Michael Bernstein

Executive Director

Michael Bernstein is the executive director of Clean Prosperity, a Canadian non-profit that works toward practical climate solutions that reduce emissions and grow the economy.

Michael is an economist by training. He is an advisor to elected leaders across the political spectrum, and a frequent commentator on climate policy. He was named on The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists List for 2021.

Michael joined Clean Prosperity in 2018. His career has spanned business, management consulting, international development, and politics. Prior to Clean Prosperity, Michael was the CEO of Mama Earth Organics, a small business that delivered organic produce from local farms to families around the Greater Toronto Area.

He worked directly with dozens of farmers and saw first-hand the effects climate change was having on the farms he worked with. As a father of two young kids, he’s also very concerned about the future that we’re leaving to the next generation.

Before working in the local food sector, Michael was a business management consultant at McKinsey where he advised Fortune 500 companies, institutional investors, and governments on key strategic and business issues. He also worked with InvestEco Capital to set up an advisory service that offered support to companies in the sustainable food sector.

Michael holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. in Economics from Yale University.

Michael serves on the C.D. Howe Institute’s Energy Policy Council, on the Public Policy Forum’s Energy Futures Forum, and as a MaRS Cleantech Volunteer Advisor.

When he’s not working on climate change, you can find him building Lego airplanes with his kids or doing his best karaoke impression of Vanilla Ice.

Connect with Michael

Twitter: @bernstein_micha

Linkedin: Michael’s profile

Media enquiries: media@cleanprosperity.ca

Resources

Michael’s headshot (16MB JPEG, 3024×4032)

Short bio: Michael Bernstein is the executive director of Clean Prosperity, a Canadian non-profit that works toward practical climate solutions that reduce emissions and grow the economy. He serves on the C.D. Howe Institute’s Energy Policy Council, as a member of the Public Policy Forum’s Energy Future Forum, and as a MaRS Cleantech Volunteer Advisor.

 

Watch Michael discussing the federal government’s climate plan on CBC’s The National (11 December 2020)

 

Selected Writing

Rejecting carbon capture risks increasing emissions. Here's why (National Observer, 25 January 2022)

Think O'Toole’s carbon price hurt him? It didn’t (Hill Times, 4 October 2021)

To meet its climate goals while remaining competitive, Canada needs a scheme to levy a charge on the carbon content of imports (Toronto Star, 29 August 2021)

A voter’s guide to climate action (Global News, 26 August 2021)

There's a missing tool in our fight against climate change (National Observer, 19 July 2021)

Canada can win the cleantech sweepstakes (The Hub, 6 June 2021)

Could there be a silver lining to Doug Ford’s carbon tax loss? (Toronto Star, 26 March 2021)

How Erin O’Toole can resolve his climate dilemma (Hill Times, 1 January 2021)

A climate plan that works for the planet and the oil and gas sector (Hill Times, 23 November 2020)

Biden’s climate plan poses risks for Canada – here’s how we should respond (Globe and Mail, 11 November 2020)

Conservatives can do carbon pricing. Just ask Boris Johnson. (iPolitics, 26 October 2020)

Doug Ford could win by losing his legal fight against the carbon tax (National Observer, 25 September 2020)

Canada can’t achieve climate goals without supercharging carbon removal (Policy Options, 31 August 2020)

The most important climate change policy that no one’s talking about (Hill Times, 12 August 2020; also on cleanprosperity.ca)

Poll shows climate change sunk Scheer — and could cost Ford (Toronto Star, 29 October 2019)

Is carbon tax the answer to Canada’s climate-change woes? (Maclean’s, 23 September 2019)

This election, which party platforms make the grade on carbon pollution cuts? (National Observer, 11 October 2019)

Selected Media Appearances

Print

Michael finds O'Toole's carbon pricing flexibility encouraging (Canadian Press, 15 September 2021)

Michael applauds the Liberal platform’s focus on green initiatives (Globe and Mail, 1 September 2021)

Michael on election climate platforms (Toronto Star, 30 August 2021)

Michael encourages the Liberals to release independent modelling of their climate plan (Canadian Press, 29 August 2021)

