500 communities around the world held Fridays for Future Global Climate Strikes. In Kingston, environmental group 350 Kingston, along with Queen's University students hosted a rally at City Park. Speakers from The Kingston Youth Climate Council, Just Recovery Kingston, and professors from the school of Environmental Studies at Queen's University spoke at the rally. The rally was also the launch of 350 Kingston's 50 by 2030 campaign calling on Kingston City council to reduce emissions by at least 50% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
"I would like them to make our Climate Leadership plan stronger...it's vague, the targets are not in line with the science...We've only committed to reducing 30% by 2030 which is not enough to prevent tipping points and keep warming points below 1.5 degrees. I want the candidates to bring a stronger climate plan and always vote with the environment in mind," says undergraduate Queen's student Stephanie Sherman.
When asked about the Global Climate Strike, Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson commented,
"We all understand the challenges in front of us, it's not just about talk, it's about action. I think as a city we have demonstrated action, real work that's actually making a real difference. The more of that we can do, the better," says Paterson.
350 Kingston member Gavin Hutchison says he hopes people see they have to do something.
"Half of the city of Kingston's emissions come out of the tail pipes of people's cars and exhaust pipes of people's furnaces...They have 15 years to do it, they have to get half of it done in eight, but they do have to go home and create a plan...You can't be a climate activist for the last 10 years and wonder why is it taking so long for everyone to realize we're in a big deep hole...We've left it to the very last minute," says Hutchison.
MPP Ted Hsu responded in a statement, ""As the Energy critic for the Ontario Liberal Party, I am committed to pushing for policies that can achieve the critical goal of reducing Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, on the way to net-zero emissions for Canada by 2050. The current government of Ontario is not on track to achieve that and so I will be working... to pressure the provincial government to change its course. In addition, in the coming weeks I will be introducing a Private Member’s Bill regarding the ability of municipalities to limit the net greenhouse gas contributions from new residential natural gas connections," writes Hsu.
Members from the Kingston Youth Climate Council were also present at the rally encouraging youth to vote at the upcoming municipal election on October 24th. Youth Climate Council member Abigail O'Connor says action starts at the local level.
"Local policies and urban planning can have a big impact...If we can vote with the climate in mind that's a great step...People are already being affected by it, we need to start taking more action."
O'Connor says as an environmental science student the future is a very anxious, depressing topic sometimes.
Listen to the full CFRC interviews with Gavin Hutchison and Abigail O'Connor below: