{"id":47048,"date":"2021-03-31T11:37:27","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T15:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=47048"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:09:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:09:26","slug":"citizen-groups-and-environmental-organizations-launch-ambitious-campaign-to-put-the-environment-at-the-forefront-of-the-municipal-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/47048\/citizen-groups-and-environmental-organizations-launch-ambitious-campaign-to-put-the-environment-at-the-forefront-of-the-municipal-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"CITIZEN GROUPS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS LAUNCH AMBITIOUS CAMPAIGN TO PUT THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Montreal, March 31, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>This morning, a broad coalition of mobilized community groups and environmental organizations from throughout Quebec held a virtual press conference to launch an ambitious awareness and mobilization campaign, Vire au Vert – to encourage all those who are concerned about the climate crisis to become actively involved in the upcoming 2021 municipal elections.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cGiven the scope of the environmental and climate crisis, more and more people are getting involved, sensing the urgency to act. Local governments are important agents of change and municipal politics play an important role. The public must get involved to demand the necessary political courage to ensure that this crisis is dealt with responsibly. A list of 68 leading proposals has been put together, grouped under 10 key themes<\/a> to encourage candidates and political parties to tackle the environmental crisis head on and to help voters make informed choices on November 7th,\u201d says Zo\u00e9 Dumais, spokesperson for La Plan\u00e8te s’invite au Parlement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

EDUCATION, CITIZEN ASSEMBLIES AND DEBATES<\/h4>\n\n

The movement encourages many types of participation, from candidate and voter awareness and education initiatives to citizen assemblies, and even debates focused exclusively on the environment this fall.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cIn Quebec\u2019s last municipal elections, 53.6% of city councillors and mayors were elected without any opposition. Only 31.3% of them were women and only 26% were under the age of 40. We need a greater diversity of voices and an improved gender and age balance. We need renewal and inclusion at this time when the climate emergency is so critical – every election will have pivotal repercussions on the future we are leaving to our children. Youth involvement and voting could tip the balance in favour of the environment,\u201d notes Rosalie Thibault, of the Coalition \u00e9tudiante pour un virage environnemental et social (CEVES).<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cWomen often hesitate to get involved in politics, but when they do take the plunge it\u2019s out of a desire to improve their community\u2019s quality of life and environment. Municipal politics offers a wide range of tangible actions that elected representatives can take, provided they are well versed in key concepts, to discuss and deal with environmental issues that are of concern to their constituents,\u201d notes Elyse Arcand, President of the R\u00e9seau des femmes en environnement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

A WIDE VARIETY OF TOOLS<\/h4>\n\n

This citizen movement \u2013 which demonstrates the consensus about the climate emergency and the need to mobilize a far-reaching, inclusive environmental transition throughout our societies and democratic institutions at many levels \u2013 has created a series of tools for candidates and voters alike, available online at vireauvert.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

The D\u00e9claration d\u2019urgence climatique<\/em> (DUC) [Climate emergency declaration] has already garnered the support of 500 Quebec municipalities \u2013 irrefutable proof of a growing willingness to act at the municipal level to address climate change.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhat could be a better rallying point than our municipalities for implementing local solutions? We have less than 10 years to avoid runaway climate change. If we are to be successful, we must achieve rapid transitions in land use, energy, construction, transportation and urban planning. The good news? Many solutions can be achieved at the municipal level, and 82% of Quebecers want more action to protect nature and the climate,\u201d remarks Diego Creimer of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-Quebec).<\/p>\n\n

Vire au vert member organizations:<\/strong> Acc\u00e8s transports viables, Coalition \u00e9tudiante pour un virage environnemental et social (CEVES), \u00c9quiterre, ENvironnement JEUnesse (ENJEU), Eau Secours, Fondation Rivi\u00e8res, Fondation David Suzuki, Front commun pour la transition \u00e9nerg\u00e9tique, Greenpeace, La Plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite au Parlement, M\u00e8res au front, Nature Qu\u00e9bec, Pi\u00e9tons Qu\u00e9bec, R\u00e9alit\u00e9 Climatique Canada, R\u00e9seau des femmes en environnement, Regroupement qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois des groupes \u00e9cologistes (RQG\u00c9), Regroupement national des conseils r\u00e9gionaux de l\u2019environnement (RNCREQ), Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 pour la nature et les parcs (SNAP Qu\u00e9bec), Trajectoire Qu\u00e9bec, V\u00e9lo Qu\u00e9bec, Vivre en Ville.<\/p>\n\n

VAGUE \u00c9COLOGISTE AU MUNICIPAL<\/em>: ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENTAL CANDIDATES<\/h4>\n\n

\u201cLaunched the same day as Vire au vert, the Vague \u00e9cologiste au municipal network<\/a> seeks to encourage environmentalists to run in the municipal elections or to volunteer. Although it is a stand-alone operation, the network will work alongside Vire au vert. For all those who feel a burning need to do something truly significant to stop global warming, here is our message: let\u2019s turn out in droves during the municipal elections this fall. Municipal politics can have a huge impact on GHG emissions through policies in the sectors of transportation, land use, construction and waste management. The Vague \u00e9cologiste will be there to support those who step up to lead the transition,\u201d explains Marie-\u00c8ve B\u00e9langer-Southey of the Vague \u00e9cologiste au municipal.<\/p>\n\n

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– 30 –<\/p>\n\n

Contact :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Anthony C\u00f4t\u00e9 Leduc,<\/em> \u00c9quiterre,
acoteleduc@equiterre.org<\/a>, 514 605-2000<\/p>\n\n

Zo\u00e9 Dumais, <\/em>La Plan\u00e8te s\u2019invite au Parlement,
438-527-9272<\/p>\n\n

Rosalie Thibault<\/em>, Coalition \u00e9tudiante pour un virage environnemental et social (CEVES), 514-430-8664<\/p>\n\n

Marie-Eve B\u00e9langer-Southey<\/em>, La Vague \u00e9cologiste au municipal,
mebsouthey@gmail.com<\/a>, 438-884-7514<\/p>\n\n

Amandine Gournay<\/em>, R\u00e9seau des femmes en environnement,
agournay@rqfe.org<\/a>, 819 861-9198<\/p>\n\n

Charl\u00e8ne Daubenfeld,<\/em> Directrice des communications, SNAP Qu\u00e9bec, communications@snapquebec.org<\/a>, 514 378-3880<\/p>\n\n

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