I’m truly scared. But there is hope.

Let’s just admit it’s a tough time for those of us worried about climate change and wanting action.

Ten months in a row of global temperature records. Ocean heat is off the charts. Canada is tinder dry heading into summer, while coral reefs are bleaching en masse around the globe. Action is more urgent than ever, but policies to cut fossil fuel pollution are under fierce attack while misinformation seems to be everywhere. And right in the middle of this decisive decade, climate change has dropped down the public’s priority list.

That’s why your support for Canada’s National Observer’s journalism is so crucial to drive the climate conversation forward.

I don’t want to sound like a salesperson. Truth be told, when I focus on climate impacts and project forward, I’m truly scared. If I focus on all the petty politics or wavering public opinion, I often just feel despair. Every place and every person we love is at risk and it can feel that we’re just drowning in ridiculous culture wars, industry propaganda and economic inertia.

But the stakes are so big and our ability to predict change is so small that bleak times call for fortitude. It’s a time for you and me and all those who truly grasp our predicament to hold strong. We must fight back against lies and misinformation by supporting solid reporting grounded in facts about fossil fuels and climate pollution endangering us all. Your support helps ensure Canadians hear the wrenching stories of those impacted and the inspiring ones about people making change.

Most Canadians do understand that climate change is a serious crisis. But it’s still a vague, unfocused concern. And most of us feel alone in our fear about the future. It’s a debilitating kind of climate silence when it feels as though no one else sees the breakdown happening around us. You can help to break that silence with your support for Canada’s National Observer.

You’re probably a kind of sentinel if you’re reading this far. You’ve grasped the scale of the emergency earlier than most. You’re more attuned to the unravelling of nature and the violence of an angry climate. You’re probably taking action in your own life and pressing politicians and corporations to act at the scale we need. Please join me and let’s amplify our efforts.

Each week, I write a column and newsletter about the race to cut climate pollution — we delve into what’s working and what’s holding us back. Our reporters show how climate change is impacting us right now, and how dangerous it will be for our kids. Thanks to your support, we investigate what’s driving progress here in Canada and the actions that are getting results, both here and around the world.

But we need your help to continue our team’s work. Please join our spring fundraiser by June 3 and help us unlock our $10,000 matching pool. Income tax receipts via our fiscal partner, I-SEA, are available for donations of $500 or more (see the bottom of the email for more details).

Your donation is an investment in journalism that lights a hopeful path forward through the climate crisis.

If you’re feeling despair these days, you’re not alone. And I hope the community of readers, the reporting and the stories from Canada’s National Observer will help you find strength. If you’re feeling hopeful about progress and all the people beavering away around the world, I hope you’ll join us in amplifying those stories.

Donate to Canada’s National Observer, and subscribe for critical climate coverage. Until June 3, become a subscriber for only $49.99 (that's 64% off) during our spring subscription drive and read all of our climate coverage