Planned measures announced to reduce emissions from oil-and-gas, natural gas-fired electricity, chemicals and nitrogen-fertilizer sectors
May 15, 2015 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Environment Canada
Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced today that Canada plans to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.
This is a fair and ambitious target that is in line with other major industrialized countries and reflects our national circumstances, including Canada's position as a world leader in clean electricity generation.
Canada has now formally submitted its target, referred to as an intended Nationally Determined Contribution, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Canada will continue to take cooperative action with its continental trading partners, particularly the United States, in integrated sectors of the economy, including energy and transportation.
Today, Minister Aglukkaq also announced the Government's intention to develop new regulatory measures under its responsible sector-by-sector approach that would build on the decisive actions taken to date. These include:
- Regulations aligned with recently proposed actions in the United States to reduce the potent GHG methane from the oil-and-gas sector. Action in this area would lead to significant reductions in emissions while ensuring Canadian companies remain competitive.
- Regulations for natural gas-fired electricity, which would build on Canada's existing coal-fired electricity regulations and strengthen Canada's position as a clean-energy leader.
- Regulations for the production of chemicals and nitrogen fertilizers, which would reduce the growth of GHGs from two of the largest sources of emissions in Canada's manufacturing sector.
Canada is a leader in clean-energy technologies and has invested more than $10 billion in technologies to promote innovation and emissions reductions. To build on this success, Canada will focus domestic climate-related investments in innovative technologies to continue to drive further improvements in environmental performance in the oil sands and other growing sectors.
These planned new measures would further broaden the scope of Canada's sector-by-sector approach and build on our record of reducing GHG emissions while keeping Canada's economy strong.
We will work together cooperatively with the provinces and territories while respecting their jurisdiction. The provinces and territories have their own emissions-reduction targets, and they have the authority to take action within their own jurisdictions.
Ted Laking
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441
Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008
Environment Canada's Twitter page
Environment Canada's Facebook page
