Australia and Canada can learn from each other on climate if we separate action from declaration | Rosa Galvez
News Source
β’Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:00:08 GMT
π° What Happened
Canadian senator Rosa Galvez has written about what Australia and Canada can learn from each other on climate. She wrote ahead of the Climate Integrity Summit in Sydney. She says both countries are rich in resources and are big fossil fuel exporters. Both are also seeing worse bushfires, floods and drought.
She says the real problem is not technology but governance. Both countries talk about cutting emissions from fossil fuels without cutting their use. Growing renewables while still expanding fossil fuels is not a transition, she says.
π The Backstory
Australia is reviewing its Safeguard Mechanism, the main rule for industrial emissions. A key question is whether big polluters can buy carbon offsets instead of cutting emissions on site. Canada has had similar debates. Galvez says offsets should play only a small role.
She says forests are not permanent carbon stores, as Canada's wildfires have shown. She wants more honest accounting of real emissions. She also says Indigenous safeguards in Australia offer lessons for Canada.
π― Why It Matters
Climate promises affect energy prices, jobs and the air we breathe. This piece asks leaders to be honest about real progress, not just paper targets.
Canadian senator Rosa Galvez has written about what Australia and Canada can learn from each other on climate. She wrote ahead of the Climate Integrity Summit in Sydney. She says both countries are rich in resources and are big fossil fuel exporters. Both are also seeing worse bushfires, floods and drought.
She says the real problem is not technology but governance. Both countries talk about cutting emissions from fossil fuels without cutting their use. Growing renewables while still expanding fossil fuels is not a transition, she says.
Australia is reviewing its Safeguard Mechanism, the main rule for industrial emissions. A key question is whether big polluters can buy carbon offsets instead of cutting emissions on site. Canada has had similar debates. Galvez says offsets should play only a small role.
She says forests are not permanent carbon stores, as Canada's wildfires have shown. She wants more honest accounting of real emissions. She also says Indigenous safeguards in Australia offer lessons for Canada.
Climate promises affect energy prices, jobs and the air we breathe. This piece asks leaders to be honest about real progress, not just paper targets.