Change is in the municipal government’s hands
Dr. Alexandra Mallett, an associate professor at Carleton University with a focus on sustainable energy and climate policy, emphasized the power municipal governments hold in combating climate change.
“The first thing that needs to happen is [a] common vision, and that’s what you can do with your city councillors,” Mallett said.
“They can start advocating on your behalf with respect to the province and the federal level so that you can actually work together and leverage funds from different levels of government.”
Mallett has been involved in climate negotiations but said that she has seen the most change made through municipal actions.
“We can all do our individual part, but at the end of the day in order to make corporations change, governments change et cetera, we need to see action happening,” Mallett said. “And where I have seen it a lot is at the municipal level.”