Earth Day in six resolutions

What resolutions should governments and citizens adopt on this Earth Day? Professors dedicated to the environmental cause speak out.

Philippe Robitaille-Grou
The Press

1. Act collectively

In the opinion of Philippe Gachon, professor of hydroclimatology at UQAM, it is urgent to act in order to improve the condition of the planet, both for current generations and for generations to come. “Let us therefore all take this double resolution together: “We, inhabitants of the Earth, commit ourselves to: 1) mobilizing our collective intelligence to preserve it, reduce our ecological footprint and restore its natural ecosystems; 2) act in the face of the climate emergency in order to safeguard all the living species that populate it today and will populate it tomorrow.” In short, let us seize the opportunity to respect and preserve life on Earth, regardless of its origin! »

2. Break free from car addiction

“I would like governments and citizens to abandon the idea that owning or using a car means power and freedom and instead understand that each car on the road is killing the planet little by little,” says Catherine Potvin, full professor and researcher in the department of biology at McGill University. “I call for a drastic and immediate transport revolution in the countryside, in the suburbs and in the city,” she says.

Catherine Morency agrees. The professor in the department of civil, geological and mining engineering at Polytechnique Montréal asks the government to “stop funding the private automobile system and suggest that we cannot develop a Quebec network [de solutions de rechange] to the solo car that is effective”.

The professor also encourages the population to take responsibility for the harmful effects of each car trip. More reasoned mobility choices would thus involve multimodal transport combining walking, cycling, public transport and carpooling.

3. Consider biodiversity as a whole

“For the next year, I hope that our governments understand that the protection of biodiversity goes beyond the simple protection of a species,” says Martin-Hugues St-Laurent, professor of animal ecology at the University of Quebec at Rimouski. ” [La biodiversité] refers to the delicate balance of processes that regulate our climate, purify our air and water, and provide human populations with ecological services whose value often far exceeds that of short-term economic benefits. »

4. Think long term

Expanding their horizons beyond a short electoral mandate is what the government and the population should do, according to Marco Festa-Blanchet, director of the biology department at the Université de Sherbrooke. “It is with this four-year vision that politicians decide to destroy the habitat of species at risk rather than formulate long-term plans to preserve jobs and protect habitats,” he said. . And that they decide to make third links rather than to develop plans to avoid urban sprawl, or to allow overfishing rather than to develop long-term plans allowing sustainable exploitation. »

5. Turn your back on fossil fuels

“In order to limit the rise in the climate to less than 1.5°C, it is imperative to put an end to the exploration and exploitation of fossil fuels on a global scale, indicates Jérôme Dupras, professor in the Department of Sciences from the University of Quebec in Outaouais. 10 days ago, Quebec adopted a law that puts an end forever to the research and production of hydrocarbons on its territory, a decision consistent with science and which we can rejoice. My wish for the next year would be for the Government of Canada to follow suit and move in the same direction. »

6. Become leaders

The energy transition can only be achieved with leadership and investment, according to Damon Matthews. The professor in the geography department of Concordia University wants in particular an increase in subsidies to build infrastructure and zero-carbon transport systems.

Damon Matthews argues that activism is the most effective way for a citizen to accelerate the implementation of such policies. “As individuals, we have a responsibility to ensure that governments understand that they have our support to implement the bold and radical policies needed in the face of this climate crisis,” he concludes.