Canada’s climate future is on the line.

A constitutional challenge filed by the Province of Saskatchewan — and supported by Ontario and New Brunswick — threatens to derail national action on climate change.

But the Ecojustice team is on the case. Today my colleagues Amir, Danielle, and Josh are in court defend the federal government’s ability to respond to climate change and ensure that provinces can’t opt out of a national effort to fight it.

Climate change caused by human activity poses a clear and present threat to all Canadians. The deadly heat wave that engulfed eastern provinces and the raging wildfires that burned in B.C. last summer made this very clear. Failing to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions puts our health, security, and well-being at risk.

Science tells us we must limit warming to 1.5°C, as required under the Paris Agreement, or risk climate disaster. For Canada, this means cutting emissions in half by 2030 and getting to zero emissions by 2050.

Right now, we’re going to miss our 2020 targets by 20 per cent, and are set to miss the all-important Paris target for 2030 unless we make real changes that go beyond what’s currently happening or even planned. Every year that goes by with insufficient action makes it that much harder to get back on a path that will protect the health, security and well-being of all Canadians.

Canada needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emission — and quickly, at that.

To get there, we have to work together. Federal and provincial governments must each do their part to reduce emissions and safeguard our climate. Legal maneuvering by the provinces cannot be allowed to slow down or stop action on climate.