Councillor-Elect

On October 24, 2022, Dr. Saxe was elected to become the Toronto City Councillor for beautiful University Rosedale, Ward 11. As a result, she is no longer accepting new clients. Thank you so much for your trust over the years....

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Global 50 award!

Thank you so much to SustainabilityX® for naming me #3 in its inaugural Global 50 Women In Sustainability Awards 2022. Amazing to be in such great company! Congratulations to all the award winners, including Helle Bank Jorgensen and Sheila Watt-Cloutier....

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Green Economy Heroes

As faithful listeners will have noticed, I took a break from the podcast during the most intense parts of the provincial election campaign, but I have now picked it up again. We posted a new episode in June and one...

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Honourary doctorate in Environmental Studies

On June 14, 2022, the Faculty of Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo awarded me an honourary doctorate. Here is the address I gave to convocation: "When I am six years old, I fall in love with nature. Polio...

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International Women’s Day

Hurrah, it is International Women’s Day. Remember the groundbreaking Paris Agreement of 2015? It was women like Christina Figureres, the visionary and collaborative leader of the UNFCCC who made that Agreement possible. Today, I salute all the women leaders who...

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Becoming a corporate director

One of the ways I hope to make a difference is by sitting on appropriate corporate boards. I am therefore honoured and grateful to have been one of the four featured candidates in A Seat at the Table's December 2021/...

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Roadmap to Net Zero

I spent much of 2021 preparing, and consulting on, the Green Party of Ontario Roadmap to Net Zero, the plan that sets the Canadian benchmark for action on climate, environment and equity. This free webinar gives an overview of the...

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Fast green transition will save money too

An excellent new report from Oxford shows that a rapid green #energytransition will likely save many trillions of dollars - even before accounting for climate damages and co-benefits of climate policy, such as #cleanairforall. How? Continue exponentially increasing deployment of...

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Wouldn’t you like to live here?

This is a photo of the Richards Complete Street project in Vancouver. Today, Richards Street has safe bike lanes plus a universal design buffer (avoiding conflicts with seniors and the disabled) which also creates dedicated permeable space for tree roots...

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Climate chaos worsens inequality, but climate policies shouldn’t

Canadians have not engaged very productively with the debate about whether the climate crisis and inequality are competing causes in a zero-sum game. But bold public policy can improve them both at the same time. See my article in Corporate...

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Zero Carbon Law

Any serious #climateaction plan should start with a Zero Carbon Law and a binding Fair Share Carbon Budget. Check out the Green Party of Ontario's groundbreaking Bill 32 in the Ontario Legislature, and the Toronto Star's article about it. Plus, watch for our...

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Climate Change and Sustainable Finance

#climatechange and #sustainablefinance at @masseycollege: join our expert panel Tom Rand, Robin Edger, Alex Chapman and me to explore what Canada's financial community is doing now to build a #greeneconomy, especially #Cleancapitalism and Canadian venture capitalists; Property assessed clean energy programs #PACE, and the Canadian...

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Indigenous voices in climate action

Dear friends, Ambassador Rosemary McCarney and I are continuing our climate action series at Massey College. If you haven't heard it yet, don't miss the discussion of human and planetary health that took place September 23rd. The next scintillating conversation...

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Electric vehicle charging takes off in the Bruce Peninsula

Want to read an inspiring Ontario case study of how a small NGO swiftly transformed electric vehicle charging in a thinly populated rural and tourist area? Warmest congratulations to the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association for making electric vehicle charging widely...

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More evidence that Alberta’s oil industry is not “ethical”

Alberta claims to have an ethical oil industry. An ethical industry would pay its way and clean up its own mess. This is called the Polluter Pay principle and it’s fundamental to Canadian environmental law. Unfortunately, that’s not what’s happening...

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Climate litigation: Exciting victories

"Gradually, then suddenly". After many years of hard work, climate litigation is racking up unprecedented victories around the world. Both companies (Shell) and governments (Belgium, France, Germany, etc.) have been found to be negligent and in breach of human rights...

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Indigenous climate action and moose

I was delighted to listen to the most recent episode of the Indigenous Climate Action pod, called "In the Know - Respect the Moose". This episode focusses on the animals' long-term relationship with indigenous peoples across Canada, and how that...

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Of course land is not interchangeable

So the Ford government will protect some land somewhere in exchange for its dozens of abusive, developer- friendly MZOs? That only makes it ok if land is interchangeable like Lego blocks. Which is nonsense. Of course they should expand protected...

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Can PACE take off?

Municipalities across Canada are grappling with how to honour their climate emergency declarations and net-zero commitments. To reach net-zero by 2050, municipalities would have to ensure deep energy efficiency and /or renewable energy retrofits in an average of ~3% of...

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Blockbuster report from International Energy Agency, Net Zero by 2050

Last week, a blockbuster report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Net Zero by 2050, confirmed that virtually everything Doug Ford has done on energy policy is taking us in the wrong direction. This is a big deal. You know the tide is...

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Carbon pricing talk

I am keeping up a regular schedule of climate talks, all on zoom these days. Two popular climate talks are trying out policy options through the #En-ROADS climate simulator, and an Introduction to Carbon Pricing in Ontario. You can join...

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What have I done during Covid?

Covid has changed most people's lives. Covid cut me off from family and friends, and brought a crashing halt to my packed calendar of climate talks. So what have I done instead? My updates include: 1. Re-opening my environmental law...

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Celebrating Earth Day, 2021

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day, 2021? Maybe join me? I'll be: giving climate talks for Toronto Young Leaders Circle and for Love Muskoka; joining Hazon's Sound the Call; having an invigorating conversation with climate youth champion Sophia...

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ESG and good corporate governance

I'm delighted to announce that I successfully completed a six month intensive course in good corporate governance, focussing on environmental, social and governance aspects of being a corporate director. This was a ground-breaking, professional development program for directors on how...

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Join me for two great webinars on carbon pricing

Following the Supreme Court decision, upholding the federal carbon pricing law, smart prosperity hosted two great conversations. I moderated the first webinar, on the legal significance of the case, and represented the Green party in the second webinar on the...

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Carbon pricing win at Supreme Court- now the real work begins

In our growing climate crisis, March 25 was a pretty good day. The Supreme Court of Canada rejected Conservative premiers’ attacks on Canada’s federal carbon pricing law, despite our complicated constitution. This should be the end of the anti-carbon-price dead...

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Receiving the Law Society Medal

On December 8, 2020, Treasurer Theresa Donnelly, head of the Law Society of Ontario officially awarded me a 2020 Law Society Medal for leadership in environmental law, on behalf of Ontario's 55,000 lawyers and 9000 paralegals. This is what I...

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Why I am running for the Greens in University- Rosedale

Thank you for the overwhelming warm welcome for my decision to run for the Ontario Green Party in the 2022 election. After 45 years of being meticulously non-partisan, I can no longer stand aside and merely shout at the radio...

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Excellent Massey climate conference

What a great finale we had yesterday to Massey is #MissingCOP26. It’s been an exciting two weeks. Massey is Missing COP26 climate conference This fifth and last session of the Massey is Missing COP 26 climate conference, hosted by Rosemary McCarney and...

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Why teachers must teach climate action

A special issue of the Journal of the Philosophy of Education includes an interview with me on why teachers owe their students concrete lessons in climate action. Here's a video intro to the chapter. If you are interested in climate...

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I’m a guest on How Public Works

Listen to my interview with experienced municipal public servant Ilmar Simanovskis, P.Eng, MBA, on how the public sector works. As he describes the episode: Dianne Saxe is an environmental lawyer who has an extensive career in advocating for environment, climate...

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Law Society Medal

The Law Society of Ontario, which regulates Ontario lawyers, has finally announced my Law Society Medal. The prize was originally to have been awarded in May. Thank you to all my colleagues for recognizing my work as an outstanding Canadian...

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Can smaller businesses become carbon neutral?

Yes, many smaller businesses can become carbon neutral, depending on their current carbon footprint and the infrastructure/technology alternatives available to them. Many more will be able to do so as better infrastructure and technology becomes available. (The individuals referred to...

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Cultural institutions and climate crisis

What role can and should cultural institutions play in the climate crisis? There is a valuable new benchmark, the Bremerhaven Declaration on the role of museums in the face of climate change. Here is an easy and useful thing for...

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Don’t miss rare chance: Canada Pension public meetings this week

The #CanadaPensionPlan (CPP) is investing billions of dollars of our hard-earned retirement savings in risky oil, gas and coal companies that are harming people and fueling the climate crisis. This week, we have a rare and important opportunity to ask...

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Great conversations on climate podcast

I hope you have subscribed to my Green Economy Heroes podcast, also called my climate podcast. Every week, I interview a Canadian green economy business leader who is making a living building the green economy. I talk to people of...

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Royal Ontario Museum getting energized about climate

This week, the Globe and Mail ran a fabulous two page spread about the growing engagement by the Royal Ontario Museum with the climate crisis. This new initiative has been triggered by the generosity of Allan Shiff, with whom I...

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Royal Ontario Museum getting ready to hire its first Curator of ClimateChange.

Exciting news: #RoyalOntarioMuseum getting ready to hire its first Curator of #ClimateChange. Warmest congratulations and thanks to the visionary donor, Allan Shiff. #climateaction #fossilfuels #greentransition

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Irish supreme court orders climate action

Good news: Supreme Court of Ireland has ordered the Irish government to comply with Ireland's #climatelaw. That means the government must, with full public consultation, adopt a specific, transparent plan showing what Ireland will actually do over the next three...

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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.

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Coldwater and TMX

What happened July 2, 2020, when the Supreme Court of Canada decided not to hear the Coldwater appeal against federal approval in principle of the TMX #TransMountain pipeline? In essence, the Supreme Court upheld the Federal Court of Appeal's decision, in February...

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Climate risks for financial supervisors

Listen to my interview with Anatol Monid (formerly of Financial Services Commission of Ontario about the significance of climate risks for financial and banking supervisors around the world. https://torontocentrepodcasts.blubrry.net/2020/06/17/ep-38-climate-risks-to-the-financial-system/

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We’re on Patreon

The Green Economy Heroes podcast is free, but making it isn't. The guests and I contribute our time for free, but I do have to pay the recording engineer and hosting fees. Please help us keep the podcast going, by...

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Want a green recovery?

For those who want to influence public policy, it is important to speak up when political decisions are being made. There's one of those moments this week. Until June 9, there is an opportunity to write to the Standing Senate...

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A letter from Alberta, again

I appear regularly on Amanda Lang's TV show on BNN Bloomberg. Inevitably, within a few hours I get an angry email from some man in Alberta. This week's writer was more polite than most in his insistence that only fossil...

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Liability risk rises when investing in oil loses money

Given this week's 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 turn on it for its...

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Berkshire Hathaway- wind power saves money

Berkshire Hathaway's annual report is always a revealing read. At page 9, they report that generating virtually all of the power demand of their customers in Iowa from wind has allowed them to charge electricity rates that are 70% less...

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Open letter from the Climate Caucus to the Prime Minister

Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from the Climate Caucus One of my most engaging gigs is assisting the Climate Caucus of mayors and councillors across Canada. Proud to have contributed to this letter. April 22, 2020 To:       Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Cc:         Members of...

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Oil bailouts: an expensive, polluting way to protect jobs

Bailing out oil companies: an exceptionally expensive and polluting way to preserve jobs. We have much better options. Listen to my interview on CBC's Metro Morning. #CleanReset Here is a clearer version of Professor Eric Miller's excellent chart which I...

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Clean50 calls for #CleanReset

I am glad to have been able to help the outstanding Clean50 (contributors to clean capitalism) deliver a compelling letter to the Prime Minister on Earth Day calling for a #CleanReset of our economy. Read it here. If you can,...

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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...

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Climate animations

If you want to see excellent, short and amusing climate animations, Katharine Hayhoe has made 60 available for free: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6RkdaEqgRVKi3AzidF4ow

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Good sources of ideas for a green recovery

What should be in federal bailouts? Good ideas for the necessary transition “Climate Emergency: A 26-Week Transition Program for Canada,” by Guy Dauncey,  The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has an excellent Alternative Federal Budget 2020: New Decade, New...

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Do not rollback the carbon price

To those arguing for a rollback of the carbon price, this is why I strongly disagree: 1. Steady predictable increases in the carbon price, as scheduled, are essential to its effectiveness and to investors' ability to plan. 2. Those who...

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Podcasts being added each week

We're now adding a new podcast episode each week; details at https://saxefacts.com/green-economy-heroes-podcast/. Here is a taste of what's ahead: [table id=1 /]

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Green Economy Heroes podcast

Looking for some hope in hard times? Don't miss my new podcast on Green Economy Heroes. Since 2015, I’ve talked with hundreds of audiences across Canada about the climate crisis. A few years ago, most audiences were just learning that we have...

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Climate Law Practice Officially ReOpens

The law practice of Dianne Saxe, Ph.D. in Law, is open again. I'm focussing on climate law, because if we get this wrong, not much else will matter.

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Will Carbon Majors have to pay for climate damage? Part 4 of 4

(This is Part 4 of a four part article on climate liability being published in the Lawyer's Daily, based on a lecture I gave for Osgoode Hall Law School and the York Faculty of Environmental Studies.) As shown in Part 1 of this article,...

