Government of Canada advances climate action at GLOBE Forum

VANCOUVER, BC, April 1, 2022 /CNW/ - This week, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable François?Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable Seamus O'Regan Jr., Minister of Labour, and government officials participated in GLOBE Forum 2022, a meeting with business leaders and innovators working to advance the transition to a clean growth economy.

A key highlight of the conference was the announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada's Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy, along with Minister Guilbeault on Tuesday. An important early deliverable under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, the plan is a sector-by-sector roadmap of measures needed for Canada to reach its ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of at least 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and net-zero emissions by 2050. The 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan roadmap will help Canada, in collaboration with provincial and territorial partners, achieve its climate goals in a fair and affordable way. From transportation to the oil and gas sector, to heavy industry, agriculture, buildings and waste, every sector in every region has a role to play in meeting Canada's 2030 climate target. The plan includes $9.1 billion in new investments and a suite of new measures to help mobilize Canada towards becoming a truly sustainable economy and a leading competitor in the global transition to cleaner industries and technologies.

On Wednesday, Minister Guilbeault participated in an armchair discussion on the urgent need for more climate adaptation and preparedness to respond to Canada's rapidly changing climate. The Minister also participated in a roundtable led by the Insurance Bureau of Canada, including representatives from the insurance industry, professional associations, national Indigenous organizations, government officials, and others, on the development of Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy, which will outline how the Canadian economy and society can become more resilient to and prepared for the impacts of climate change.

On the margins of GLOBE, Member of Parliament Patrick Weiler announced that Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Hazards Information Service has installed the first of hundreds of sensors for the national Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) System at the British Columbia Ferry Terminal in Horseshoe Bay. The EEW system provides seconds to tens of seconds of notice before strong shaking starts, warnings that can help reduce injuries, deaths and property losses. It will be used to generate alerts for critical infrastructure, industry and the public, helping to protect people, communities, infrastructure, and the environment during an event where every second counts.

Minister Wilkinson participated in an armchair discussion with U.S. Ambassador Cohen on advancing towards a net-zero energy future. The Minister also met with several leading Canadian cleantech firms, including those on the 2022 Global Cleantech 100 list. An investment of over $12 million was announced, through NRCan's Clean Growth and Energy Innovation Programs, to support the continued work of seven organizations in advancing innovative clean technologies. Lastly, grand prize winners of three separate NRCan Impact Canada challenges?Sky's the Limit, Charging the Future, and Power Forward?were announced. The winners were awarded a total of $7 million to advance their sustainable aviation fuel, battery, and smart grid solutions.

Also at GLOBE, Minister Champagne announced over $27 million in Sustainable Development Technology Canada investments in clean tech and climate technology, as well as a call to action to industry to put forward high-impact projects that will support the decarbonization of key sectors of Canada's economy with support from the Net Zero Accelerator.

Minister O'Regan Jr. participated in an armchair discussion on the path to creating sustainable jobs across Canada and the opportunity to leverage the skills, expertise and ingenuity of energy workers as we lower emissions and build up renewables. He also spoke to Leading Change Canada youth delegates and joined a roundtable with Canadian Business for Social Responsibility on building sustainable supply chains to help Canada meet its climate targets and uphold human rights around the world.  

Quotes

"To get to a carbon-neutral world, we need everybody pitching in, doing their fair share. That starts with strong partnerships between industry, business leaders and all orders of government. Canada is uniquely positioned to be a global leader in this century of climate mitigation and adaptation, thanks to our abundance of natural resources, a highly skilled workforce, and a strong financial system. With the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan in place and a National Adaptation Strategy launching in the fall, the government is working to make Canada cleaner and more resilient now and for future generations."
? The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Collaboration and innovation are key to advancing Canada's transition to a clean energy future. We are continuing to build strong partnerships with government and industry leaders to support Canada's climate change goals and reach net zero by 2050."
? The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources

"Achieving Canada's climate goals requires us to be ambitious and to seize the moment. That's why our government is working shoulder to shoulder with the private sector to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and secure a net-zero carbon future. Through initiatives like the Net Zero Accelerator and the latest SDTC investments in clean technology, our actions today will shape the green economy of the future and lead to a better quality of life for all Canadians."
? The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"Canada's energy workers are doing the heavy lifting of lowering emissions and building up renewables. The challenge is enormous, but so are the opportunities."
? The Honourable Seamus O'Regan Jr., Minister of Labour

Quick facts

• On the journey towards achieving net-zero emissions under the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada's Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy, Canada will do this and more:
• Make cities and communities cleaner
• Make industries greener
• Make life more affordable for Canadians
• Help the economy grow and create opportunities for working Canadians
• The National Adaptation Strategy will establish a shared vision for climate resilience and preparedness in Canada. It will identify opportunities for increased collaboration across all orders of government to improve health outcomes, build and maintain our infrastructure, steward the environment, support a strong economy, and reduce the risk of climate-related disasters.
• The Clean Growth Program (CGP) provided $155 million to advance clean technology research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects in Canada's natural resources sectors. The Energy Innovation Program (EIP) provides $24 million annually to advance clean energy technologies that will help Canada meet its climate change targets while supporting the transition to a net-zero future. It funds research, development, and demonstration projects and other related scientific activities.
• Impact Canada is a Government of Canada-wide effort that uses prize-based funding to help find solutions to some of the country's most pressing challenges.
• Sustainable Development Technology Canada is an independent federal foundation that helps Canadian companies develop and deploy competitive, clean technology solutions to help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, clean air, clean water, and clean soil.
• The Net Zero Accelerator initiative supports projects led by Canadian corporations that aim to substantially reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions within the next decade, in addition to helping transform the economy for clean and long-term growth in order to meet Canada's net-zero goals by 2050.

Associated links

• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• National Adaptation Strategy
• Clean Growth Program (CGP)
• Energy Innovation Program (EIP)
• Impact Canada

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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada