Investing in nature and its protection among the most affordable climate actions governments can take, says Federal government
November 30, 2020, OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness and Society (CPAWS) is pleased to see progress towards the federal government’s commitment to achieving Canada’s ambitious nature conservation goals in the Fall Economic Statement, delivered today by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Today’s Statement announced $3.9 billion over the next 10 years for nature-based climate solutions, including over $3 billion to help plant two billion trees. A further $631 million will be put towards restoring degraded ecosystems, protecting wildlife, and improving land and resource management practices. Close to $100 million will be available for a new Natural Climate Solutions for Agriculture Fund, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and realize other environmental benefits. Also notable is the $54 million earmarked for Parks Canada to replace revenue lost due to reduced visitation to national parks and marine conservation areas.
“CPAWS welcomes this investment in nature-based climate solutions,” said CPAWS National Executive Director, Sandra Schwartz. “The planet was already facing a biodiversity and climate crisis and this pandemic has added a health and economic crisis. Protecting nature – the earth’s life support system – can help us tackle all of these crises. We view today’s significant announcement as a down payment towards achieving Canada’s commitments to nature.”
Canada has also committed to protecting 25% of its land and ocean by 2025 and 30% by 2030, and championing ambitious conservation targets internationally. These commitments, supported by an overwhelming majority of Canadians, reinforce Canada’s growing international leadership on nature conservation. CPAWS is looking forward to future and ongoing investments toward achieving these goals.
The government has made nature a priority, as detailed in this year’s Speech from the Throne and repeated by the Prime Minister at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity in September. Canada also signed the Leader’s Pledge for Nature to put nature and climate at the heart of COVID-19 recovery and joined the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, a group of over 30 countries championing an ambitious nature conservation agenda.
Protecting Canada’s land and ocean is not only essential to safeguarding our natural life support system and tackling climate change, it also has enormous economic value with direct and indirect job creation and regional stimulus benefits that are both immediate and sustainable. Canadians have also come to understand the enormous physical and mental health benefits of nature, and that threats to nature increase the risk of novel diseases.
“CPAWS has insisted on the necessity of urgently investing federal dollars to implement these ambitious conservation commitments,” added Schwartz. “There are so many opportunities to invest in land and ocean protection initiatives across our spectacular country, including by supporting Indigenous, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments and other partners. The reality on the ground is that local conservation initiatives need federal support to succeed and vice-versa. We look forward to seeing further details about how the federal government will take action to address these complex and interconnected issues in a comprehensive way.”
About CPAWS
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to the protection of our public land, ocean, and freshwater, and ensuring our parks and protected areas are managed to protect nature. Since 1963, we have played a leading role in protecting over half a million square kilometres. Our vision is to protect at least half of Canada’s public land and water in a framework of reconciliation – for the benefit of wildlife and people. 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 Communications Director, CPAWS
twalden@localhost
613-915-4857