Word on the street: Holding oil and gas accountable

A diverse range of people throughout Canada have written hundreds of letters to media outlets calling for ambitious climate action. We are so moved by their passion, wisdom and perspectives that we are sharing some excerpts to spread the word and the inspiration.

This series of letters is about the need for the oil and gas industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In Canada, the oil and gas sector is the largest source of emissions, so we can’t meet vital climate targets without reducing these emissions. Other sectors, communities and individuals are reducing their emissions, even with limited financial resources to do so.

The oil and gas industry is making record-breaking profits and has all the resources necessary to reduce its emissions. Instead, industry is working to undermine and delay climate action and asking for taxpayers’ money to subsidize emissions reduction with expensive, unproven technologies.

You hear this from us at the David Suzuki Foundation all the time.

So, what’s the word on the street about holding oil and gas accountable for its emissions?

This is what we’re hearing.

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: Right now I am having problems paying bills while oil companies are making record profits.

How much better would things be if my taxpayers’ dollars were not subsidizing the profits of the already rich oil companies and were used to improve the Canadian medical situation and reduce our national debt?

~David, Hamilton, Ontario 

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: Now the oil and gas corporations with their super profits are not only gouging us at the pump, but have pumped up their misinformation campaigns in as many ways they can slip their oily presence into.

They are encouraging us to deny climate change based upon fake science that goes against the international scientists’ consensus that climate change is human-caused, is accelerating and is devastating to us all.

~Ingrid, Regina, Saskatchewan 

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: As a psychiatrist, I see how the climate crisis is already having a profound impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of Canadians.

As a mother, I can’t help but wonder at what my child’s future will look like living in a world that is likely to pass 1.5 C of warming in this decade. This threshold is widely recognized as the “tipping point” for climate chaos.

~Sarah, Toronto, Ontario

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: Canada is positioned to have a meaningful impact by capping emissions from the oil and gas sector.

Oil companies have shown that they will not reduce their emissions on their own. No matter what they say, they are not doing their part and continue to rake in record profits at our expense and the planet’s expense. Renewable energy is our way forward, time for the federal government to put a strong cap on oil and gas emissions.

~Andrea, Vancouver, British Columbia 

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: I'm an Inuk student from Nunavik living in Montreal and I'm terrified of what my future holds.

I have a lot of firsthand experiences with how the global climate is changing my home and how it’s forced my culture to adapt to its erratic behaviour.

I urge the leaders of this country to take our global crisis seriously, to listen to the experts that will save not only my world, but theirs too.

~Elia, Montreal, Quebec 

Reading a newspaper with image of wind turbines

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An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: Oil companies have had years to transform their operations and reduce their emissions but haven’t, and their emissions continue to increase.

This clearly shows the fossil fuel industries have no intention to work with the people of the globe to turn back the doomsday clock.

It is time for a cap on emissions, no more subsidies and investments in renewable energies before it’s too late.

~Elizabeth, St. Anthony, Newfoundland 

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: The oil and gas industry lobbies for millions of dollars of subsidies creating a situation where taxpayers are funding the demise of the planet.

The situation with the oil and gas industry is ludicrous. Representatives of this industry refuse to take action to reduce carbon emissions. A just transition away from oil and gas to sustainable energy sources is essential.

~Doug, Nelson, British Columbia 

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: Shifting to clean, renewable electricity will bring well-paid, skilled jobs and more stability and security in a global market that is transitioning away from fossil fuels.

There are other valuable ways of generating energy and Alberta could be introducing them but only seems to support the fossil fuel energy. Renewable energy prices are more stable and predictable.

The oil and gas sector has been a valuable resource but now we need to look at how to meet critical climate targets and reduce emissions.

~Heidi, Calgary, Alberta 

An illustration for our Word on the Street, holding oil and gas accountable series with the quote: Instead of getting subsidized, big oil should bear the burden of responsibility and be required to foot the bill for cleaning up the environmental damage they wilfully helped create.

I remember the 1970’s when the oil industry adamantly denied that burning fossil fuel posed a major threat to our environment. While their own internal research confirmed and predicted our world would warm as a result of consuming their products, the oil industry deliberately obfuscated the public discussion relating to the potential harm of burning fossil fuels.

Shame on the oil industry for putting its greedy self interest before the public good!

~F., Ottawa, Ontario 

Smoke stacks and tanker photo representing climate pollution

Hold Big Oil accountable for its climate pollution

The oil and gas industry is Canada’s largest and fastest-growing source of emissions. We must regulate it if we’re to stand a chance of meeting critical climate targets.

SIGN THE PETITION TO CAP OIL AND GAS EMISSIONS