Pembina reacts to Trudeau’s carbon pricing framework

CALGARY — Ed Whittingham, executive director of the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau outlining his party’s proposed carbon pricing framework:

“We support having the federal government play a role in putting a price on carbon and setting emissions reduction targets for the country. We also embrace the idea of the federal government providing funding for provinces to do their part in meeting aggressive climate targets.

“Mr. Trudeau rightly acknowledges Canada is not on track to meet its 2020 climate targets. The Pembina Institute has repeatedly demonstrated Canada will fail to meet these targets because of current policies and regulatory inaction. A commitment to seek an aggressive target at the Paris climate talks, and to assure the world of our intention to do our part, is encouraging. Canada needs to be a leader on climate change — and currently we are not.

“Having a defined timeline for action so Canadians can hold the government to account is refreshing and critical for making progress. However, leaving it to the provinces to devise their own plans could be problematic. Important questions remain, such as what would happen if provinces disagreed over national standards set using the proposed approach.

“It would be simpler for the federal government to set a national price on carbon, using a system such as cap-and-trade or a national carbon tax.”

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