OTTAWA – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called world leaders to New York today for a special UN session on the climate emergency. He has told them not to come to the podium without “concrete and transformative plans to stop global warming.”

Due to Canada’s election, protocol determines that Justin Trudeau not participate.

"On June 17, in the climate emergency debate, I put forward a proposal for a 'campaign strike for the climate'," said Green Party leader Elizabeth May. "It would be unprecedented, but this crisis demands that we move beyond the status quo. I proposed that all of us, as party leaders, travel together to New York and pledge to double Canada's target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to show that we are prepared to do our fair share to meet the Paris commitment. Sadly, no other leader responded to my suggestion.

“Meanwhile Canadian youth are on the streets. From September 20-27 the rolling climate strike of schools and businesses will continue. When this election is over, my first order of business will be to ensure that Canada shoulders our planetary responsibilities and doubles our emissions target to the one required by science."

UN Secretary-General Secretary-General António Guterres stated: “The climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win. Science tells us that on our current path, we face at least three degrees Celsius of global heating by the end of the century.”

A Green government will pass into law a Climate Change Act requiring a 60 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, reaching net zero in 2050.

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For more information or to arrange an interview contact:

Rosie Emery

Press Secretary

613-562-4916x206

rosie.emery@greenparty.ca