{"id":63552,"date":"2024-02-20T11:02:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T16:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=63552"},"modified":"2024-02-28T12:47:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T17:47:37","slug":"why-giant-inflatable-owl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/63552\/why-giant-inflatable-owl\/","title":{"rendered":"Why did Greenpeace put a giant inflatable owl outside Justin Trudeau\u2019s residence?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On behalf of over 60,000 people who have asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a new federal nature law, and on behalf of the 2000+ wild species in Canada which are facing a high risk of being wiped out, this giant inflatable owl delivered an important message to Trudeau\u2019s doorstep on the crisp morning of January 31<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n

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\u00a9 Toma Iczkovits \/ Greenpeace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

As we set up our unconventional display, curious onlookers gather, snapping photos and raising eyebrows at the sight of our oversized avian friend. You might be wondering, what’s the deal with the owl? The short of it is that we inflated a giant owl on the Rideau Hall grounds near Justin Trudeau\u2019s residence to demand movement on a promised nature protection law<\/a>. The long of it is that this owl represents a lot more than you may realize. Allow us to introduce you to the spotted owl\u2014a once-proud symbol of Canada’s rich biodiversity, now teetering on the brink of extinction.<\/p>\n\n

The Wild Spotted Owl as a Symbol of an Extinction Crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

In the 1990s, there were an estimated forty breeding pairs in BC<\/a>. Today, in the vast temperate rainforest, a single spotted owl remains\u2014a stark symbol of imminent extinction. Logging and industrial development has fractured the landscape and gutted their habitat<\/a>, pushing the spotted owl to the brink of extinction. But the spotted owl is not an isolated case. In Canada, more than 2,000 wild species face a high risk of being wiped out<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe owl is a symbol of the government\u2019s inaction and the urgent need for legislation to protect Canadian wildlife,\u201d explained Dina, Greenpeace Canada\u2019s Communications Officer. \u201cWe wanted to remind the Prime Minister that time is running out for nature in a way he couldn\u2019t ignore\u2014and that\u2019s how we came up with the idea of an inflatable owl!\u201d<\/p>\n\n

The plight of species like the spotted owl highlights the urgent need for comprehensive federal policies. The lack of effective federal policies and laws to protect and restore nature<\/a> has enabled industries like the logging industry to devastate wildlife for decades. As a result, the federal government failed to achieve<\/a> any<\/strong> of the previous decade\u2019s targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (Nature COP). <\/p>\n\n

With nature so clearly in crisis, we should not be prioritizing profit over nature and people. And the case of the spotted owl is the perfect reminder of this. This is why we helped this owl deliver her message. The issue is not that we<\/em> at Greenpeace Canada are tired of waiting, it\u2019s that nature can\u2019t<\/em> wait. Not only are over 2,000 wild species at risk in Canada, but over 1,000,000 species are at risk globally<\/a>. Due to industrial activity, deforestation, unsustainable logging\u00a0 and the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides by big agribusiness, nature and wildlife are facing immense pressure from all sides.<\/p>\n\n

A new nature law would help protect at-risk species and also require the government to practice accountability and transparency, respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and restore access to nature for all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Countdown to Nature COP<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

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Timing really is everything, as this action marks the countdown to the next UN biodiversity negotiations in October 2024. \u201cWe need the government to actually pass the new nature law it\u2019s promised before the next round of UN negotiations in the fall,\u201d explained Dina.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a9 Toma Iczkovits \/ Greenpeace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Over a year ago, during the 2022 UN Convention on Biological Diversity summit in Montreal (Nature COP), Trudeau\u2019s government actually signed a global biodiversity agreement<\/a> called the Kunming-Montr\u00e9al framework, which sets binding international targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Steven Guilbeault, the minister of Environment, then committed to passing nature protection legislation<\/a> to make it a reality here in Canada. The federal government recently reaffirmed<\/em> that commitment<\/a> at the end of 2023. These announcements, driven by the mobilization of our supporters and thousands of regular people, show the power of collective efforts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

But words upon words and \u201cformal announcements\u201d amount to blah blah blah<\/em> as the clock keeps ticking. It\u2019s now time for Trudeau to walk the walk. We need a nature protection law that:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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  1. Ensures government accountability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Prioritizes Indigenous knowledge<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Prioritizes access to nature<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Ensures the fulfillment of biodiversity targets (especially given previous failures)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    This year\u2019s Nature COP, in October, is the time for countries to share their efforts and show just how much, or little, they have done to meet global biodiversity goals. Canada, with its rich biodiversity, should be prepared to showcase its progress at this year\u2019s Nature COP. Instead of announcement after announcement, let’s urge Trudeau to take real steps and pass the law, so that we have something to show for on the global stage. Trudeau needs to keep his government’s promise and pass a strong Biodiversity Act before this year\u2019s Convention on Biological Diversity negotiations in October.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n