A rally for action on climate change is scheduled in Sarnia Sept. 16.
The 2 pm Citizens for Climate Action event, organized by Climate Action Sarnia-Lambton, is one of several rallies in the world planned for Sept. 15 and 16 to draw attention to a larger march to end fossil fuels protest in New York Sept. 17 , said CASL’s Peter Smith.
The New York protest is being held as world leaders meet for the United Nation’s climate ambition summit, he said.
“The consumption of oil being burned is really the thing that’s driving the emissions more than anything,” he said.
“We really do need to see some action there.”
Group members and Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu will be speakers at the Sarnia event, at the Centennial Park flag court, and attendees are asked to bring signs, posters and banners, Smith said.
“We offered (Gladu) the opportunity; she’s taken us up on it and (we’re) glad to see that,” Smith said.
“So, we’ll see what she has to say.”
People also will be asked to sign and mail post cards to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford “in order to make sure that the message actually gets through to our politicians,” Smith said.
“We’re looking to see some real action here,” he said. “We’ve been watching this over the years and little really has been done of any great value.”
CASL members, in a news release, called on all levels of Canadian government to address the climate crisis “by supporting the transition to clean, renewable energy and the creation of a sustainable clean energy economy.”
Smith noted the planned creation of wind farms on Canada’s east coast to create green hydrogen for export is a good example.
“It’s an opportunity for Canada to become an exporter of energy, just in the same way we are today, but to be exporting renewable energy, rather than oil and gas,” he said.
It’s unclear how many other rallies like Sarnia’s will be held, he said, but “it seems to be pretty widespread.”