Near term priority files: Climate change

Climate change

Issue

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) leads the Government’s action on climate change. Through engagement with other federal departments and agencies, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, other stakeholders and external experts, the Department is working to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; drive clean growth; develop regulatory instruments; support businesses and Canadians to adapt and become more resilient to climate change; and contribute to international climate change actions to increase global benefits.

Background

• According to the “Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5 ºC” by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from October 2018, greenhouse gases (GHGs) caused by human activities have caused global temperatures to rise by 1° C above preindustrial levels, and temperatures are likely to reach an additional 0.5° of warming between 2030 and 2050 if warming continues to increase at the current rate.
• In 2015, Canada and 194 countries adopted the Paris Agreement with a common goal to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. Despite this, the IPCC’s Special Report concluded that pathways reflecting current global commitments will result in global warming of about 3.0°C by 2100. Under the Paris Agreement, Canada has committed to reduce its GHG emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.
• Canada’s Changing Climate Report from April 2019 indicated that Canada is experiencing warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world, with the north warming at almost three times the global average. The effects of widespread warming are evident in many parts of Canada. Some additional warming and further changes in climate are unavoidable.
• On December 9, 2016, Canada’s First Ministers adopted the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF).^{Footnote 1} The PCF is built on four pillars: pricing carbon pollution, complementary actions to reduce emissions across the economy, adaptation and climate resilience, and clean technology, innovation, and jobs. The PCF includes more than fifty concrete actions that cover all sectors of the Canadian economy, and positions Canada to meet its Paris Agreement target.
• Key actions under the PCF include:
  • Passage of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act;
  • Regulating methane emissions in the oil and gas sector;
  • Accelerating the phase-out of traditional coal-fired electricity generation by 2030 and limiting GHG emissions from natural gas-fired electricity generation;
  • Developing “net-zero energy ready” building codes for new buildings to be adopted by 2030, and model retrofit codes for existing buildings by 2022;
  • Establishing mandatory labeling of building energy use to provide businesses and consumers with information on energy performance, and setting new standards to improve the energy efficiency of appliances and equipment; and
• Increasing the stringency of emissions standards for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, and taking steps to improve efficiency and support fuel switching in the rail, aviation, marine and off-road sectors.

Canada’s recent climate actions have put us on a path to meeting our Paris Agreement targets, but further action will be needed to meet or exceed these or any future targets.

25th Conference of the Parties

Issue

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s 25^th Conference of the Parties (COP25) will take place from December 2-13, 2019, in Madrid, Spain. (Chile had originally planned to host but cancelled due to domestic unrest). This year’s conference will focus on advancing the implementation of the Paris Agreement and enhancing global ambition on climate change.

Background

• The UNFCCC is a multilateral treaty adopted in 1992, and is the primary forum for addressing climate change at the global level. It has near universal membership with 197 Parties.
• At the annual COP under the UNFCCC, Heads of Government and ministers discuss priorities for global climate action, while country officials work on and negotiate a number of technical implementation aspects.
• Approximately 30,000 delegates attend the COP each year, including Indigenous Peoples’ Groups, as well as a wide variety of stakeholders from around the world representing subnational governments, businesses, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), youth delegates, and more. Stakeholders and Indigenous Peoples attend to observe negotiations and high-level events, as well as participate in side events.
• At COP21 in December 2015, the international community adopted the Paris Agreement. By establishing a universal framework for long-term and progressively more ambitious action, the Paris Agreement marked a turning point in multilateral cooperation on climate change.
• Between 2015 and 2018, Parties negotiated a detailed set of guidelines (referred to as the ‘Paris Rulebook’) outlining how countries are to meet their obligations under the Agreement. The completion of the rulebook last year at COP24 marked a shift in discussions towards increasing ambition and the implementation of each Party’s commitments.
• This year, COP25 will continue to focus on advancing the implementation of the Paris Agreement as well as on enhancing global ambition on climate change. In particular, finalizing guidance on the use of international carbon markets (Article 6 of the Paris Agreement) will be a priority negotiating issue for Parties at COP25. Canada has advocated strongly for robust guidelines to ensure that international carbon markets have credibility and can drive further ambition.
• In response to the climate urgency highlighted by recent scientific reports, the push for higher ambition will continue to play out at COP25, where some countries may announce new initiatives, more funding for global climate action, and more stringent emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement.
• Note that while this meeting is taking place in Madrid, Spain, Chile will continue to serve as COP President. Chile has outlined several priority areas that they will champion at COP25, including oceans, renewable energy, circular economy, ecosystems, biodiversity, and electro-mobility. Canada has committed to provide $1 million through the UNFCCC in support of Chile’s COP25 Presidency.
• The Chilean Presidency initially planned to include a number of ministerial meetings in the COP25 programme related to finance, transport, energy and science, as well as leaders-level events on December 1-2, 2019. There is no clarity on how these plans will be adjusted in light of the change of venue for COP25.
• Many of the COP25 themes identified by the Chilean Presidency (e.g. healthy oceans, plastics, nature based solutions, nature conservation and protected areas) allow Canada to show leadership. Depending on Chile’s approach, Canada will have opportunities to advocate for integrated and holistic efforts to address environmental issues as an essential part of ambitious climate action, and showcase our broader priorities on issues related to the environment, climate change and energy.
• Canada has historically supported multilateral processes related to the environment and climate change, and has engaged actively on the international stage. Canada has participated actively in the UNFCCC and at COPs with the objective of supporting the establishment of a fair and comprehensive global climate change regime that will effectively address global climate change and serve Canadian interests.
• The Minister of Environment and Climate Change leads Canada’s delegation to COP. The Minister is supported by Canada’s Chief Negotiator for Climate Change as well as Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change and other federal government officials. Canada’s delegation has traditionally included more than just federal officials, including representatives from Indigenous Peoples, and representatives from provinces and territories, business, youth, and ENGOs, reflecting the nature of climate change as an issue that impacts all segments of society, and requires action by all actors. There is an expectation among certain stakeholders that this practice will continue.