SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Planetary Health Roundtable

Honourable senators, I rise today to draw your attention to planetary health — the inseparable relationship between ecosystems, economies and people.

Humanity has once again seen breathtaking images of Earth from Artemis II. From that vantage point, there are no borders, no divisions — only a small, fragile, luminous sphere suspended in the darkness.

That is our home. And it is finite.

Our health, our economy and our future depend entirely on the stability of this cosmic living system.

Professor Johan Rockström, internationally renowned for his work on global sustainability issues, says that the science could not be clearer. Planetary boundaries represent the safe limits within which humanity can prosper. Today, however, seven of the nine planetary boundaries have already been crossed.

This is not abstract, colleagues. The consequences are there. The multiple crises we face are not isolated. They are symptoms of a deeper structural problem: an economic system that exceeds the limits of the Earth while failing to value the natural systems that sustain it. We have become a society that wastes more than we produce.

Put simply, we are running a deficit against nature, and the interest is compounding.

Governance must operate within natural limits. This is not ideology; it reflects the laws of physics, biology and economic prudence.

The opportunity before us is clear: By instituting a well-being economy, Canada can align prosperity with resilience.

There is no strong economy on a weakened planet.

I invite you to join us tomorrow for the Planetary Health Roundtable on the Hill, sponsored by many of you, colleagues, and several MPs, and featuring Dr. Johan Rockström and distinguished experts Dr. Victoria Hurth, Dr. Nicole Redvers and Dr. Courtney Howard. We will explore how Canada can lead in this defining moment.

Thank you. Meegwetch.