The Alberta government recently announced a climate plan that charts a historic new path for a province that has been stuck in the boom-and-bust cycle of the fossil fuel industries and condemned as a global environmental villain.

The plan includes a price on carbon pollution, a phase-out of all pollution created by burning coal, a major transition to renewable energy, and a cap on oil sands emissions. It was based on expert recommendations, and is supported by many industry, First Nations and environmental leaders.

There’s certainly room for the plan to be strengthened. The north star for all climate work is the same: doing our part to stop a dangerous 2 degree celsius increase in global temperature. While this plan is a huge step in the right direction, it won’t get us all the way there.

And, just as importantly, we need to stay focused on stopping the pollution and degradation of First Nations communities and territories.

Most of the time the Leadnow community’s job has been to speak out when governments are doing the wrong thing – but this isn’t one of those times, and the new government deserves to hear from us.

Let’s celebrate this new direction, and show our government that we’ll support bold action to do what needs to be done to make Alberta part of the solution to the greatest inter-generational crisis we’ve ever faced.

Sources:

1. Alberta’s climate change strategy targets carbon, coal emissions  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-climate-change-newser-1.3330153
2. Even the oil industry is supporting Alberta’s climate leadership plan http://www.pressprogress.ca/even_the_oil_industry_is_supporting_alberta_new_climate_leadership_plan