Canada heads to Bonn, Germany, to advance the implementation of the Paris Agreement at the United Nations Climate Change Conference negotiation tables

GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada will continue driving global momentum on climate action at the 23^rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) presided over by Fiji, in Bonn, Germany.

Our delegation will include all levels of government, Indigenous leaders, businesses, and environmental groups, working together to seize the opportunities of the transition to a clean-growth economy. At COP23, Canada will continue to work with other countries to advance the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

In Bonn, all international partners will need to commit to further invest in solutions that build climate resilience and lower emissions. And parties will continue to advance key aspects of the Paris Agreement, related to mitigation, adaptation, transparency, and carbon markets.

Working with partners at COP23, Canada will push for global efforts to phase out coal-fired electricity. This action not only reduces emissions and smog, which choke many cities, but also reduces the number of premature deaths, cases of asthma, and emergency-room visits. We will also continue to support the engagement of Indigenous Peoples in climate policy and encourage the development of a gender-action plan.

Earlier this week, Canada became one of the first countries to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which will phase down powerful greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Each year, HFC sources emit the carbon-dioxide equivalent that is released by 300 coal-fired power plants?and by reducing these emissions, we make significant progress toward the Paris Agreement and help limit the future impacts of climate change.

This year's conference is the first ever to be led by one of the small island developing states?a group of countries particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and other impacts of climate change. Canada strongly supports Fiji's leadership as COP23 president, and it has provided $1.4 million to help the country carry out this important role.

Quotes

"Canada will work with global partners at this year's United Nations climate negotiations toward the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Climate change is a global challenge that demands a global response. But it's also an opportunity. Today, Canadian governments and businesses are well positioned to seize the economic opportunities of a clean-growth economy. In doing so, we will support a healthier planet for our children and grandchildren."
? Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick Facts

• The Paris Agreement helped open up nearly $23 trillion in new opportunities for climate-smart investments in emerging markets, between now and 2030.
• Canada has committed $2.65 billion by 2020 to help developing countries transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies.

Associated Links

• Prime Minister Announces Fiji Funding

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada