Government of Canada appoints Catherine Stewart as Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change

From: Environment and Climate Change Canada

News release

August 2, 2022 – Gatineau (Quebec)

Canada has a global impact in the fight against climate change. Whether leading the way on smart market mechanisms like pollution pricing, preserving intact nature and carbon sinks of global significance, pioneering new green technologies and decarbonizing traditional energy sources or championing multilateral cooperation, Canada continues to provide international leadership to address and adapt to climate change. Canada’s safety, security and prosperity depend on taking ambitious, coordinated action at home and abroad.

Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, announced that Catherine Stewart has been appointed Canada’s new Ambassador for Climate Change.

Ms. Stewart, who previously served as Canada’s chief negotiator on climate change, will advise both the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Minister of Foreign Affairs on how Canada can best continue advancing its climate change priorities on the world stage. With over eight years of international experience in environment and climate change, including most recently as Assistant Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s International Affairs Branch, Ms. Stewart is uniquely qualified to work closely with Canadian missions abroad to advance the Government of Canada’s environmental agenda on the world stage. She will help shepherd Canada’s ongoing work on international climate finance, promote the country’s clean technology sector to global investors and reinforce the growing global consensus on the importance of protecting nature and tackling climate change together.

With both the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27) in Egypt this November and the COP15 UN global biodiversity conference scheduled for December in Montreal, Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change is a critical position in this pivotal decade of climate action.

Ms. Stewart succeeds Patricia Fuller, who served as Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change and helped raise Canada’s climate action profile internationally.

Quotes

“When it comes to cutting pollution while creating jobs and economic growth, countries around the world are looking to Canada for leadership, guidance, and solutions. As Canada’s new Ambassador for Climate Change, Catherine Stewart will drive Canada’s continued collaboration with the international community to build a clean, healthy future for everyone – here in Canada and beyond.”

—The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“Humanity shares a single atmosphere, and there is no Planet B. That’s why the global challenge of climate change requires global solutions‎. I am thrilled to welcome Catherine Stewart as Canada’s new Ambassador for Climate Change. Her exemplary work, most recently as Assistant Deputy Minister of International Affairs at Environment and Climate Change Canada, ensures a seamless transition in this very busy year of climate diplomacy.”

—The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Climate change represents the greatest threat to our global security and stability. It demands global leadership and cooperation to ensure we find solutions that meet the moment. The appointment of Ambassador Stewart will strengthen Canada’s work with international partners to build a more sustainable, healthy and resilient future for us all.”

—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

Canada’s Climate Change Ambassador is appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office on a full-time basis for a term of up to three years.
Canada’s Climate Change Ambassador has a key role in government-wide engagement on climate change and in the implementation of Canada’s clean growth and climate change priorities.
Continued leadership and global cooperation are key to moving forward and meeting the Paris Agreement commitment to limit global temperature increases and to increase the ability to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change. In March 2022, the Government of Canada released its Emissions Reduction Plan for 2030, a roadmap that outlines, sector by sector, the measures needed for Canada to reach its emissions reduction targets of 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030, and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Canada has committed more than $5 billion to international climate finance to support a wide range of programs and initiatives that will help developing countries mitigate and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, deploy clean energy technology, and manage natural resources sustainably.