I raise my hands to Planet Earth

If we have learned anything in the first quarter of 2020 it’s that life is fragile.

We had been operating with a sense of invincibility and confidence that the systems that have evolved out of political and economic decisions would continue in perpetuity.

In just a few short weeks we have seen what a global disruption of normal looks like and the impact is catastrophic.

Life for billions of people has been disrupted. The industries they rely on to support them to pay the bills are on hold or they have completely vanished overnight. It is scary, people are hurting and there are still many more questions than answers.

When localized catastrophes hit we do a good job of supporting each other through the difficult time. Individuals, communities, corporations and institutions step up to help those who have been impacted. Rarely have we been tested globally like we have with the COVID-19 pandemic. Under extreme duress we have seen incredible examples of compassion and love as people step up to help each other out. However, we have seen first hand the incredible difficulty when the disruption of business-as-usual happens at a global level.

As we today celebrate our celestial home, the 50th Earth Day celebration, there is a new context. A reflection of our vulnerability and recognition that just as the human constructed systems are fragile and chaos ensues when they break down, the naturally evolved systems are also fragile and their resilience relies on a rapidly diminishing biodiversity.

Transformative change is at the heart of the work that I, and my B.C. Green Caucus colleague Sonia Furstenau, have undertaken since our election in 2017. Clean BC, British Columbia’s climate action plan, is the result of that work and it is inspired by the recognition that globally we need to embrace a different relationship with the planet we live on.

As the initial phase of the public health emergency subsides individuals, political, business and institutional leaders will be making decisions on how to best recover from the economic crisis.

Let’s make these decisions with Planet Earth at the centre. We must let the weeks and months behind us inform the weeks and months ahead.

Even though the whole world has been put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic we still face the reality of climate change and a massive environmental crisis.

So as we take a moment this Earth Day let’s reflect on how we can influence decisions to improve biodiversity, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, reduce consumption, and increase sustainability and resilience.

Health – both our own and that of the ecosystems around us – is a gift. Let’s cherish it together. Happy Earth Day!

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay