When tasked with profiling a climate leader whose competencies align with my own aspirations, one name immediately came to mind – Dr. Joe Vipond. Despite not having met him yet, I am inspired by him. I chose him not merely due to our shared credentials as physicians educated in Alberta, or solely because he embodies values and causes dear to my heart such as climate action, health impacts of climate change, and improved pandemic safety measures. My selection is also rooted in his courage to tirelessly advocate for what is right, as well as the (even more impressive) bravery to reveal his humanity throughout.
Dr. Vipond is an emergency department physician in Calgary, for over 20 years. He is on the board of directors and is past president of Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE); co-founder of the grassroots climate action non-profit organization, the Calgary Climate Hub; co-founder of evidence-based public health advocacy group Protect Our Alberta; a prolific author of numerous climate change and pandemic related articles and opinion pieces in various newspapers; and a regular interviewee on news and media outlets. He is tireless in his advocacy.
His values and causes are interconnected and evident in every article, interview, or tweet. They encompass the health impacts of climate change, the urgency of ensuring a safe planet and future for our children, and the fight to have systemic measures in place to protect people and the healthcare system. All these causes, despite being based in evidence, face controversy, and those advocating for positive changes are consistent targets. Dr. Vipond, for example, has had articles published that question his objectivity because he has made unrelated and democratically protected donations to political parties. A quick glance at this posts on X, formerly Twitter, reveals that amidst expressions of gratitude, there are comments and criticisms that he routinely shields. Despite this, his advocacy and impact continue. For example, he spent years raising awareness about the health impacts of burning coal (Phase out of coal, 2016), as a spokesperson for the Alberta Coal Phase-Out movement and the Canadian Coal Phase-Out network, playing a role in Canada’s plan to phase out coal-powered electricity and its substantial impact on Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions (CAPE, n.d.).
Underlying the tireless advocacy, whether it’s for climate change, health system failure, or health safety, there is a universal value that resonates across all the causes he champions. As he eloquently expressed, “The more equitable a society, the healthier it is for us all…When government policy worsens social inequities and systemic oppression, it is our duty to demand change…None of us is safe from COVID until we are all safe from COVID.” (Vipond et al., 2022). This sentiment remains equally as relevant when you replace ‘COVID’ with ‘climate change’. The core values and the bravery to confront injustice does not change.
The endless dedication of time and energy to these causes, up against powerful and vocal opponents, and yet still preserving and succeeding takes impressive courage and will. Equally impressive is his courage to acknowledge his own humanity and confront the profound, and often difficult, impact of working in such a space. It is important to recognize that his public presence, appreciated by so many, is threatening to others. Nevertheless, he adds the vulnerable human factor to these complex problems, which gifts those of us sharing this space the knowledge that we are not alone in this fight, and grief. He once tweeted, “I am so sad about the world and where it is going. I tried so hard. It was never enough. Please forgive me, children, animals, plants, ecosystems. This is all so tragic.” (Vipond, 2023). He hasn’t given up on making the world better, he just shared some of the very human feelings we have all had in this space. I am grateful for that, and I am grateful for his dedication and impact. I aspire to build my own courage in climate action and advocacy to mirror that of Dr. Joe Vipond.
References
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). (n.d.). Staff and board. https://cape.ca/staff-and-board/
Phase out of coal powered electricity big win for Canadian health: Calgary doctor. (2016, November 22). CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-doctor-coal-power-health-1.3862155
Vipond, J. [@jvipondmd]. (2023, June 11). I am so sad about the world and where it is going. I tried so hard. It was never enough. [Post]. X. https://twitter.com/jvipondmd/status/1668024352460406785
Vipond, J., Malgorzata, G., Wing, KL., & Brandenburg, M. (2022, January 13). Opinion: It’s up to Albertans to protect themselves and each other from COVID. Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-its-up-to-albertans-to-protect-themselves-and-each-other-from-covid
Image: Hope and action – climate strike Melbourne 21 May 2021. Englart, J. (2021, May 21). https://www.flickr.com/photos/takver/51193928537/. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic