Articles

Read some of Dianne Saxe's most thought-provoking climate law articles and letters:

Climate law articles about why I work for climate action:

My Climate Story. This fall's grandchild will be 29 when 2050 arrives, preparing to set up, provide for and protect a family of his own. That will be harder for him than it was for me. Unless we change course, his world will be hotter, weirder, less beautiful, less stable and less safe.

Ford Fallout: “I’m dreading the day my grandchildren look at me and ask, ‘Why did you let this happen to us?’” Published in Toronto Life by Dianne Saxe

Living Underwater is a beautiful, thoughtful on-line zine of Jewish essays and art about coping with Environmental Change. Yes, it includes my article about what we can learn about the Climate Crisis from the ancient story of Pharaoh and the 10 plagues, by Dianne Saxe.

Climate Law articles about climate litigation:

The end of a dead end: Conservative attacks on carbon pricing fail at Canada's Supreme Court. But now what? The end of one kind of predatory delay is a relief, but the real work is still ahead.

Does suing governments for climate inaction work? The Irish Supreme Court has ruled that courts have an essential and proper role when governments make climate commitments but only pretend to keep them. That is good news for climate litigators around the world, including the courageous youth plaintiffs in Canada.

Could Carbon Majors be made to pay for climate damage? Given the recent crash in the price of oil, I am re-posting my article about how faltering financial returns can help cost the oil industry its social license, and how governments and courts may then force it to pay for its pollution, by Dianne Saxe.

Court Tobacco Decision May Set Precedent for Cases Against Fossil Fuel Companies by Dianne Saxe.

Climate law articles about municipalities:

Why I support climate emergency declarations. This letter expressed my strong support for the proposed climate emergency declaration by the City of Greater Sudbury. Soon afterwards, the City did adopt the declaration. By Dianne Saxe.

Climate law articles about climate action:

Canada’s murky bailout deal for oil and gas will cost us all. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with low oil prices, have created extraordinarily hard times in oil-producing provinces such as Alberta, and unemployment not seen since the Great Depression. Quite properly, the federal government has promised to help. But it is shameful that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is using your tax dollars to bail out the oil and gas exploration and production industry, perhaps the wealthiest and most polluting industry in human history. For details, see Op Ed in the National Observer by Dianne Saxe.

10 principles for the transition to a green economy. Given the climate emergency, can Canadians overcome the political obstacles to dramatically reducing our dependence on fossil fuels? By Dianne Saxe

Corporate boards: climate disclosure and climate liability. Canadian companies aren’t doing much about the climate crisis. Are they ignoring the science? The regulators? Or the risk of liability? By Dianne Saxe

No, Ontario hasn’t already done enough. A reader writes: "Is everyone as confused as I am? Is it true that Ontario is doing better than the 'rest of Canada' since 2005? Emissions down 22%?" By Dianne Saxe