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Will Carbon Majors have to pay for climate damage? Part 3

(This is Part 3 of a four part article on climate liability being published in the Lawyer's Daily, based on a lecture I gave for Osgoode Hall Law School and the York Faculty of Environmental Studies.) As shown in Part 1...

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Questions on personal carbon footprints

A very attentive reader asked some excellent questions about my very last ECO work product, the factsheet on individual carbon footprints. We are so glad to see it being used. Here are the questions and the answers: "I’ve recently been...

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Law Practice Reopening

Dr. Saxe is now in the process of reopening her environmental law practice, focussed on the climate and biodiversity crisis. It feels good to be back.

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Climate damage and liability, Part 2 of 4

(This is Part 2 of a four part article being published in the Lawyer's Daily, based on a lecture I gave for Osgoode Hall Law School and the York Faculty of Environmental Studies.) As shown in Part 1 of this article,...

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Obstruction and obfuscation by fossil fuel companies?

In December 2019, Commissioner Roberto Cadiz told COP25 that the three-year Philippines Human Rights Commission National Inquiry on Climate Change will soon release its report. He said the Commissioners have made their decision: the 47 biggest Carbon Majors have violated the human rights of  Philippine...

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Urgenda v. Netherlands – the full decision

Here is a Google Translate version of the very important Dutch Supreme Court decision that courts can compel national governments to slash greenhouse gas pollution because of the threat it poses to human life and welfare. Date of decision 20-12-2019 Case...

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Climate damage: will fossil fuel producers have to pay? (Part 1 of 4)

This is Part 1 of a four part article being published in the Lawyer's Daily. Part 2, click here. The climate crisis is already causing large financial losses, and much more is ahead. Most of the fossil fuels that are...

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

This is Part 9 of a series by Toronto Life. “You shoot the watchdog when you’re trying to do something without anyone noticing”  By Dianne Saxe, former environmental commissioner of Ontario After 40 years as an environmental and energy lawyer working all over the...

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Greenwashing: the Ford government climate plan

Here is our op ed from the Toronto Star, published November 29, 2019, the anniversary of this "plan". Again, today, youth-led protests around the world are calling for action on the climate crisis. Today also marks the one-year anniversary of...

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Supporting communities against sprawl

Congratulations and thank you to communities organizing to slow down Ontario‘s rampant urban sprawl, which is being turbocharged by the Ford government. For example, Ottawa citizens recently met to protest expanding the urban boundary, A code phrase for turning more...

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Carbon offsets?

Many people who are trying to reduce their carbon footprints ask me about buying offsets. I do buy offsets to offset flights and the other parts of my travel that use fossil fuels (e.g. long drives where the battery on...

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Climate emergency declarations now cover 290 million citizens

Climate emergency declarations have been adopted in 1,180 jurisdictions and local governments, covering 290 million citizens. Full list and how-to at https://climateemergencydeclaration.org/climate-emergency-declarations-cover-15-million-citizens/

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Some updates

Dear friends, As you may have noticed, I'm giving even more climate talks now than I did as the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, with no staff to help me. The public response is amazing, thank you - see some comments...

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Living Underwater

Don't miss Living Underwater, Jewish essays and art about coping with the #ClimateCrisis, a beautiful, thoughtful on-line zine. Yes, it includes my article about what we can learn about the #ClimateCrisis from the ancient story of Pharaoh and the 10...

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Turning parking spots into bike lanes: Seville did it

Want low carbon public transportation infrastructure that's fast and cheap to build? Learn from Seville. #SafeBikeLanes

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Court tobacco decision may set precedent for cases against fossil fuel companies

Extreme weather events, made more likely by the climate crisis, are costing Canada’s insurance companies heavily. Severe weather cost insurers $1.9 billion in 2018. But that’s not the only reason insurers should worry about global heating. In February 2019, Canada’s Office...

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Urban Sprawl: Ontario’s Oil Sands

Urban sprawl creates congestion, drives our air and climate pollution and destroys wetlands, woodlands and farmland. It worsens our climate crisis, and so one of the best things municipalities can do is to stop urban sprawl. Here are the slides...

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What I told the Toronto climate rally Sept. 27

Many people have asked for notes of my rousing talk at Friday's climate rally in Toronto, in front of Queen's Park. So here they are. Does anyone have a better photo? "I am so proud to see you all here...

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Introduction to Carbon Pricing

Want an introduction to #CarbonPricing? Here are the slides from my introductory talk. 

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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 As an environmental lawyer and the former environmental commissioner of Ontario, I have spent 45 years at Canada’s battlefront...

