OTTAWA — Rachel Doran, director of policy and strategy at Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to the latest emissions data from Canada’s National Inventory Report:
“Canada’s latest emissions reporting contains a rare kernel of good news. While Canada’s emissions increased slightly between 2020 and 2021, they remained 8.4% below 2005 levels and 7.4% below pre-pandemic levels (2019).
“It is key to note that this is only one year of data and that these are emissions from an atypical year, with the pandemic still having significant emissions-reducing effects in 2021. Despite that, the 1.8% growth in emissions was less than the 4.6% increase in Canada’s economic growth.
“For the first time in history, Canada has had a government in power for many years with meaningful climate measures, including its cornerstone carbon pricing policy. And we’re now seeing evidence that climate action is having its intended effect, efficiently driving down Canadian emissions as Canada’s economy and population grow. Good climate policy also has economic benefits, with Canada set to see 700,000 more energy jobs in a net-zero 2050 than exist today, according to our new report.
“However, better than an accounting of 2021 emissions would be 2022 emissions: even preliminary 2022 results today would allow us to better track the efficacy of our climate efforts. This is key for climate action and our democracy, as Canadians should have the data necessary to evaluate the climate performance of this and future governments.
“With the impacts of climate change worsening with every year that goes by, federal governments must make timely emissions reporting a priority.”
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