CANADA: Cutting pollution while creating jobs and growing economy

Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, participated in the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate, chaired by the U.S., to advance collective action on climate change. During the meeting, Canada endorsed new initiatives to cut pollution, while creating jobs and growing the economy, and called on major economies to strengthen or adopt pollution pricing.

The Forum, hosted by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, focused on garnering support from the major economies of the world in five key areas: accelerating sales of zero-emission vehicles, reducing methane emissions from oil and gas, supporting clean energy technology demonstration projects, greening international shipping, and strengthening food security.

One of the best ways to cut pollution – while helping people save money and enhancing energy security – is getting more zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road. At the MEF, Canada helped to advance a collective 2030 zero-emission vehicle goal that ZEVs should make up at least half of passenger vehicle sales by 2030. Canada’s own goal surpasses this target and aims to ensure that at least 20 per cent of new light-duty vehicles offered for sale will be ZEVs by 2026, at least 60 per cent by 2030, and 100 per cent by 2035.

As part of Canada’s $5.3 billion climate finance commitment, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada will provide $2 million over the next four years, starting this year, to fund methane mitigation projects in developing countries. Canada is also leading the way on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas – a critical climate solution. Canada was one of the first countries to publish national-level regulations targeting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and was the first country to commit to reducing methane emissions from oil and gas by at least 75 per cent by 2030.

In addition to these initiatives, Prime Minister Trudeau called all countries to implement pollution pricing, which in Canada is reducing emissions while making life more affordable for families. As part of the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge, Canada continues to mobilize support around the goal of covering 60 per cent of global emissions by a price on carbon pollution by 2030.

“Canadians have been clear about what they want: clean air, a healthy environment, and a strong economy. We look forward to working with the U.S. and the international community in the lead up to the COP27 summit to continue to deliver on these important priorities and a better future for everyone. We’ve all committed to climate action. This is the time to deliver on those promises,” said The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.

NOTABLE FACTS

In his remarks to the MEF, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed Canada’s full support for the Clean Energy Technologies Demonstration Challenge and its collective commitment of $90 billion to complete urgent clean energy technology demonstration projects this decade.
The Prime Minister announced that Canada supports the Green Shipping Challenge. Canada has already shown leadership on tackling marine emissions by signing on to the Clydebank Declaration and the Declaration on Zero Emissions Shipping.
The Prime Minister also signalled Canada’s support for the goals of the Global Fertilizer Challenge and to working with other countries to further define this initiative. Canada has long been committed to strengthening global agriculture and food systems, and our efforts are increasingly aimed at reducing emissions and adapting to climate change, including through more efficient use of fertilizers.
As of May 31, 2022, the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles Program has helped Canadians purchase or lease over 150,000 new ZEVs. Budget 2022 proposed to invest $1.7 billion to continue the program.
Canada committed to the Global Methane Pledge last fall, which set the objective of reducing global methane emissions by at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030. Canada also co-chairs the Global Methane Initiative.
Today, the Prime Minister signalled Canada’s full support for the Global Methane Pledge Energy Pathway to catalyze methane emissions reductions in the oil and gas sector, advancing both climate progress and energy security.