I'll be digging into this more as I go from a Canadian perspective - this question is, at least in part, the intended culmination of my work over the next year.

Successful regulation needs community buy in or it never really becomes part of the fabric of the society. Some municipalities have hit the sweet spot, and have the tools needed to do so. While others (like my own) have hit huge barriers as powers are either specifically removed, or never given.

I loved the points at the end about the climate translator role, and how it's necessary in the legal role. It validates how I feel about my own work. I've shared the link with a number of my colleagues and clients - this was such a great read. Thank you!

I didn't start as the municipality's Environmental lawyer (even though I wanted to). But you can bet I brought a climate and equity lens to each of the other portfolios I handled until I got to move into this role. And now I also work on training my colleagues to bring it to their roles too.

I've been thinking of what a hypothetical climate-change propaganda campaign would even look like, and I haven't managed to come up with anything that would be as successful as the right-leaning campaigns we're dealing with. So what would be "good propaganda"?

Because propaganda uses feelings to be successful? Most of the propaganda we're seeing uses a concrete fear and identifies an easy enemy. Climate change has neither of those things. The early effects were harder to pin down even if someone wants to talk about them, and the 'enemy' is well resourced.

However, I was extremely heartened with the exceptional conversations I had yesterday with some key decision makers about systems thinking, collaboration across the organization, and reassignment of budget to make smarter and more creative climate decisions, so it is possible.

As the smallest level of government, we are closest to your neighbourhoods, communities, daily services, emergency services, and infrastructure. Adaptation and resilience is exactly where we fit. I'm heartened every time I see municipalities assess these risks and produce concrete action plans 4/4

Action on mitigation at the municipal level should not stop until we've done everything we can within the limits we have. However, I see a huge need for municipalities to focus more resources on climate adaptation and resilience action, weaving this lens into the way they work. 3/4

Tools involving regulation through bylaw, higher building code requirements, 'punitive taxation' and other powerful enforcement options are out of the question, either due to statutory limits, or practical ones. We've looked into each of them and identified the barriers in our way 2/4

Also, spare me the views on how net zero is impossible from the same people who insisted Brexit would be easy.

The internationally recognized testing and verification requirements are quite valuable for municipalities to consider taking on voluntarily, for consistency and further public transparency. But the Competition Act is the wrong place to regulate municipal climate action and communications. 4/4

You would think that municipalities, as public bodies who already have requirements for public disclosure, would be exempt from an Act dealing with consumers and businesses - but it's actually not clear. We're currently waiting for some clarity from the Bureau. 3/4

If these changes are applicable to municipalities, they may stifle or delay municipal climate action for fear of legal risk. They could provide an opening for malicious claims and tie municipalities up in litigation whenever they attempt a new climate program. 2/4