Emergency Marker 3: Make It Mandatory (w/ Dr. Melissa Lem & Seth Klein)

In Episode 3, the series confronts a critical shift: moving from voluntary climate action to mandatory rules that match the scale of the crisis. Erin Blondeau and Seth Klein speak with Dr. Melissa Lem, whose experience as a family physician brings urgency and clarity to the conversation. Reflecting on the deadly 2021 heat dome, they discuss mandatory measures like banning fossil fuel advertising and phasing out gas in new buildings. They also highlight the power of community-led responses and the growing leadership of health professionals calling for decisive action. This episode underscores that voluntary approaches are no match for an emergency.

This episode was recorded on August 26, 2025, when entering forests in Nova Scotia was banned while severe forest fires burned through the province.

Links & references:

• Fossil Fuel Ads Make Us Sick - CAPE campaign to ban fossil fuel ads
• Reflections on mandates, from COVID to climate - Seth Klein
• Like we did for tobacco, we must ban false fossil fuel ads - Seth Klein
• Vancouver council's gas plan goes up in smoke after fierce public pushback - Seth Klein 
• Plugged in or left behind? - Chris Hatch column on zero-emission vehicle mandates 
• Axing the EVs: Canadian sales plunge while global sales surge - Barry Saxifrage column on the power of vehicle mandates

More on the 6 Markers of the Climate Emergency:

• Watch our video: 6 Markers of Climate Emergency Action  
• Listen to all 6 episodes of our special series & the 6-marker overview episode from March 2025.
• Learn more about the 6 markers at www.davidsuzukiinstitute.ca/6-markers-of-climate-emergency

Credits:
Produced by Erin Blondeau and Doug Hamilton-Evans. Written and hosted by Erin Blondeau. Music by Anjali Appadurai. Audio editing by Blue Light Studios. Artwork by Geoff Smith.