Climate Justice
Addressing the Climate Crisis while making our communities healthier, safer and more affordable
A Global Crisis
GVAT works to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas pollution while enhancing social justice in Greater Victoria and beyond. We recognize that the climate and biodiversity crisis can best be tackled by advancing climate action that creates a more equal world and healthier communities, and respects Indigenous rights.
Tackling Specific Issues
Forestry – Our work for a green new deal for forestry workers and communities focuses on protecting the remaining old growth and transitioning to restorative forestry on southern Vancouver Island.
Transportation & Built Environment – We work to transform the transportation system and built environment (buildings and public space) to reduce the greenhouse gas pollution that threatens our whole society and make a healthier, more inclusive and more affordable region.
Food & Agriculture – We work to shape food and agriculture systems that are climate friendly (low GHG emissions, carbon storage), climate change resilient, and just (food security, Indigenous access to traditional foods, equitable treatment of farm workers).
Making Change, Building Power
GVAT is shifting the conversation about climate justice in Greater Victoria, and making progress towards a just and sustainable Capital Region. We organize and campaign with GVAT member groups, and other groups that share our values.
Our present focuses include:
Free transit for youth up to age 18
Wheelchairs & Mobility Scooters on Bike & Roll Routes
Reallocating Funding from highway expansion to Public Transit, Walking, Rolling & Cycling
Climate Lens for Food and Agriculture
Green New Deal for Forestry Communities
End old growth logging now
In the posts below, you can read more about our work and impact. Please get involved and help us build power for even more positive change!
Make a Difference
Recent Posts about Climate Justice
By shifting from raw log exportation to value-added industries we could employ up to 32 times as many people per cubic metre of timber, allowing reduced harvest, expanded economic benefit and greater employment.
Scientists and climate experts tell us we have all the scientific information we need to know we face catastrophe if business as usual continues and we also know we have technology to make the transition. What is missing is sufficient engagement from the population at large. GVAT has started hosting conversations so we can reflect together on what we can do, and are doing, to save our common home.
On March 28, Climate ART Co-Lead Jane Welton facilitated a wide-ranging Zoom conversation with members of the Social & Eco Justice Committee at Holy Cross Catholic Parish. Jane began by defining the difference between “climate change” and “climate Justice,” giving examples of how economically advantageous countries like Canada could work to achieve the latter.
In October 2021 the BC government adopted a new target to reduce “distances travelled in light-duty vehicles by 25% by 2030, compared to 2020.” GVAT has requested that the City of Victoria thank the provincial government for this bold target, and commit to meeting or beating the CleanBC 25% by 2030 target.
The first transportation project the provincial government announced since the Capital Regional District passed its new transportation strategy is bus lanes and new transit stops on a future Rapid Bus route. This is good news. The CRD’s new strategy calls for improving public transit and active transportation rather than increasing highway capacity for cars.
Councillors voted unanimously in response to letters from Greater Victoria Acting Together, a coalition working on climate action, affordable housing and mental health, and the Action Committee of People with Disabilities. Capital Bike also supports the change.
Eric Doherty, a registered professional planner and a co-lead of a group called Greater Victoria Acting Together Climate Justice Action Research Team, is an advocate of the project. "To me, it's a no brainer as far as climate action to make it so more people — a broader section of the public — can use the cycling facilities that we are already building," Doherty said to host Robyn Burns on CBC's All Points West.
Op-ed by GVAT Climate Justice Team co-leads - CRD must push province to fund rapid bus instead of expanding highways
As faith leaders, we have a reverence for nature and an obligation to respond to the climate emergency. We are highly concerned about new research issued by the Wilderness Committee showing that the BC government allowed a 43 per cent increase in the cutting of old-growth trees over the past year.