Mr. Speaker, on October 11, 2013, I took part in a seminar on climate change education organized by the Fondation Monique-Fitz-Back. The 120 participants came to the conclusion that getting our elected officials involved is absolutely crucial. At the conclusion of the event, I therefore committed to making a statement in the House in order to make my federal colleagues aware of the urgent need to take action against climate change.
The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, is crystal clear: “humans are the main cause of the current global warming”.
In 150 years, we have used up 40% of our oil and gas reserves, which took millions of years to form. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions caused by this overconsumption of fossil fuels have increased at an alarming rate.
Extreme weather events will increase in frequency and intensity. The temperature has already risen by 0.8oC since the pre-industrial era, and it is expected to rise by another 0.3oC to 4.8oC by 2100.
As elected representatives, it is our duty to take a stand and to take meaningful action, both personally and professionally, against climate change.