Islanders with an eye on future generations push P.E.I. candidates for climate change action

Regardless of which party forms P.E.I.'s next provincial government after April 3, climate change watchers and land-use reform advocates say policy makers need to act now to protect the Island's forests, waterways and shorelines.

Prince Edward Island's topography, geology and position in the Gulf of St. Lawrence make it especially vulnerable to a changing climate that includes rising tides, warming sea levels, and more frequent and extreme weather events like ice storms, hurricanes and heat waves.

Climate change threatens the Island's unique ecosystem, as well as its primary industries — tourism, agriculture and fisheries.

Hannah Gehrels is an ecologist and co-ordinator of P.E.I.'s Wild Child program, which educates kids about nature. And that work increasingly involves talking to children about climate change.

"Anyone who has kids in their life was grappling with this in the fall when [post-tropical storm] Fiona came and we saw such destruction in our forests and natural environments here on the Island," Gehrels said. 

"When I think about climate change, I do think about the future generations and what responsibility we have.… Children need to trust the adults in their lives to think about these issues." 

Gehrels said it's an issue everyone needs to get on board with — especially policy makers.

"We really need to think about and live in hope … hope that is built off of actions and not just words," they said. 

"As the grown-ups in this situation, that is our role, that is our responsibility and that is what we need to do. That is what we're asking our leaders and lawmakers to do as well."

They'd like to see legislation on the Island to protect species at risk, and the implementation of an environmental bill of rights. 

While all four major political parties address climate change, land use and environmental protection in their platforms, the issue hasn't generated the same volume of promises as issues like health care and the rising cost of living on P.E.I. 

Here are some of the party promises.

The Green Party platform promises to bring in Island-wide land-use planning with a strong focus on making communities more sustainable by reducing emissions, protecting shorelines and forests, and moving development away from areas prone to erosion or flooding. The platform also commits to making land purchases more transparent and ensuring the Lands Protection Act is properly enforced. As well, it promises a moratorium on shoreline development until new shoreline protection legislation is in place.

The NDP is pledging to triple P.E.I.'s energy efficiency targets and implement a fiscally neutral carbon tax. The NDP says it will establish a Green Jobs Task Force and launch an energy retrofit program, targeting three per cent of the Island's buildings each year with a goal of cutting emissions and creating new jobs. The plan will also include a step code for buildings to reach net zero by 2032.