Backgrounder

The Canadian position on global climate change

The Canadian Position for Kyoto

The Government of Canada has finalized the position it will take to the Third Conference of Parties on Climate Change, to be held in Kyoto, Japan, from December 1-10, 1997. That Conference will establish new targets for the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions post 2000. Negotiations will be based on the positions that Canada and other parties bring to the Conference.

Canada will work toward a comprehensive, legally binding international agreement. Key elements of the Canadian position include:

• reductions of greenhouse gas emissions of three per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 and a further five per cent by 2015;
• while recognizing the importance of strong domestic action to reduce emissions, Canada will strongly advocate ways to provide countries with maximum flexibility in how emission reduction targets can be achieved in the most cost-effective way, by means such as: joint implementation with other countries; trading of greenhouse gas permits; and other measures, including recognition for exports of energy with low carbon content, that could also allow countries to take early action to reduce energy use and promote alternative, cleaner sources of energy; and
• Canada will also seek meaningful engagement of developing countries in order to ensure effective global action.

Science underpins the position

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program to provide science-based assessment of the state of knowledge about climate change, has indicated that there is a "discernible human influence on the global climate".

Direct measurements show that atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations are increasing, and the IPCC analysis concludes that human activities are the primary cause of this increase. There is also a strong scientific consensus that, as concentrations continue to increase, the climate may change significantly over the next century, with significant, adverse impacts on the environment.

Not acting on climate change may leave Canada and the rest of the world vulnerable to increased heat waves, floods, droughts and storms in some areas, melting permafrost and sea ice, shifts in forestry, agriculture, and fisheries resource bases, and increases in insect-borne diseases and heat-related mortality and morbidity. Globally, climate change could also worsen existing environmental and ecological problems, with costly implications for geopolitical security and foreign aid.

Because greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for decades, even centuries, after their release, longer-term reductions are needed to address the issue.

Reducing Emissions

Changes are required if Canada is to meet the obligations of a Kyoto agreement. The Government of Canada will work cooperatively with the provinces and territories, in partnership with industry, environmental groups, and individual Canadians, to develop a practical, flexible, and step-by-step plan for reducing emissions. We will seek out opportunities to work in concert with our trading partners. Our objective is to address our international commitments in such a way that no region or sector is asked to bear an unreasonable share of the burden.

Emissions in 1995 were 9.5 per cent beyond 1990 levels. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require significant actions and adaptations by governments, industry, and individual Canadians. We need to reduce emissions from electricity generation, for example, through new technologies and other means. We need to reverse the projected rapid increase in emissions from transporting people and goods, for example, through new vehicle and fuel technology and more efficient infrastructure. We need to improve the energy efficiency of our industrial production, of our homes, and of our offices. We need to seek opportunities for renewable energy. We will also need to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

While the scale of change required is significant, actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can bring important ancillary benefits. Notable among those are:

• reduced costs for energy consumption;
• reduced levels of smog and acid rain that would improve the health of Canadians and reduce costs to our health care system; and
• innovative solutions to reducing emissions that would place us in a more competitive position by allowing us to market new technologies and processes at home and abroad.

An appropriate policy framework that encourages energy efficiency and innovation will enable Canadians to take action on climate change in a way that benefits both our environment and our economy.

By proposing targets for 2010 and 2015, Canada is underscoring the importance of planning now for the development and acquisition of less carbon intensive technologies, processes, and capital stock. These time frames provide greater certainty in the planning process.

Other Countries' Positions

Other countries or groups of countries have also set out their positions for the Kyoto talks. The European Union has proposed that developed countries reduce emissions to 7.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2005, and to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010.

Targets for European Union countries would be collective. Some countries within the "EU bubble" (e.g. Sweden, Spain, Portugal) will not meet the overall EU target, while others (e.g. Germany and United Kingdom) could better the EU target significantly. (The European proposal would target emissions of fewer greenhouse gases.)

The United States proposes stabilizing emissions at 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, and calls for committing to further, unspecified reductions to be negotiated for the period 2013-2017. The United States has said that it will not assume binding obligations unless key developing nations meaningfully participate in this effort.

The positions of both the European Union and the United States are based on flat rates, where all countries agree to the same targets and timetables (although the European Union would be considered one country for this purpose).

Japan has proposed that developed countries reduce emissions levels between 2008 and 2012 based on a differentiation formula starting from a 5 per cent reduction below 1990 levels and then factoring in such things as emissions per unit of GDP, and population growth to determine the targets for each country. In practice, this would mean reductions of 2-3% for most OECD countries.

The developing countries (Group of 77) have proposed that developed countries reduce emissions below 1990 levels by 7.5 per cent by 2005, 15 per cent by 2010, and 35 per cent by 2020, but as yet have not taken on any specific commitments themselves to reduce emissions.

The Alliance of Small Island States, whose members are most at risk from rising sea levels due to climate change, has proposed that developed countries reduce emissions by 20 per cent by 2005.