2024 was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. Wildfires, floods, and heatwaves destroyed lives and livelihoods from coast to coast as the planet’s average temperature reached over 1.5°C above pre-industrial level for the first time ever.
Despite driving this climate chaos, the fossil fuel industry continues to reap record profits and expand oil production. [2] Later is too late–communities are burning, and it is time to make fossil fuel polluters pay for the climate disasters they’re fuelling.
By exploiting coal, oil and gas, fossil fuel companies are inflaming extreme weather, making climate disasters more frequent and more severe. [3] [4]
Year after year, people are forced to evacuate with some losing their homes, due to the increase and severity of destructive wildfires. Toxic wildfire smoke pollutes regions and communities living thousands of kilometers away, creating public health dangers with disproportionate impacts on populations with preexisting health conditions, outdoor workers, people experiencing homelessness, and marginalized communities. [5] [6]
Climate-related impacts are already costing Canadian households an average of $720 per year–and this could soar up to $2,000 per year by 2050. [7] Since fossil fuel companies are shamelessly reaping billions in profits year after year [8], they should be footing the bill for these damages.
Join us in calling on Canadian governments to hold polluters accountable by making them pay into a new Climate Recovery Fund that would go directly to communities and local governments facing the brunt of the climate crisis and in need of financial support to repair, rebuild, and adapt to future climate change impacts.
We can’t afford any more ‘wake-up calls’, the climate crisis is here and now. Tell Canadian governments to create a Climate Recovery Fund for fossil fuel companies to pay into.
Sources:
[1] WMO confirms 2024 as warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level, World Meteorological Organization, 10 January 2025
[2] Canada’s oil and gas emissions continue to rise, National Observer, 3 May 2024
[3] Extreme heat in North America, Europe and China in July 2023 made much more likely by climate change, World Weather Attribution, 25 July 2023
[4] Climate crisis made spate of Canada wildfires twice as likely, scientists find, The Guardian, 22 August 2023
[5] Why Wildfire Smoke is a Health Concern, US EPA
[6] Which Populations Experience Greater Risks of Adverse Health Effects Resulting from Wildfire Smoke Exposure?, US EPA
[7] Severe Weather in 2023 Caused Over $3.1 Billion in Insured Damage, Insurance Bureau of Canada, 8 January 2024
[8] Historic profits in oilpatch on track to continue as global oil demand set to jump yet again, CBC, 17 February 2023
Sign This Petition
supporter has signed supporters have signed
needed to reach