Clean Energy Canada | Media Statement: Ontario and British Columbia Sign Global Climate Memo
May 19, 2015

Today the governments of Ontario and British Columbia joined nine other subnational jurisdictions from around the world in signing an agreement that seeks to protect global climate systems from irreparable damage.

The Under 2 MOU supports the principle of limiting global warming to two degrees celsius, considered by many experts as the threshold beyond which climate damage will unleash severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts on people and ecosystems. Signatories agree to collaborate and share information about measures to meet targets and adapt to climate change, and the memorandum includes specific mid-term and long-term reduction targets in support of that goal.

The following comments may be attributed to Merran Smith, executive director, Clean Energy Canada:

The “Under Two MOU” is a snappy and catchy campaign, and it’s great to see Ontario and British Columbia join in. Programs like this connect with citizens and keep pressure on national governments to deliver a strong climate agreement.

Provinces and states are playing a critical role in the lead-up to December’s climate talks. Not only are they pricing carbon—and enacting a range of other policies such as fuel standards and clean electricity programs—they are also leveraging their political muscle to encourage national governments to step up.

Great examples of clean energy and economy leadership are found right here in Canada – British Columbia’s carbon tax and recent recommitment to its Climate Action 2.0 program; Ontario’s commitment to a cap and trade system, eliminating coal, and expanding renewable energy sources through the Green Energy Act. We hope other provinces will follow their lead and join in.