{"id":442403,"date":"2021-12-21T13:41:32","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T13:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/environmentaldefence.ca\/?p=32041"},"modified":"2021-12-21T13:41:32","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T13:41:32","slug":"will-2022-be-a-good-year-for-the-environment-here-are-our-10-predictions-for-the-year-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/12\/21\/will-2022-be-a-good-year-for-the-environment-here-are-our-10-predictions-for-the-year-ahead\/","title":{"rendered":"Will 2022 be a good year for the environment? Here are our 10 predictions for the year ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"
2021 was a year dominated by environmental news. Despite ongoing COVID constraints on the economy, global fossil fuel consumption rebounded after its collapse in 2020.With this rebound came the increase in carbon emissions and effects of climate change. As if to underscore the need for urgent action, climate change disasters raged across Canada with record-setting heat, fires and floods.<\/span><\/p>\n The federal election saw a turning point in the fight on climate action with an end of\u00a0 opposition to carbon pricing by the Conservative Party and a return of a Liberal government that promised substantial commitments to climate and broader environmental action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n World leaders met in Glasgow for COP 26 where <\/span>they did not agree to take actions<\/b> consistent with maintaining less than 1.5C of global heating. However, they promised to come back in 2022\u00a0 with better plans. They also made collective commitments to curb methane emissions, to halt and reverse forest loss, align the finance sector with net-zero emissions by 2050, ditch the internal combustion engine, accelerate the phase-out of coal, and end international financing for fossil fuels. Despite significant headway on these fronts, national climate and financing commitments still fell far short of what is needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In Alberta, the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns wrapped up its $3.5 million money burn with a conclusion that environmental groups, including Environmental Defence, had not spread mis-information about the oil industry and that the groups <\/span>had done nothing wrong<\/b>. Premier Kenney chose to loudly insist it said the opposite and is now facing possible legal action.<\/span><\/p>\n The federal government slowly moved ahead on banning select\u00a0 plastic items and the Canadian\/US oil industry responded by going to court to try to block the bans. Environmental Defence and our partners jumped in to help explain the importance of these bans.<\/span><\/p>\n Ontarioians also rallied together in the face of ever escalating government attacks on climate actions and natural areas including farms and wildlife habitats, under the <\/span>\u201cOntario: Yours to Protect\u201d<\/span><\/a> program. Across the province, groups worked to protect key areas like Lower Duffins Creek wetland from development and to secure a federal review of the proposed 413 mega-highway<\/span><\/p>\n The Ontario government\u2019s plans for several new multi-billion dollar mega-highways across southern Ontario will wake up people and communities to the stark choices they need to make about their future. Ontarioians will have to choose between gridlock, sprawl and loss of nature and local food or sustainable transportation options, livable cities, and access to recreation. We know what most people will pick.<\/span><\/p>\nHere\u2019s a quick recap of environmental stories in 2021:<\/b><\/h3>\n
Our top ten predictions for the environment in 2022:<\/b><\/h3>\n
1. New mega Highways will be very unpopular<\/b>: <\/span><\/h3>\n