Montana Burgess spoke to Nelson and District Canadian Federation of University Women members about her experiences attending the recent Paris Climate Summit recently.
The Canadian Federation of University Women has joined the grassroots movement for climate change and is advocating that the federal and provincial governments implement national, comprehensive, and predictable carbon taxes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with revenues going toward renewable resources and carbon reduction solutions for local populations. Over 100 clubs across Canada will be advocating for this plan.
It was timely for the club’s members to hear from Burgess who is the operations manager for Climate Action Network International and was named one of the Nelson Star’s most interesting people of 2015. She pointed out that when a carbon tax was in instituted in BC in 2008, carbon emissions decreased. The current government froze the carbon tax until 2018. Prior to the Paris Summit, Premier Christy Clark commissioned a climate leadership team to come up with a plan for BC to reduce carbon emissions.
It recommended reinstating the carbon tax increase in 2018 when the freeze is lifted. CFUW members listened to a compelling and passionate presentation from Burgess and it was evident why she was chosen as an interesting person.
“It was exciting to see Canada playing a constructive role at the summit,” she said.
Nelson and District Canadian Federation of University Women members encourage individuals, clubs, and organizations to join in the letter-writing campaign particularly to the BC government to unfreeze the BC carbon tax and to work with all provinces