The world’s dumbest trade war makes going green a matter of survival

There’s a common sense solution to the world’s dumbest trade war.

Our intertwined reliance on volatile fossil fuels and a fickle U.S. is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Even as we buy some time, the Trump trade war marches on. The failure by successive governments to plan for a diversified, decarbonized economy has left millions of jobs hanging in the balance. 

We need to bet big on an independent economic path for Canada, based on a clean environment and protecting and creating thousands of well-paid union jobs. Alliances between workers and environmental movements can push us to seize that opportunity.

A pro-worker, public-led green industrial strategy is the best way to protect jobs without backsliding on emissions. Imagine tax dollars supporting cleaner, more efficient goods and helping trade-exposed manufacturers along the U.S. border in communities like Windsor, Ont. 

Or —  cuttinpicture the jobs created to put up thousands of wind turbines and hundreds of solar farms, linked up by revamped East-West interprovincial transmission lineg power bills and bridging the gap between provinces. That means more jobs, less warming and less reliance on the boom and bust oil and gas sector that handcuffs us to the U.S.

It would provide certainty and public direction — key tools for crises like the Trump trade war disaster scenario.

This is a moment for unity. And fittingly, climate priorities line up with the needs of workers. Reliance on fossil fuel exports fails to diversify trade from the U.S. and further investment  risks stranding assets for a commodity where prices are forecasted to fall. Meanwhile, dedicated public investment in green public goods like renewables can be experienced as a boom, diversifying trade and cutting emissions. 

That translates into long-term gains. In its 2024 World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency reports that yearly investment in clean energy projects is approaching $2 trillion USD — nearly twice the amount spent on new fossil fuel supply. Canada will fall behind if it shrinks from its climate goals and fails to understand the opportunities for Canadians in a net-zero, energy-independent economy.

This sort of coordinated climate and worker action is essential, but voters often rank it low on their list of concerns — despite the recurring dangerous weather caused by global warming that devastates our communities and threatens long-term affordability.

The end of the month sometimes creeps up faster than the end of the world. 

The cost of living, housing, jobs and trade threats often push climate to the end of the list. No wonder so many policymakers are backsliding on their commitments. A thoughtful green industrial strategy responds to a wider set of social needs than emissions reductions alone, forging political support. Other public services like pharmacare make Canada a good place to live and do business. Building and protecting them is a must as they come under attack in a trade crisis.

There are plenty of ideas about where to start.

Blue Green Canada, a coalition of labour unions and environmental organizations, has pointed out that “Buy Clean” public procurement policies are good for industrial workers and businesses under threat. When governments purchase goods and services, they should choose clean options. That helps build demand for Canadian manufacturers — which are more efficient and have lower emissions in sectors like steel than their international counterparts — as they adopt cleaner technologies and processes. It’s also what many labour leaders have pushed for in the wake of the Trump tariffs.

By introducing an ambitious Buy Clean policy that spans all levels of government, Canada could avoid up to four million tonnes of emissions by 2030. That has the added advantage of supporting many of Canada’s already leading low-carbon industries and trade-exposed jobs.

Likewise, if implemented, the Green Economy Network’s Common Platform will cut emissions and make life more affordable by lowering bills with generational investments in renewable energy and home retrofits, and make it easier to move with a 21st century inter- and intra-city transit system.

What’s spent now will reduce long-term instability and affordability crises without passing the buck on to workers or weakening Canada’s climate goals. The Trump tariffs taught Canadians the problem with ignoring the big picture. Let’s not repeat it with our climate.

The time is right, and the public is rallied around charting an independent course — a bold green industrial strategy. It’s not just a good business anymore; it’s a matter of survival. 

Nick Pearce is the National Convenor of the Green Economy Network, a coalition of labour unions and civil society organizations.