Environmental Defence acted as an intervenor in the case, represented by the Canadian Environmental Law Association
This ruling is good news for all Canadians. Carbon pricing is one of the most effective tools the government can use to help reduce carbon pollution. It has been shown to work across Canada. That’s why Environmental Defence participated as an intervenor in the case, in support of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.
The constitutionality of the carbon pricing law was previously upheld in Ontario and Saskatchewan. And it is not surprising that the Supreme Court of Canada has agreed with these lower court rulings. The challenge from the provinces was a complete waste of millions of taxpayer dollars, and a distraction from the urgent need to fight climate change.
Climate change is already causing flooding, forest fires, heat waves, deaths, and billions of dollars of damage in Canada. Indeed, the Supreme Court affirmed that climate change is “an existential threat to human life in Canada and around the world.” Canadians want their governments to take action, and the courts have now conclusively affirmed that the federal government has the power to do so. With this case behind us, we hope that our provincial and federal governments can work together on this and other necessary programs to develop a low-carbon future.
Carbon pricing is just one of the tools that Canada is using to fight climate change, but we are still far from being on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit warming to 1.5 degrees as agreed to in Paris in 2015. The federal and provincial governments must do more to address emissions in Canada. Hopefully this ruling clears the way for that.
About ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Allen Braude, Environmental Defence, abruade@environmentaldefence.ca
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