April 21 2026

Since 1970, Earth Day has been commemorated on April 22 as a day to raise awareness about environmental protection. For the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), Earth Day has always been about moving beyond awareness to action.

This year’s theme for Earth Day is “Our Power, Our Planet.” While it is easy to feel powerless in the face of worsening climate change impacts, today is a reminder that harnessing our collective power is how we can bring about the change we need. Through collective action, we can hold our leaders accountable and ensure that governments and corporations take the necessary steps to tackle the climate crisis.  

It is concerning that climate change has dropped as a priority issue for governments and the public. But it’s worth noting that a strong majority of people in Canada haven’t given up on climate action—they don’t think it’s too late to act. The issue is that most people think that others have given up.

It’s also important to keep in mind—and remind our governments—that other pressing issues, like the rising cost of living, energy crisis, growing inequality, and global instability and conflict, are not disconnected from the climate crisis. In fact, they are deeply intertwined and actually made worse by climate change.

We can’t allow governments to present these as either/or issues. At NUPGE’s recent convention, delegates passed a policy paper on the affordability crisis that showed how tackling the climate crisis and cost-of-living crisis can go hand-in-hand, for example.

Taking action on environmental protection and climate change is more important than ever in this time of rising inequality and instability. As NUPGE continues to urge the federal government, investing in the transition to a greener economy and strengthening public services that we rely on (including for responding to climate impacts) is not just necessary for our future—it can contribute to building a stronger and fairer economy today. Learn more about Earth Day and local actions at earthday.org or earthday.ca