Canada halfway to Copenhagen emission target

Canada GHG Reduction Regulations accelerate climate policy with sector-by-sector rules in electricity, transportation, and oil and gas, targeting 2020 emissions goals through fuel efficiency, decoupled growth, and stringent standards for 2017-plus vehicles.

DOHA, Qatar – Canada is halfway towards meeting its commitment to reduce its Copenhagen Agreemen greenhouse gas GHG emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.

“The combined efforts to date of federal, provincial and territorial governments, of consumers and of businesses will generate half the GHG reduction required to meet Canada’s GHG target by 2020,” said Canada’s Environment Minister, the Honourable Peter Kent. “This is progress but on climate gases more work is required, and the Harper government is continuing to implement its sector-by-sector regulatory approach to achieve the additional reductions needed for Canada to meet its target.”

So far, the Government of Canada has developed and implemented stringent regulations to reduce GHG emissions in the electricity and transportation sectors. Just last week, proposed regulations were announced for automobiles and light trucks, model years 2017 and beyond, that aim to cut emissions and fuel consumption by 50 per cent. The federal government is also working on regulations for the oil and gas sector, even as some press for a national cap-and-trade system to complement these efforts.

The projection is contained in Canada’s Emissions Trends Report 2012, which was released in August, and echoes a 2008 emissions drop report highlighted earlier. The report also notes progress in de-linking economic growth and GHG emissions. Between 2005 and 2010, the economy grew by 6.3 per cent whereas Canadian GHG emissions emissions decreased by 6.5 per cent.

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