CALGARY — MONICA CURTIS, Senior Director of Communities and Decarbonization at the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to the federal government’s release today of the country’s updated 2035 emissions reduction target:
“Canada’s updated greenhouse gas emissions reduction target marks an improvement on the previous target, but Canada’s governments and industries must be more ambitious to fully enhance our competitiveness in the new global clean energy economy, securing good jobs, improving the health of citizens and making energy more affordable for everyone, while also helping avert the worst of climate change.
“Reducing our emissions as a country is a team effort. It must involve commitments not only from the federal government, but all provinces and industries too. The good news is there are major benefits in decarbonizing: new jobs, better health outcomes, more affordable energy, a more competitive economy overall. We’re making progress reducing our emissions as a country, but not quickly enough.
“Achieving our emissions reduction target will require a creative and diverse set of government policies and regulations. All governments should continue working with key industries to limit pollution from Canada’s largest sources of emissions (including the oil and gas industry), build the supply of clean electricity and incentivize non-emitting electricity investments, reduce our methane emissions, decarbonize our buildings and transportation systems including an accelerated adoption of electric vehicles, and implement a national jobs strategy so no person or community is left behind in this transformative process.
“This isn’t just about reducing emissions. It’s about setting Canada up to thrive in the emerging and inevitable new energy economy. If we achieve this target, we will be rewarded in ways that truly improve the lives of Canadians. And if we fail to decarbonize quickly enough, we will pay the price.”
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Contact
Brendan Glauser
Senior Director, Communications, Pembina Institute
604-356-8829
Background
Report: Letter to Minister Steven Guilbeault on 2035 emissions reduction target