Michael says O'Toole's 30% emissions cut would be a step backwards (Canadian Press, 27 August 2021)

Michael on the economic impacts of fighting climate change (Toronto Star, 23 August 2021)

Michael looks ahead to the federal election (Toronto Star, 18 August 2021)

Michael talks about O'Toole's new carbon pricing plan (Canadian Press, 17 May 2021)

Michael on Canada's new 40-45% emissions-reduction target (Canadian Press, 22 April 2021)

Michael on the Biden climate summit (Canadian Press, 21 April 2021)

Michael notes that all federal parties now support carbon pricing (Globe and Mail, 15 April 2021)

Michael calls the O'Toole climate plan "credible" (Toronto Star, 15 April 2021)

Michael applauds Erin O'Toole's decision to adopt carbon pricing (National Post, 15 April 2021)

Michael on impact of Supreme Court carbon tax case on conservative premiers (Toronto Star, 24 March 2021)

Michael comments on the Supreme Court carbon tax case (National Post, 23 March 2021)

Michael talks about Conservative carbon pricing (National Post, 17 February 2021)

Michael comments on impact of carbon tax on farmers (National Post, 15 December 2020)

Michael quoted in an article about the government's decision to increase the carbon tax (Toronto Star, 11 December 2020)

Michael quoted in an article about Canada's 2030 climate targets (Toronto Star, 8 December 2020)

Michael quoted in an article about the impact of Joe Biden's election on Canada's climate policy (Toronto Star, 13 November 2020)

Michael quoted in an article about carbon border adjustments (Globe and Mail, 19 October 2020)

Michael quoted in a story about the Conservatives’ direction on climate policy (National Observer, 15 September 2020)

Michael featured in article by John Ivison on Scheer’s climate plan (BNN, 21 October 2019)

TV

Michael reviews the parties' climate platforms (Primetime Politics on CPAC, 30 August 2021)

Michael on Canada's new 40-45% emissions-reduction target (CTV News, 22 April 2021)

Michael discusses the Supreme Court carbon tax decision (CTV News, 25 March 2021)

Michael interviewed about the Liberal government's climate plan (The National on CBC, 11 December 2020)

Michael joins BNN’s Amanda Lang to discuss climate & the 2019 election (BNN, October 21, 2019)

Michael grades the climate policies of each political party on The Agenda (The Agenda on TVOntario, 10 October 2019)

Michael joins BNN’s Amanda Lang to discuss the business case for climate action (BNN, September 27, 2019)

Michael talks climate policy with Mercedes Stephenson on the West Block (The West Block on Global News, 1 September 2019)

Michael talks to Global’s Farah Nasser about the Ontario climate plan (Global News at 5:30, 4 June 2019)

Radio

Michael and Rob Snow discuss the future of climate policy (The Rob Snow Show on CityNews Ottawa, 20 September 2021)

Michael and Evan Solomon compare the federal parties' climate platforms (The Evan Solomon Show on 580 CFRA, 31 August 2021)

Michael talks to Rob Snow about the Conservative climate plan (The Rob Snow Show on CityNews Ottawa, 18 August 2021)

Michael and Evan Solomon talk about the new UN climate report (The Evan Solomon Show on 580 CFRA, 9 August 2021)

Michael and Evan Solomon discuss the EU's ambitious new climate plan (The Evan Solomon Show on 580 CFRA, 15 July 2021)

Michael on Canada's new emissions-reduction target (980 CFPL, 22 April 2021)

Michael talks to Evan Solomon about Canada's new 40-45% emissions-reduction target (The Evan Solomon Show on 580 CFRA, 22 April 2021)

Michael comments on the Supreme Court carbon tax ruling (980 CFPL, 26 March 2021)

Michael talks about Clean Prosperity's Western Canada polling (980 CFPL, 21 January 2021)

Michael discusses carbon management (What On Earth with Laura Lynch on CBC radio, 17 January 2021)

Michael talks about plans to increase the carbon tax (980 CFPL, 16 December 2020)

Michael discusses our new polling showing 905 voters support a carbon tax and rebate (980 CFPL, 17 September 2020)

Michael discusses the Scheer climate plan with Evan Solomon (Newstalk 1010, 11 July 2019)