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Improving climate governance for corporations

Free advice on improving climate governance is now available to corporate directors and Canadian pension plan boards as part of the Canada Climate Law Initiative. #corporategovernance #climatecrisis Details from Joanne Forbes or at http://ccli.ubc.ca.

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Youth Climate Action Summit is a go for Sept. 22

What: Youth Climate Action Summit When: Sunday, September 22, 2019 from 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. Where: Friends Meeting House, 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto (near St. George Station) Who should attend?  Young climate leaders (approximately ages 16-22), whether you're an experienced...

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Why Toronto should sue oil/coal companies for climate damage

Prof. Estair Van Wagner, of Osgoode Hall Law School, wrote an excellent summary, absolutely worth reading. Great to see how she built on some of my work as the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario.  

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Youth climate action summit

Do you have a skill that young climate leaders need? Are you willing to teach it in a free 90 minute workshop? Together with Climate Fast and the Sandbox Project, The Children’s Advocate, Irwin Elman, and I are organizing a...

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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? The science is beyond reasonable doubt. Canada is heating up twice as fast as the global average. Wildfires are increasing,...

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Why is Elections Canada preventing environmental charities from telling the truth about the climate crisis during this fall’s election, where it is a critical issue?

Why is Elections Canada preventing environmental charities from telling the truth about the climate crisis during this fall’s election, where it is a critical issue? Elections Canada’s job is to run elections that are fair and trustworthy, so that the...

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100 Environmental Debates Oct. 7

On October 7th, 2019, 100 all-candidate Debates on the Environment will be taking place in ridings across the country. These debates, which are being hosted by local organizations and leaders across sectors, offer a non-partisan forum to bring voters together in their communities to hear...

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Horrifying human rights report should shame Ontario government

Horrifying UN Human Rights Council report delivered June 28 on the impact of our #ClimateEmergency: “We have reached a point where the best-case outcome is widespread #death and suffering by the end of this century, and the worst-case puts humanity...

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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%?" Dear faithful reader, Thank you so much for asking. Ontario is a big...

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Sarnia declares climate emergency

Sarnia, the home of Ontario's Chemical Valley and a major petrochemical industry hub, declared a climate emergency yesterday, the very day that the Canadian House of Commons did the same. It's a great first step. Now, what about action?

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Ontario paying more for less

Amazing how expensive the Ontario PC climate plan is to achieve so little. Nearly three times the cost for 1/3 the result, per expert analysis by Enviroeconomics.

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McMurtry Fellowship

I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded the McMurtry Visiting Clinical Fellowship 2019/20 by Osgoode Hall Law School, in collaboration with the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University. I will be giving guest lectures, mentoring students...

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Climate emergency presentation now freely available

A full video of my climate emergency presentation is now available, free of charge, with deep thanks to filmmaker Kathy Garneau, and to the host of this presentation, St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto. Please encourage others to...

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Why I support climate emergency declarations

This letter is to express my strong support for the proposed climate emergency declaration by the City of Greater Sudbury. As a result of the largest scientific collaboration in human history, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the climate crisis...

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Who’s declared a climate emergency?

It is exciting to see so many large and small Canadian municipalities joining others around the world to declare climate emergencies. Of the 594 declarations reported, 398 come from Canada. This includes 366 in Quebec including Quebec City and Montreal,...

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Text of the Hamilton Climate Emergency Declaration

Here is the text of Hamilton's Climate Emergency Declaration, unanimously adopted March 27, 2019: City of Hamilton's Climate Emergency Declaration Unanimously adopted March 27, 2019 (a) That the City of Hamilton declare a climate emergency that threatens our city, region,...

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Municipal Climate Emergency Declarations

Hats off to Kingston, Hamilton and West Nipissing for adopting municipal climate emergency declarations. (My deep thanks to everyone who made this possible.) They join Vancouver, Halifax, Edmonston and hundreds of Quebec municipalities. The next step is to turn the...

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Climate changes everything webinar

The Council of Canadians hosted a very successful webinar on April 11 to explore the climate emergency and what Ontarians can do, individually and collectively. We discussed carbon pricing, energy conservation and stopping urban sprawl. The slides are here: 2019-04-11...

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Why is Canada warming faster than global average?

Canada is getting warmer faster than the rest of the world. Why is that? | CBC News asked me for answers.

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Thank you to Hamilton and North Bay!

Thank you to the large, enthusiastic audiences in both Hamilton and North Bay who came out to learn together how to respond to the urgency of climate change this week. And thank you to Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Jim...

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Environmental Commissioner of Ontario reports and presentations are still available, just harder to find.

This post includes all my reports and presentations during my role as the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario.

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