SNAP Canada

CPAWS congratulates Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on re-election

Election 2021 reconfirms strong mandate to protect nature in new Parliament

September 21, 2021, traditional unceded Algonquin Territory/Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) offers congratulations to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his re-election. CPAWS also congratulates all Members of Parliament, both newly elected or re-elected in their constituencies.

“The globe is facing the dual environmental crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, which the re-elected government must urgently address,” said Sandra Schwartz, National Executive Director of CPAWS. “Canadians have made it clear that they want decisive action from the federal government towards protecting nature and species at risk, and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Canada has played a leadership role on the world stage in committing to ambitious targets of protecting 25% of land, freshwater, and ocean by 2025, and at least 30% by 2030. This Parliament will be crucial to achieving those targets.” 

CPAWS is calling on the government to pursue the implementation of Budget 2021 funding for protected areas as an essential foundation for Canada’s efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, and to achieve full recovery by 2050. Further permanent funding will also be needed as part of future budgets to ensure effective management and minimum protection standards in all protected areas. A true nature agenda for Canada must also include support for urban protected areas, ecological connectivity and corridors, nature-based climate solutions, and a biodiversity lens to apply across government to ensure all departments take biodiversity into account in decision-making.

On the international stage, the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP-15) will be a critical opportunity for the world to forge a plan to halt and reverse devastating biodiversity loss. Canada can and must play a leadership role in ensuring the new Global Biodiversity Framework delivers the ambitious, transformational actions needed.

In addition to recommitting to protecting 30% of land and ocean by 2030, the Liberal Party of Canada promised to create 10 new national parks and national marine conservation areas over the next five years, complete Marine Protected Area networks in British Columbia, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves, and the Maritimes, and apply a biodiversity lens to all government programs and priorities. CPAWS supports these commitments.

“Protecting Canada’s wilderness and ocean is a significant source of pride for Canadians. The pandemic has shown just how important nature is to our physical and mental health, and investments in nature and climate are important tools for economic recovery from the pandemic,” added Schwartz. “CPAWS is ready to continue our work rallying Canadians and working with the newly-elected government on these urgent nature priorities. With 2030 just around the corner, the government must take swift action. The lives of the people and the planet can’t wait.”

As a member of the Green Budget Coalition, CPAWS is also asking for investment of $1.4 billion per year in permanent ongoing funding for protected areas management, increasing to $2.8 billion per year by 2030.

Background

  • The protection of land and ocean is critical to halting the worldwide loss of wildlife habitat, which is the number one cause of population declines for species, in Canada and around the planet. In Canada, more than 600 species are listed as at risk of extinction.
  • Evidence shows that a minimum of 30% and up to 70% or more of land and ocean ecosystems need to be protected to sustain a healthy planet and secure essential ecosystem services for people. CPAWS’ long-standing goal of protecting half of Canada’s land, freshwater and ocean is well-supported in the literature.
  • Effective Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a key component of a strong Blue Economy. Recent studies show that protecting 30% of the ocean in effective and well-managed MPAs can restore ocean health and produce an economic return on investments of ten to one.
  • Global biodiversity loss, happening up to a thousand times faster than the background rate, threatens life on Earth and is now a top-five threat facing the global economy, according to the World Economic Forum. Recent estimates by the insurance firm Swiss Re suggest more than half of the global GDP – $42 trillion USD – depends on high-functioning biodiversity and ecosystems.
  • Parks and related visitor spending support 64,000 jobs in Canada, generate a return of six to one in GDP, and return 44% of government investment back in taxes. Canada’s parks and protected areas have become increasingly important for domestic tourism as COVID-19 restricts international travel.
  • The UN Biodiversity Conference (Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-15)) will be held in Kunming, China, in two phases. The first, virtual phase will take place in October of this year, while the second, in-person phase is scheduled for April and May, 2022.
  • In September 2021, Motion 101 was approved at the World Conservation Congress hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Marseilles, France. This motion recognizes the need to conserve at least half the planet to successfully tackle the biodiversity and climate crises and bolsters momentum for a dramatic scale-up of land and ocean protection.
  • In June 2021, Leaders of G7 nations, including Canada, approved a Nature Compact in which they commit to a global mission to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, including by protecting at least 30% of land and ocean by 2030 in their own countries, and to championing 30X30 as a global target.
  • In October 2020, Canada joined the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, made up of more than 60 countries championing the 30X30 target.
  • Also in October 2020, Canada’s Prime Minister joined more than 80 world leaders in signing the Leader’s Pledge for Nature, which includes commitments to put nature and climate at the heart of COVID-19 recovery strategies and investments.
  • The Green Budget Coalition (GBC) includes 23 leading environmental organizations in Canada that analyze environmental sustainability issues and provide fiscal and budgetary recommendations to the federal government.
  • Read our backgrounder on the Economic Benefits of Protecting Nature in Canada.
  • Read our April 2021 news release welcoming the largest Canadian investment ever in nature as part of Budget 2021.
  • Read our latest Report Card on Canada’s progress in protecting its land and ocean.

About CPAWS

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only charity dedicated to the protection of public land, freshwater and ocean with a strong national and regional presence across the country. Working in a way that respects the sovereignty and leadership of Indigenous nations, we are focused on conserving nature to respond to the dual crises of accelerated biodiversity loss and climate change. Our vision is that at least half of land, freshwater and ocean in Canada is permanently protected to sustain nature and people for current and future generations. For more information about CPAWS and the work we do to safeguard Canada’s natural heritage, visit cpaws.org. Join our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Donate today. Take action.

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For more information, please contact:

Tracy Walden
National Director, Communications and Development, CPAWS
twalden@localhost
613-915-4857