QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Canada's Emissions Targets
December 4, 2024
Senator Gold, signatories to the Paris Agreement, including Canada, are required to submit their new nationally determined contributions, or NDCs, outlining their 2035 emissions reduction targets by February 2025. According to Canada’s climate accountability framework, Canada was supposed to have set its 2035 target by December 1, 2024.
I met with two members of Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body, or NZAB — Catherine Abreu and Simon Donner — at COP 29 in Baku. NZAB’s September reports warn that if we continue on our current trajectory, Canada will not meet our 2030 target of reducing emissions by 40% to 45%. NZAB also recommends Canada set its new NDC for 2035 at 50% to 55% below 2005 levels.
Senator Gold, will the government take NZAB’s advice and set Canada 2035 emissions reduction target at 50% to 55%? Will it do that soon? The December 1 deadline, which was our own, has already passed.
Thank you for your question, senator, and for your continued advocacy on this issue.
While I’m not able to speculate on any future potential commitments, this government is taking strong action to combat climate change through a suite of policies and measures. Let me note, colleagues, that in 2015, Canada’s emissions were projected to rise 8% above 2005 levels by 2030, but since then, thanks to a range of policies and programs from this government, the Canadian Climate Institute now estimates that Canada’s emissions declined by 8% below 2005 levels.
That said, much more work needs to be done, colleagues. We cannot risk polluting freely again to harm our environment by cutting just about every measure that is successfully cutting pollution and, at the same time, building a strong and sustainable economy.
Eight per cent is pretty far off of our target for 2030.
Senator Gold, the Net-Zero Advisory Body’s reports recommend key measures, such as finalizing the oil and gas emissions cap, the Clean Electricity Regulations, stronger oversight of industrial carbon pricing and adopting a national carbon budget to address Canada’s shortfalls in meeting its emissions targets. Swift action is needed to achieve Canada’s commitments.
What steps is the government taking to implement these recommendations and ensure Canada is on track to meet our net‑zero goals?
Thank you. The government has published its 2023 Progress Report. It’s the first progress report under the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, and it identifies the strategies to reach our 2030 net-zero emission targets by 2050. The report also provides an update on progress toward our emissions reduction targets described in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, including a measure-by-measure update on the implementation status. Another report will be published in 2025 and again thereafter in 2027.
