Defund Coastal GasLink - Week of Action Callout
Over the past few months, fires and floods, atmospheric rivers and heat domes, largely attributable to climate change and largely unprecedented, have left communities reeling from the impacts. People have lost their homes, their livelihoods and some have lost their lives.
At the same time, for the sake of ramming through Coastal GasLink (CGL), a fracked gas pipeline that offers no local benefits and only dwindling returns, RCMP conduct highly militarized raids on Wet’suwet’en territory, arresting land and water defenders, media witnesses, and supporters.
This destruction - raids on Wet’suwet’en territory in the name of CGL - has been going on since 2019. This destruction, a direct continuation of the colonial, extractive mandate that runs roughshod over Indigenous rights, destroys land and water and fuels climate disaster, has been going on for hundreds of years. This destruction must stop!
As Eve Saint said in a recent speech, "every time we get up, every time we stand up together, we are more powerful and they can't ignore us....We need to support each other....We all live here." What can we do? (Keep Reading to see some actions we can take now).
December 17, 2021
Statement of Solidarity with Wet'suwet'en First Nation - November 2021
Toronto350 members are appalled by the ongoing invasion of Wet’suwet’en territory, the unlawful arrests made by militarized RCMP and the continued violation of Wet’suwet’en jurisdiction and law. The prioritization of Coastal Gaslink and a fracked gas pipeline at the expense of Indigenous sovereignty, internationally recognized human rights, and the protection of the local and global environment, is immoral and unconscionable. 
November 28, 2021
On the Grounds
Those of us standing on the grounds of Queen’s Park on November 6th (N6) were there to ask for Climate Justice now Real Action @ COP26 as climate negotiations by political leaders in Glasgow went on with deferred promises, delay strategies and false solutions that continued to miss the mark on climate justice.
Photos throughout by Dawn Pearson
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November 16, 2021
Climate Justice Now! Real Action @COP26
Join TO350 as we call for Climate Justice Now! Real Action @COP 26! on the November 6 Global Day for Climate Justice.
November 02, 2021
RBCisKillingMe – October 29th
October 29th will be a global day of action against fossil fuel financing. In so-called Canada, the action will focus attention on RBC’s funding for the Coastal GasLink pipeline which is currently being forced through Wet’suwet’en Territory against the wishes of hereditary leaders.
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October 23, 2021
Letter of Solidarity for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
As members of Toronto350 who are either descendants of earlier colonialists or more recent immigrants, we acknowledge that we are settlers on the historic territories of many Indigenous peoples. We also recognize that “Canada” is made up of lands that were stolen from different Indigenous Nations. The Colonial powers wanted the lands.
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September 30, 2021
Canada's Still on Fire
On Wednesday September 8th, TO350 and People’s Climate Movement Toronto led an on-the-ground "Canada's Still on Fire" action at Queen’s Park. The event was one of 60 held across the country in a nationwide effort initiated by 350Canada to make it clear that climate must be front and centre this election.
September 14, 2021
What is Climate Justice? Environmental, Political and Ethical Aspects.
Climate justice refers to the idea that the climate emergency is not only an environmental issue, but also a political and ethical issue. Climate change will increasingly be a defining experience for all life on Earth in the near future since the changing climate will lead to disruption of fragile ecosystems around the world. Global average temperatures have already increased by 1°C above pre-industrial levels in 2017 and are likely to increase by 0.2°C every decade unless immediate action is taken to stop emissions as well as remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere [1]. The IPCC (United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Global Warming of 1.5°C report details the various effects of a 1.5°C rise including sea-level rise, intense heat waves, water and food insecurity, extreme weather events, among others. The most extreme impacts of climate change will largely be borne by populations who have historically benefited the least from fossil fuel extraction and use [2].
July 18, 2021
Why Toronto Council should endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and 4 simple actions you can take to make it happen
Lytton, B.C.
Our hearts go out to the residents of Lytton, B.C. Record temperatures, wildfires, a town destroyed and residents devastated. This is the climate crisis in real time.
We can begin our help here.
Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash
Climate’s Role
It is evident the change in our climate played a role in the heat-related deaths and wildfires in B.C. These northern areas were hotter than the Middle East. Scientists fear this indicates a new dimension of the global crisis.
Johan Rockström of the The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research stated the recent extreme weather anomalies were not represented in global computer models that are used to project how the world might change with more emissions. The fear is that weather systems might be more frequently blocked as a result of human emissions. “It is a risk – of a serious regional weather impact triggered by global warming – that we have underestimated so far”, he said.
It is clear that the Climate Emergency created this crisis and it is time to act. In Canada the fossil fuel industry is the biggest source of impact on the climate. As residents of Toronto, we need our electricity production and home heating to be free of fossil fuels. Now is the time to commit to doing this.
What needs to be done
There is a global movement calling for national governments to negotiate and ratify a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to stop the further expansion of fossil fuel production, phase out fossil fuels, and ensure a global just transition for all.
Toronto350 has endorsed this treaty along with hundreds of other organizations including the Cities of Vancouver, Los Angeles, Barcelona, as well as seven other cities and sub-national governments. As Canada’s most populous city, it is time for Toronto to add our name and endorse this treaty. By endorsing it, Toronto is committing to a fossil free future, and sending a message to our provincial and federal governments to stop investing in oil and gas, and use funds to transition away from them.
What can you do?
Consider any or all of the following actions:
- Add your name to the petition for Toronto Council to endorse the FFNP Treaty.
- Send a letter to Mayor Tory and all city councillors asking that they endorse the treaty. Use this tool to make it easy!
- Phone your councillor and leave a message asking them to endorse the treaty. You can find your councillor’s contact information here.
- Personally endorse the treaty at https://fossilfueltreaty.org/#endorse
Join the over 12,000 individuals including over 1300 scientists, academics, and researchers, and over 480 world wide organizations who are working to make this treaty a reality!
July 08, 2021