Readout: Minister Wilkinson’s meeting with U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry

February 25, 2021 - Environment and Climate Change Canada

Following the release of the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership, in which President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau launched a high level climate ambition Ministerial between Canada and the United States, Minister Wilkinson and Special Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry met yesterday to get straight to work.

The U.S.-Canada High level Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Ambition, led on the U.S. side by Secretary Kerry, and on the Canadian side by Minister Wilkinson, will coordinate bilateral cooperation to increase ambition aligned to the Paris Agreement and net-zero objectives. It will also explore opportunities to align policies, regulations and approaches to create jobs, while tackling climate change and inequality, and enhancing adaptation and resilience to climate impacts.

During the meeting, Minister Wilkinson and Secretary Kerry agreed that there is no time to waste in the fight against climate change, and began to develop a work plan for bilateral climate cooperation to raise the scale and scope of climate ambition. The Minister discussed Canada’s interest in developing a common understanding of the current state of both countries’ respective work in areas such as: reducing oil and gas methane emissions, expanding the use and production of clean electricity, and achieving a zero-emissions vehicle future, including through ambitious vehicle standards to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases from light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles.

In the context of the significant alignment that now exists between Canada and the United States’ approaches to addressing climate change, and the two countries’ various areas of economic integration that can be leveraged in the fight against it – Minister Wilkinson reiterated that Canada is pleased to once again have the U.S. as a strong partner in climate action. Minister Wilkinson also shared his desire to work closely with Secretary Kerry in advance of the U.S.’ April 22 Earth Day Summit.  

Associated Links

• U.S. Canada High Level Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Ambition
• Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership
• Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy
• Government of Canada review of fuel efficiency standards confirms the economic and environmental benefits of ambitious action
• U.S.-Canada Joint Statement on Climate, Energy, and Arctic Leadership