Nature Canada

Nature Canada Brings Together Over 90 groups Calling for Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Focused on Nature

Joint letter tells Environment Minister we cannot protect Canadians from climate change, and build a resilient country, unless we halt and reverse the destruction of nature.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unceded Algonquin Territory – Ottawa, ON – July 13, 2022 

Nature, climate, faith, and Indigenous groups from across Canada are urging Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault to put the protection of nature at the centre of the federal government’s forthcoming climate adaptation strategy. 

Public consultations on the strategy close this week and the final plan is expected in the fall.

The open letter from nature groups released today urges the federal government to ensure that its climate change adaptation strategy aligns with Canada’s commitment to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. 

“We are speaking with one voice to ensure the government’s plan addresses the threat that climate change poses to all species and ecosystems, upon which our survival depends,” says Graham Saul, Nature Canada’s Executive Director. “This strategy will help define Canada’s climate response and if nature protection and restoration aren’t up front we’ll be repeating the same mistakes that are leading the world towards ecological collapse.” 

The letter also outlines short-term actions to protect human communities and natural ecosystems, including increased funding for indigenous-led conservation, investment in natural infrastructure and nature-based solutions, and better protection of ecosystems threatened by climate change.

The release of Canada’s new National Adaptation Strategy later this fall constitutes a key opportunity to further the necessary transformation in our relationship with nature, bringing our economy back into balance with the planet’s natural systems.

The letter points out that healthy forests, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal areas are not only critical habitats for wildlife. These ecosystems are also crucial to protecting human communities from heat waves, droughts, wildfire and intense rainfalls associated with climate change. And, by capturing and storing millions of tonnes of carbon, the preservation of these ecosystems help stop global warming from happening in the first place.

Read the letter

The letter was signed by over 90 nature, climate, faith, and Indigenous groups from across the country including:

Adventure Canada

Against Port Expansion

Alberta Wilderness Association

Alliance for Intergenerational Resilience 

Anarres Natural Health

Bert Miller Nature Club

BFC Regina  

Biodiversity and Climate Action Collective Niagara

Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington

Burke Mountain Naturalists

BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

Canadian Environmental Law Association

Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society (National)

Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society (CPAWS Yukon)

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of BC

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Northern Alberta

Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation

Climate Action Sarnia Lambton

Climate Caucus 

Climate Network Lanark

Conservancy Hornby Island

David Suzuki Foundation 

Echo Ecological Enterprises LTD

Ecology Action Centre

Endangered Ecosystems Alliance

EnviroMuslims 

ENvironnement JEUnesse

FLAP Canada

For Peat’s Sake – Protecting Northern Saskatchewan Muskegs

Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society

Georgia Strait Alliance

Green 13

Green Communities Canada

Green Teams of Canada

Green Ummah

GreenUP

High Park Nature

Hike Nova Scotia

Hope for Wildlife Society

Imaginons la Péninsule acadienne autrement

Kawartha Wildlife Centre

Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia LTABC

LEAF (Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests)

Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc.

London Environmental Network

Mayne Island Conservancy Society

Mind Your Plastic

Nature NB

Nature Newfoundland and Labrador

Nature Nova Scotia

Nature Québec

Nature Regina

Nature Saskatchewan

Nature Vancouver 

Neighbours United

New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance

North American Megadam Resistance Alliance

Ocean Park Beautification Committee

Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance

One School One Farm Shelterbelt Project

Ontario Biodiversity Council

Ontario Nature

Ontario Rivers Alliance

Ontariogreen Conservation Association

Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre

Owen Sound Field Naturalists

Pelee Island Bird Observatory

Public Pastures Public Interest (PPPI)

Réseau de milieux naturels protégés

Saugeen Nature

Sea Smart

Seedlings Forest Education

SEIZE

Sky Harvest Inc.

SNAP Québec

Society for the Protection of Sargeant Bay

Society of Ecological Restoration – Ontario

South Peel Naturalists’ Club

Sustainable Orillia

Target Climate

The Couchiching Conservancy

The Starfish Canada

Toronto Wildlife Centre

Trees Please Winnipeg Coalition

Trumpeter Swan Coalition

Vancouver Avian Research Centre

Vermilion River Stewardship

Water Watchers

Waterloo Region Nature

Wildsight Creston Valley Branch

WWF-Canada

Yukon Conservation Society

Nature Canada is Canada’s voice for nature. For 80 years, Nature Canada has helped protect over 110 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species. Today, Nature Canada represents a network of over 130,000 members and supporters and more than 1,000 nature organizations.


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For more information contact: 

Scott Mullenix 

media@naturecanada.ca

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