Clean Energy Canada | First Ministers reach groundbreaking national climate plan
December 9, 2016

First Ministers Meeting on climate December 2016

OTTAWA—Clean Energy Canada released the following statement in response to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change released today:

QUOTES

“For the first time, governments across Canada are working together to hit a national climate target. That’s real progress.

“It took leadership from the federal government and many of the premiers to get today’s framework in place. It’s unfortunate Saskatchewan decided not to sign onto this national effort, and that Manitoba opted out for now—but it’s good news that the rest of Canada is moving ahead regardless.

“This national climate plan adds new tools to the toolbox to reduce carbon pollution across the economy—including in buildings, transportation and our electricity system. Now, governments must put those tools to work. This will create new economic opportunities, opening doors for Canadian businesses and workers in the growing global market for clean energy solutions.”  

—Merran Smith, Executive Director, Clean Energy Canada

 

“Today’s meeting unveiled some important new clean energy commitments. It’s great to see a net-zero building code, a national zero-emission vehicle strategy, and plans to make Canada’s clean power go further with new transmission lines.

“Building on Ottawa’s earlier commitments to set a national carbon price, establish a clean fuel standard and to phase out traditional coal power, these measures will help Canada make the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Each of these policies must be implemented quickly and effectively to get us on track, and governments will need to work together to strengthen them over time.

“Leaders also committed to regular reporting and review of the framework, and that’s an essential part of this package. While today’s outcome is a real success, it’s also just the end of the beginning.”

—Clare Demerse, Federal Policy Advisor, Clean Energy Canada

KEY FACTS

  • Meeting Canada’s 2030 target requires reducing emissions to 30 per cent below the level they were at in 2005, a reduction to 524 million tonnes. In 2014 (the most recent year of data available), Canada’s emissions were 732 million tonnes.
  • Heading into today’s meeting, 95 per cent of Canada’s population already lived in jurisdictions that are pricing carbon or have promised to do so.
  • Seven of the world’s 10 biggest economies have some form of carbon pricing in place. China’s national carbon pricing system, which comes into effect next year, will nearly double the global share of emissions covered by carbon pricing to 25 per cent. Source: World Bank (May 2016)
  • Two-thirds of Canadians believe it is more important to have a plan to meet Canada’s climate change targets than to have all provincial and territorial premiers agree with that plan (66% agree or somewhat agree). Source: Nanos Research (September 2016)

RESOURCES

  • Backgrounder | “Q&A: First Ministers’ Meeting on Climate Change and Clean Growth” (December 2016)
  • Media Release | “Poll: Most Canadians want federal leadership on carbon pricing” (October 2016)
  • Commentary | “On carbon pricing, Canadians have nothing to fear but fear itself” (October 2016)
  • Policy Submission | A Canadian Opportunity: Tackling Climate Change by Switching to Clean Power (June 2016)