This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.

The End Of Fossil Fuels Is Near - Let's Speed Its Coming

As the dust settles on COP21 we know that while historic steps have been taken, the demands of justice are still unfulfilled. Together we are challenging the fossil fuel system, we are ushering in the era of solutions, and we are moving the political yardsticks of what it possible. While our political leaders walk, our movements run.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

The road to justice is a long one.

I wish it weren't so but as the dust settles on COP21 we know that while historic steps have been taken, the demands of justice are still unfulfilled.

On the one hand, we now have a truly global agreement to fight climate change. Paris lay to rest the ghosts of Copenhagen and it is good news that the world has come together to say: climate change must be tackled. Parts of this agreement are also progress: a safer goal of 1.5 degrees, integral to keep many vulnerable countries above water has been adopted. We congratulate the most climate vulnerable countries for the leadership they have shown and continued to show here in Paris.

Governments have also now signaled that the shift away from fossil fuels is inevitable. After Paris, we know that it is only a question of time until the age of fossil fuels finally comes to its much needed end.

The question that remains however is a question of survival. The Paris agreement fails to put us on the path to achieve the very target it proclaims. We knew even before the negotiations started that the emission targets currently on the table will not keep us below 1.5 or even 2 degrees of warming but instead will plunge us into a 3-degree world where we won't be able to stop the growing climate crisis.

1.5 degrees means survival for those most vulnerable yet we will use up the entire carbon budget we have for 1.5 degrees by 2030 unless governments -- especially the powerful, big emitters -- do much more over the next 15 years. This deal fails to force governments to bring their actions in line with their rhetoric. By saying we'll sort it out later, they risk closing the door on our best and perhaps only chance to address the crisis before us.

But despite these failings we have moved forward. Paris, as we knew it would be, is not enough.

This is why our efforts have never been confined to these conference halls. We came to COP21 with a renewed hope -- not because of the commitments we hoped our leaders would make but, a hope, built on the people powered movements that are keeping fossil fuel companies on the run and changing the world every day.

Together we are challenging the fossil fuel system, we are ushering in the era of solutions, and we are moving the political yardsticks of what it possible.

While our political leaders walk, our movements run. We must keep running.

The real power has always been with people. Its with you and millions like you that are changing the dynamics to make real change possible and as our governments fail to live up to the calls of our times, we need you more than ever. It's only together that we can win this fight.

In 2016 we -- the entire climate movement -- will escalate the fight. Together we will show the world that if our governments won't act to stop these carbon bullies, then we will.

This May we will carve out some more of the battle lines. I hope you will be there to stand with us.

We have history to write and a planet to save after all.

M

ALSO ON HUFFPOST:

Trump

Close
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.