Introducing Clean Up Canada Fundraising Campaign

We are excited to bring you our first ever Clean Up Canada fundraising campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the need for corporate climate accountability. Why are we running such a campaign? With the rapidly changing climate and the extreme rise in CO2 emissions, action needs to be taken urgently if there is any hope of achieving the minimum climate targets set by the Paris Agreement.

Thanks to the efforts of CAN-RAC and organizations, such as Ecojustice, they have pushed the government to pass Bill C-12, Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, in November 2021, which holds the Canadian government accountable for meeting their Paris Climate Accord targets. The fight is not over, however. It’s time for corporate Canada to do its part in helping fight this crisis.

With the partnership of Ecojustice and 1% for the Planet, we are holding a fundraiser campaign to support Ecojustice’s current work in creating corporate climate accountability legislation.

The Need for Corporate Climate Accountability Legislation

Canadian corporations contribute significantly to climate change, from their use of fossil fuels for production and logistics, to the production and emission of greenhouse gasses besides CO2, and of course the extraction and distribution of fossil fuels directly. It’s time corporations were held accountable – we need legislation that requires corporations to report GHG emissions, net-zero target plans, and track results.

In an unbridled world of capitalism, there are some checks and balances through regulation. However, there is no overarching legislation in Canada that requires corporations to report on their climate impact. This means that we, as consumers, do not have any way to measure a corporation’s climate impact or hold corporations accountable. Governments and regulators also do not have the tools required to regulate corporations’ greenhouse gas emissions.

The Next Step

In the same way that Ecojustice was a significant driving force behind Bill C-12, they are taking a leadership role in developing a similar framework for corporate Canada by pioneering the Corporate Climate Accountability legislation. Where Bill C-12 holds the government accountable for their climate action, this new Corporate Climate Accountability Act will hold Canadian corporations accountable and provide mechanisms to penalize bad actors.

Corporate Climate Accountability legislation can also regulate direct investment in the fossil fuel industry to restrict the fossil fuel industry’s access to capital disincentivizing expansion. The main institutional investors in the fossil fuel industry include pension funds, banks, and insurance companies. The annual Banking on Climate Chaos report showed the five major Canadian banks ranking in the top 20 of the largest fossil fuel financiers (RBC at 5; Scotiabank at 9; TD at 11; BMO at 15; and CIBC at 20). Legislation regulating corporate climate accountability can be an effective way to curtail the expansion and extraction of the fossil fuel industry. Restricting investment in and lending to the fossil fuels industry allows investment in green energy to become a more attractive alternative.

Join the Movement

Join us in exploring Ecojustice’s work in corporate climate accountability with the Clean Up Canada campaign. Also, discover the amazing work 1% for the Planet is doing, such as facilitating support for organizations like Ecojustice. By attending our upcoming webinar, becoming a member of 1% for the Planet, or donating to Ecojustice directly or through our Ecojustice matching donation campaign, you can help push this legislation forward on a grassroots level. Our goal is to raise $25,000 during the month of April for this worthy cause and to expand awareness of this climate accountability initiative with these two amazing collaborative organizations. We look forward to having you join the #CleanUpCanada movement!