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In a time when the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, experts across the globe are urging Canada to take decisive action. According to a professor of oceanic sciences at McGill University, Frédéric Fabry, insurance companies could play a significant role in addressing this pressing issue.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reported spending less on climate-related damage 20 years ago, as mentioned by Fabry. However, the situation has drastically changed. In 2024, the losses linked to extreme meteorological phenomena in Canada amounted to 8.5 billion dollars, which is 12 times the annual average between 2001 and 2010.

Caroline Brouillette, the general director of Climate Action Canada Network, believes that Canada should take inspiration from China and India's rapid deployment of renewable energy technologies. The speed at which these countries are adopting green technologies is impressive, according to Brouillette.

Hugo Séguin, an invited professor at the University of Montreal's Department of Sociology and chief advisor at the COPTICOM agency, maintains that it's never too late to reduce the impacts of climate change. He emphasizes that every tenth of a degree in temperature increase matters significantly. Two degrees of warming is worse than 1.5 degrees, but better than 2.5 or 3 degrees.

The new green technologies available today are competitive and cheaper than those based on fossil fuels, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. In fact, 90% of renewable energy projects on the planet are now cheaper than those based on fossil fuels, the agency reported.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres commented that the era of clean energy is upon us. Brouillette also stated that if Canada does nothing, it risks being stuck in a petro-economy reminiscent of another era. She warns that this could have severe consequences, as countries with strong political commitment and technological advancement, like Germany (a global pioneer in renewable energy) and China (rapidly expanding renewable capacity), are leading the way.

Séguin reiterates that the pressure to tackle climate change will remain. He stresses that despite Donald Trump's decisions and the trade war pushing climate ambitions to the back burner for many countries, climate change is not a fad.

The people most capable of positively influencing the climate situation are political leaders who make decisive climate policies, innovators and developers of renewable energy technologies, and activists who combine social justice with climate action to gain broader support. It's clear that the time for action is now, and Canada has a crucial role to play in the global fight against climate change.