to human activities. The truth that we know and feel every day is no longer a distant fiction. Global warming has become humanity’s number one emergency, highly and certainly more dangerous than Covid-19. These consequences – some of them already visible – will be dramatic for the populations if drastic measures and large-scale initiatives are not taken to limit global warming to a rise of 1.5 °C. Floods, forest fires, landslides, suffocating heat, loss of wetlands, and drought are all consequences that are currently affecting populations around the world. We are at a major turning point to ensure a future that is still liveable and viable, so we must act now to avoid even more dramatic and irreversible repercussions.
Moreover, to provide a future for the next generation, humanity must redefine the way it consumes, say IPCC experts, urging people and authorities to think quickly about their food choices. How our food choices influence climate change is often underestimated, even though food production accounts for a large amount of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, especially the livestock industry. Reducing meat consumption is therefore a good way to work for the health of the planet! After our food, it is in our clothing that another change in the way we consume can be beneficial to the environment. Indeed, the environmental impact of the textile industry is HUGE, we know that this industry emits 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year, more than air and sea traffic combined, and uses 4% of the world’s available fresh water annually (Belin, 2020).
It is time for action! We must fight against the largest emitters on the planet to urgently reduce their emissions. There is still hope, the future depends on us!
Climate activists are often portrayed as radicals or extremists by our leaders who would like us to turn a blind eye so that they can increase fossil fuel production without worrying about the consequences. We can’t afford to continue like this, we need a strong voice in the Quebec National Assembly so that real change and real action are taken for the environment and for social justice.
That’s why it’s time to unite under a single banner! A Green government is needed to make the environment a priority, and we will never give up no matter what the criticisms and difficulties are, because we know that with willpower it is not too late to stop global warming. However, to do so, we need you, your vote and your involvement as a volunteer or candidate. We must break the status quo together!
-Halimatou Bah, Deputy leader of the Green Party of Quebec
