Climate emergency forum online Tuesday

DEAR EDITOR:

Climate is a hot issue for voters after experiencing an extreme summer of heat and wildfires. Federal election candidates in the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding will discuss the climate crisis at Election 2021 and the Climate Emergency, an online forum, Tuesday, Sept. 7 from 6-8 p.m.

Candidates from the major parties will be asked about meeting emission reduction targets, mitigating climate impacts, protecting the environment, and maintaining a healthy economy.

The forum is organized by non-partisan organizations Fridays For Future West Kootenay and Nelson-West Kootenay chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

Register to watch the Zoom forum at bit.ly/SOWK-ClimateForum, or watch live-streaming of the event on Fridays For Future West Kootenay Facebook, or Fridays For Future Nelson on YouTube.

“Climate warming has moved our world to the edge of a dangerous precipice and our governments are the only agencies that have the broad capacity to build our defensive wall. We must choose leaders who have the will to act now,” said Jim Beattie, chair of First Things First Okanagan, one of the groups formulating questions for the candidates.

June’s heat wave that shattered temperature records in B.C. and led to the sudden deaths of more than 500 people was made 150 times more likely by climate change, according to international scientists. Climate change is also predicted to increase both the length of the fire season and the amount of forest burned. Overall, Canada is warming at twice the global average.

“Our governments call the climate situation an emergency, but consistently are slow to act. We saw with COVID-19 how rapidly governments can respond to a crisis when they want to. We will be looking to our candidates to show similar leadership on the climate front,” said youth organizer Linn Murray with Fridays For Future West Kootenay.

Polling data shows that climate change and the environment are a top priority for B.C. voters in the upcoming federal election. Questions for the candidates submitted by the participating climate groups will reflect widespread concerns about the changing planet.

Lori Goldman Penticton