By: Anika Hazra, National Conservation Communications Coordinator
On August 29th, CPAWS published a climate report titled “Finding Common Ground: Six Steps for Tackling Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss in Canada”. This report focuses on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced through habitat degradation, resulting in what is called ecosystem GHG emissions. These emissions are different from those produced by the burning of fossil fuels, a GHG source that receives considerably more attention. In this report, a roadmap is provided for Federal policymakers to address ecosystem GHG emissions in ways that also prevent further loss of Canada’s biodiversity.
Habitat destruction remains the largest threat to biodiversity, while climate change will continue to move further up the list as the atmosphere gets hotter and species’ ranges shift in response to this. Habitat destruction is also a major source of GHG emissions, as carbon that is absorbed and stored in plants is released back into the atmosphere when these plants are removed. A clear-cut example of this – pun intended – is deforestation.
The author of the climate report and CPAWS’ National Forest Program Director, Florence Daviet, offered insight during a press conference on steps needed to integrate solutions for climate change and biodiversity loss in policy. In the following clip, she describes how the impact of ecosystem degradation runs several layers deep.
Daviet offers up nature-based solutions in the report as the key to combatting climate change and biodiversity loss simultaneously. These types of solutions involve protecting ecosystems from industrial activities, allowing those ecosystems to perform natural functions that sustain wildlife and retain carbon absorbed from the atmosphere. Protecting key ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands and peatlands, is instrumental in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The climate report outlines six steps to address climate change and biodiversity loss through combined measures. These steps include identifying individual emitters responsible for the greatest ecosystem GHG emissions, restricting their emissions and imposing a tax on these individuals. As Daviet points out, there are challenges to identifying emitters on an individual basis, but these challenges need to be overcome to hold those contributing the most to ecosystem GHG emissions accountable.
An important recommendation is for the Federal Government to create a $1 billion fund for projects that use nature-based solutions to curb both climate change and biodiversity loss. According to Daviet, the fund would be used to develop more efficient and sustainable practices for industries who are willing to implement them. Ultimately, projects that benefit from this fund should lead to the establishment of better regulations.
The release of the climate report came on the heels of news coverage of the fires ravaging the Amazon rainforest. During the press conference, Daviet reminded us of the different impacts of natural fires and human-set fires (the fires destroying the Amazon have been deliberately set by humans). She emphasizes the need to create solutions for preventing human-caused emissions, even in places like in Canada, where natural fires contribute significantly to ecosystem GHG emissions.
Canada needs to continue efforts to curb climate change and stymie the extinction of species. Climate change has devastating effects, not only on ecosystems and their wildlife species, but on human populations around the globe. Climate change is not discerning in where it leaves its mark – everyone is impacted. The Canadian Government has the power to change the trajectory of the country’s GHG emissions. The answer is to let nature do its job – protecting our ecosystems from unsustainable activities protects us from the harmful impacts of climate change.
Read our climate report press release here and find a direct link to the report here.