For Quebec as for the rest of the world, the climate crisis represents one of the greatest challenges of the 21ste century. The consequences of climate change, as well as the solutions to be implemented, affect almost all sectors of human activity. Thus, all elected members of the National Assembly will be called upon to make decisions related to the climate crisis. This is why we think it is essential that they are well informed on this subject.
The signatories of this letter, Quebec experts in climate, mitigation and adaptation, propose to add climate training to the training offered to elected officials following the elections of October 3. They also offer to prepare and give this training. This non-partisan initiative is simply intended to foster better, science-based decision-making. The people called upon to give this training will be credible scientists, experts in their field, who have already had the opportunity to give such training and who are recognized for their quality as communicators.
The proposed training would first deal with the causes and consequences of climate change, with particular emphasis on Quebec. The second part of the training would address the mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change available to Quebec society. Aware that elected officials come from very diverse backgrounds, very significant efforts will be made to develop training that can be accessible to all.
We firmly believe that such training on the climate would help our elected officials make informed decisions related to the climate crisis, for the benefit of all Quebecers. We greatly hope that they will respond positively to this outstretched hand, which will allow them to prove the commitment to this issue that they defended during the election campaign.
Dominique Arseneault, professor at UQAR, department of biology, chemistry and geography
Olivier Asselin, specialist in climate simulations and analyzes at Ouranos
Marc-André Bourgault, professor at Université Laval, department of geography
Pascal Bourgault, climate science specialist at Ouranos
Carolina Dufour, professor at McGill, department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, oceanographer
Philippe Dunsky, President, Dunsky Energy + Climate
Denis Gilbert, retired researcher from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, former member of the Canadian delegation to the IPCC
David Huard, specialist in climate scenarios and services at Ouranos
Alejandro Di Luca, professor at UQAM, department of Earth and atmospheric sciences, climatologist and contributor to the IPCC
Philippe Lucas-Picher, professor at UQAM, department of Earth and atmospheric sciences, expert in climate modeling
Alain Mailhot, professor at the National Institute for Scientific Research, Water, Land and Environment Center
Damon Matthews, professor at Concordia University, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, climate specialist
Normand Mousseau, Professor in the Department of Physics at the Université de Montréal and Scientific Director of the Trottier Energy Institute at Polytechnique Montréal
Dominique Paquin, specialist in climate simulations and analyzes at Ouranos
Francesco Pausata, professor at UQAM, department of Earth and atmospheric sciences, expert in past climate dynamics
Julie Mireille Thériault, professor at UQAM, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Research Chair in Extreme Winter Weather Events
Évelyne Thiffault, Associate Professor in the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences at Université Laval
Bruno Tremblay, professor at McGill, department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Arctic specialist
Anne de Vernal, professor at UQAM, department of Earth and atmospheric sciences, paleoclimate expert