Green Propserity is a joint effort by 23 of Ontario's leading environmental organizations to outline an action agenda for the province that we believe will help make Ontario a world leader in green practices and programs. For more information on the groups involved, click here.

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

Canadian Environmental Law Association

Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy

Citizens Environment Alliance

Community Power Fund

Conservation Council of Ontario

David Suzuki Foundation

Earthroots

Ecojustice

Environment North

Environmental Defence

Forest Ethics

Great Lakes United

Greenpeace

Local Food Plus

Ontario Nature

Ontario Smart Growth Network

Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

Pembina Institute

Sierra Club

Toronto Environmental Alliance

Wildlands League

World Wildlife Fund

Acting on the priorities supported by the 23 groups behind the Green Prosperity initiative can help Ontario become a leader in climate action.  In fact, all of the priorities we have outlined are in their own ways, important climate actions:

Put  a price on carbon:  A system where large greenhouse gas polluters must meet strict emission caps or purchase credits from others who have kept emissions below their caps is an efficient way to spur action on reducing greenhouse gas pollution.  We know from our previous experience with a cap-and-trade system to reduce acid rain emissions that a well-thought-out system can produce real pollution reduction results.  Businesses know that the days of polluting our atmosphere for free are over.  What they need to know now is what the rules for the new system will be so that they can get on with the job of reducing emissions. 

Power up green energy: By promoting the development of renewable energy sources and boosting conservation and efficiency efforts, Ontario can both reduce greenhouse gas pollution and create thousands of new jobs in designing, manufacturing and installing renewable energy and energy efficiency systems and technology.  But if hundreds of millions of dollars are wasted on more high cost and high risk nuclear projects instead, the impact on the province’s greenhouse gas emissions will be much less and we will squander the  economic benefits of the new Green Energy and Economy Act.

Build a more prosperous North:  Ontario’s Boreal Forest is one of the world’s largest storehouses of carbon.  If this carbon is released into the atmosphere by poorly planned development and resource extraction, it will further destabilize our climate and weaken the ability of natural systems to continue to absorb carbon.  Meanwhile, world demand for “green” forest products is exploding, creating an excellent opportunity for Ontario to rebuild its forest industry by focusing on Forest Stewardship Council certification while ensuring forests retain their role in ongoing climate protection.

Give species a chance:  In a rapidly changing climate, we need to make sure we protect the natural resilience that will allow species to adapt and survive and that will mean ecosystems can continue to perform important services, like carbon storage, water purification and flood control.  Protecting the habitat of endangered species such as woodland caribou also allows us to protect one of the province’s most important carbon storehouses – dense forests and peatlands preferred by caribou that are carbon rich.

Greater protection for Great Lakes:  Our Great Lakes are already experiencing the impacts of rising temperatures and a warmer climate.  In a warmer drier world, this tremendous source of readily available freshwater will be hugely valuable.  As a province that borders four of the five Great Lakes, we need to be better stewards of the lakes and take greater steps to protect them from climate change – an issue that wasn’t even on the table when most Great Lake treaties were last revised.

Safeguard communities: Air pollution and climate change go hand-in-hand because industries that are big conventional air polluters are often big greenhouse gas polluters as well.  By requiring greater efforts to control and reduce air pollution in areas with existing high levels of air pollution, we not only help local people and the local environment – we improve life for everyone and everything in Ontario.

Maintain the public’s right to speak out:  Silencing critics of poorly planned urban development or large polluters with the threat of lawsuits badly undermines efforts to build more liveable communities and reduce our climate impact.  We need to protect the public’s right to be heard on issues like reducing climate, air and water pollution and stopping greenhouse gas-spewing sprawl.

Grow more local sustainable food.  Food grown locally is not only fresher, it comes with a much smaller helping of greenhouse gas pollution than food transported from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away.  Sustainable agricultural practices also help to protect carbon stored in soils and reduce pollution from food production.

Turn waste into a resource: Every piece of packaging or product that we throw away represents energy and resources that are thrown away too.  We can no longer afford a disposable approach to products and packaging that also results in serious greenhouse gas pollution.  Instead we need to re-use the resources from these items at the end of their useful lives, while also reducing energy and materials used to produce and package products in the first place.