Green Leadership

Some appear to be waiting for environmental stewardship from national governments. Although it is desirable to have Green legislation from above, much of the interest in Green originates from below. Green has worked its way up political and economic hierarchies. Green began as a grassroots movement and has blossomed into a powerful social and economic phenomenon.

The cap-and-trade deal signed by two Canadian provinces illustrates this point. Scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2010, the historic deal between Quebec and Ontario goes well beyond any current or proposed federal initiatives. Quebec's premiere Jean Charest said "The federal government will find itself increasingly isolated if it fails to sign on to the worldwide trend toward market-based trading systems to cut greenhouse gas emissions."