Clean Energy Charter of Rights and Freedoms
When in the course of human events, a country’s energy choices compromise the health, security and prosperity of its people, and causes global climate disruption, a new path must be taken. The future generations of Canadians have the right to a clean energy future, we have the right to a clean environment and we have the freedom to determine our path to this future. We demand that the Canadian Government make a strong commitment to energy efficiency as well as clean, renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar and phase out dirty energy technologies such as fossil fuels and nuclear incineration. As the majority of industrialized nations make the shift to a clean energy economy, Canada is falling behind and it is our generation that will pay the price.
Whereas our addiction to dirty energy has caused:
-economic stagnation from rising oil and transportation costs, energy shortages and black-outs;
-global warming, which already kills over 160,000 people every year due to more frequent and intense storms, severe droughts and floods, heat waves and through the spread of infectious diseases;
-An unsustainable reliance on dirty energy projects; such as the Proposed Mackenzie Gas Project and its potential fueling of the Athabasca Tar Sands in Northern Alberta, a project that can be expected to produce 70 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2010- the largest single addition to Canada’s emissions at 12 per cent of Canada’s Kyoto target.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, demand that Canada:
-Declare Freedom from Oil! Our dependence on oil endangers not only earth’s climate, but out economy and our health. The proposed Mackenzie Delta northwest would open large parts of Canadian Artic to exploration, as energy companies try to replace dwindling reserves and feed growing natural gas markets in Canada and the United States. Canadians must further challenge the auto industry to significantly improve the fuel efficiency of the cars and trucks we drive and lead the way to zero emissions vehicles.
Democratize Energy Solutions! Communities across the country need to be empowered with self-determination. Whether it be a low-income community in a dense urban environment fighting the illnesses caused by the local coal plant or a First Nations Community in the North West Territories determining the future of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline on their lands, communities deserve a determining voice in energy policy and project decision-making. We must ensure that NO communities or future generations are disproportionately ill-affected by our energy choices and we much declare a policy of clean energy solutions for all!
Invest in clean energy! Instead of spending 250 million a year subsidizing unsustainable energy projects like the Athabasca Tar Sands, our nation must invest in energy efficiency and a new generation of clean energy sources such as wind and solar, which will create millions of new jobs and improve our economy. The federal government should set a national goal to have 20 percent of our electricity come from clean, renewable sources by 2020.
Stop Global Warming! The Canadian Government needs to fulfill its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. We cannot sit by and expect the targets to be met in isolation. Long-term strategies need to be developed, and implemented to ensure that targets are met and exceeded! Incentives need to be in place for wide spread energy reductions; requirements on efficiency standards and concrete demands for industry must correspond with individual reduction scenarios. ‘In 2001, Canada consumed 13 quadrillion Btu of energy and emitted 156 million metric tons of carbon. The industrial sector was the primary emitter of carbon dioxide and within the sector, six energy intensive industries accounted for 80% of these emissions. Per capita energy consumption ranks forth among OECD countries, and per capita carbon emissions rank third. Failure is not an option when it comes to climate change our future is at stake.
This October we, the youth of Canada, hereby call on the Canadian Government to stop dirty energy projects nation-wide; we appeal to the National Government to intervene in the Proposed Pipeline project and accord the First Nations communities with the ability to determine their future in the project; we call on all representatives of government to invest in clean and renewable energy. We call on Natural Resources Minister Mr. Efford, to back protection of resources, not the sale of them; and we call on all ministries of government to release their plans for getting us off dirty energy, In defense of our and future generations we declare our right to a clean energy future!
energyaction.net & Lindsay Telfor