Canada's climate action is working, report to United Nations confirms

OTTAWA, Dec. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada is making strong progress toward meeting its 2030 climate target, according to a year-end report submitted to the United Nations. Meeting our climate commitments and investing in clean growth are central to the Government of Canada's plan to create good jobs, support communities, and make our economy stronger.

One year after launching Canada's first clean-growth and climate action plan in partnership with provinces and territories, the Government of Canada is adopting policies and making investments that reduce carbon pollution, help Canadians save money and energy, and support businesses and industry to compete in a low-carbon economy. Canada is also working with partners around the world to maintain global momentum on climate action and seize opportunities in the global transition to clean energy.

Today, Canada submitted an extensive report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which details the strong progress Canada is making toward its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal. Canada is required to report on progress toward meeting its climate commitments every two years. Since the last report, Canada has taken significant steps to reduce carbon pollution and invest in clean solutions, both at home and abroad.

These actions include

• adopting the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change with provinces and territories
• announcing a nationwide approach for pricing carbon pollution
• committing to accelerate the phase-out of traditional coal-fired electricity by 2030 and launching the international Powering Past Coal Alliance in partnership with the United Kingdom
• committing a historic level of federal investment in areas such as green infrastructure, transit, and innovation as well as proposed funding to make buildings and industrial sectors more energy efficient
• developing regulations to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 to 45 percent, by 2025
• adopting new vehicle emission standards
• developing a clean fuel standard to reduce emissions from fuels used in transportation, buildings, and industry
• committing more than $2.5 billion to help developing countries combat climate change

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canada's Indigenous Peoples are partners in Canada's transition to a low-carbon economy, and it will continue working with national Indigenous organizations to advance broader clean-growth and climate change priorities.

Addressing climate change represents a significant economic opportunity. Countries that move forward with strong, practical climate action will be best placed to compete in the clean-growth century.

Quotes

"We are 100 percent committed to meeting Canada's 2030 climate change target, and I'm proud of the progress we're making. We're taking action and promoting clean solutions to cut carbon pollution, spark new economic opportunities, and support good jobs in communities across Canada. There's still a lot to do, and I look forward to working with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and all Canadians to keep the momentum for climate action going."
? Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick Facts

• Canada's Seventh National Communication and Third Biennial Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change details progress toward Canada's 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal.
• Canada's investments in climate action include
• $21.9 billion in green infrastructure, including clean energy, and the $35-billion infrastructure bank
• $73.5 million for the new Canadian Centre for Climate Services to support provincial, territorial, Indigenous, and other partners' climate-adaptation decision making
• $18 million for a climate change and health adaptation program for First Nations and Inuit communities and $83.8 million to help integrate traditional Indigenous knowledge in the understanding of climate change, guide adaptation measures, and enhance Indigenous community resilience
• $2 billion from the Low Carbon Economy Fund to support provincial and territorial projects to reduce carbon pollution and spur clean growth, as well as initiatives proposed by a wide range of stakeholders
• $20.1 billion over 11 years to help Canadian communities build the new urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way Canadians live, move, and work

Associated Links

• Seventh National Communication
• Third Biennial Report
• Second Biennial Report submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Canada's National Reports to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Greenhouse gas emissions: inventories and reporting

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada