This week we found out from two United Nations agencies that, while the world is distracted by the COVID-19 emergency, major energy producers are falling far short of their self-professed targets for fighting climate change.

Instead of cutting production of the fossil fuels that lead to global warming, they’re actually increasing them. If they keep on that path, there’s no chance of avoiding the catastrophic damage that will come with a much hotter planet. That’s the big global picture, and it’s a disturbing one.

Now there’s more evidence that the situation is no better closer to home. A new report says Ontario is taking “a big step backwards” by failing to live up to its targets for reducing carbon emissions.

The report is from Environmental Defence and it says the province’s greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2018 for the first time in almost a decade. That was the year Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives took office and started dismantling the environment-friendly policies of previous Liberal governments.