In 1992,
Canada joined more than 150 nations as a signatory to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
at the Earth Summit in Brazil. The goal of the UNFCCC was
to promote sustainable development, and, at that time, an
objective was set out for developed countries to return net
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by the year
2000.
As part
of their commitment, signatories to the UNFCCC are obligated
to provide an accurate and comprehensive report to the UNFCCC
Secretariat, following a very specific set of guidelines.
These reports, or "national communications," provide
updated information on a country’s mitigation and adaptation
responses to climate change.
The first
two national communications were respectively submitted to
the UNFCCC Secretariat in 1993 and 1997. The current report,
Canada’s Third National Report on Climate Change, comprises
the following main elements:
- an
overview of Canada’s National Implementation Strategy on
Climate Change (NIS) and resulting key policies and measures;
- a
summary of Canada’s national GHG inventory and projections
of emissions to 2020; and
- an
overview of the science, impacts, and adaptation issues
facing Canada in the future.
The Third
National Report on Climate Change also discusses the unique
set of national circumstances underlying Canada’s GHG emissions,
financial contributions and technological transfer to developing
countries, and the scope of public education and outreach
programs.
In comparison
with the early stages of climate change activity, the Third
National Report on Climate Change reflects a significant increase
in Canada’s climate change activities resulting from the 1997
Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC. If the Kyoto Protocol is ratified,
Canada will have to reduce its GHG emissions to 6% below 1990
levels during the 2008–2012 commitment period. Some of the
key highlights of Canada’s Third National Report on Climate
Change are as follows:
- Since
1995, the Government of Canada has spent around $1.95 billion
1 to develop new climate change programs and enhance existing
ones in an effort to meet its various climate change commitments.
- Between
1990 and 1999, emissions increased by 15%. Nevertheless,
Canada managed to reduce the pace of emissions growth, reducing
by the same token its gap to achieve its Kyoto target. Had
Canada taken no actions on climate change during the past
decade, it would have faced a projected gap of 31% in 2010.
- As
a result of implemented or planned climate change–related
initiatives, it is projected that in 2010, Canada will have
to reduce its GHG emissions by 19% to meet its Kyoto target.
- Some
of the biggest challenges that Canada faces in terms of
emissions mitigation are economic and population growth
and increasing exports of energy to the United States.
These
key highlights are discussed in more detail below.
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National
Implementation Strategy on Climate Change (NIS)
As a
follow-up to Canada’s signing of the UNFCCC, the National
Action Program on Climate Change (NAPCC) was formulated in
1995. The NAPCC marked the beginning of a national strategy
designed to address climate change science, GHG emissions
mitigation, and adaptation to climate change. In 1998, the
Government of Canada established the National Climate Change
Process (NCCP) in an effort to initiate early action to address
climate change and build a broader policy foundation. The
NCCP was essential to developing a coordinated Canadian response
to climate change that would build on more than a decade of
actions by all jurisdictions.
After
two years of extensive consultations with 450 representatives
from stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, citizens,
governments, and academics, the federal, provincial, and territorial
governments agreed to adopt an overarching National Implementation
Strategy on Climate Change (NIS) in October 2000. The NIS
provides a broad framework that incorporates a risk management
approach to climate change and coordinates action in a phased
manner. Phase One of the NIS will be in force until an effective
international agreement is ratified. Adopting a phased approach
allows for progressive action in response to changing domestic
and international circumstances.
The NIS
addresses the issue of climate change by taking immediate
action to reduce risk and to improve our understanding of
the risks associated with climate change, as well as the costs
and consequences of reducing emissions and adapting to a changing
environment. Under the NIS, governments will be responsible
for outlining a suite of intended policies, measures, and
other actions in a series of annually updated three-year business
plans. The first of these plans, the First National Climate
Change Business Plan (FNBP), was publicly released in October
2000 under the key themes of the NIS and covering a number
of key sectors, including the electricity, transportation,
industry, municipal, agriculture, forestry (sinks), and building
sectors.
As part
of its FNBP contribution, the Government of Canada released
its Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change. Action Plan 2000 sets
the course for further action in many sectors of the Canadian
economy and lays the groundwork for the long-term behavioural,
technological, and economic change that is needed to reduce
GHG emissions. Through Action Plan 2000, the Government of
Canada will invest $500 million over five years on specific
actions to reduce GHG emissions and address key gaps in the
understanding of climate science, impacts, and adaptation
research.
When
fully implemented, Action Plan 2000 will reduce Canada’s GHG
emissions by about 65 megatonnes (Mt) per year during the
2008–2012 commitment period, taking us one-third of the way
to meeting Canada’s Kyoto target. Similar provincial business
plans are in the formulation stage, and possible outcomes
are not yet calculated; however, the projected benefits are
likely to be significant.
A summary
of the major policies and measures affecting GHG emissions
by sector, and by all jurisidictions (federal, provincial,
territorial, and municipal governments), is provided in Appendix
1, Table 1, of the report.
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National
Circumstances
Elements
of Canada’s national circumstances and their influence on
GHG emissions and response strategies need to be understood.
This is key to putting in context Canada’s progress on climate
change, understanding the practical impacts of climate change
on our economy, environment, and health, and developing further
mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Canada’s
vast geography, natural resources production, export-oriented
economy, dispersed population, northern climate, and high
population growth all contribute to increased energy demand
— a key determinant of GHG emissions levels. Although Canada
is developing a high-tech, knowledge-based economy, its resource-based
economy remains highly energy-intensive. Moreover, in the
last decade, an increasing amount of energy has been exported
abroad. While this has a positive impact on the economy of
the country, it generates more GHG emissions for which Canada
has the responsibility.
In response,
Canada is continuing to make significant efforts to reduce
the impact that human (anthropogenic) activities have on GHG
emissions. Canada is a world leader in developing energy efficiency
technologies and practices. Action Plan 2000 measures highlight
the importance of these activities and others in related areas,
such as fuel switching, promoting renewable energy, and promoting
alternative modes of transportation.
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Inventory
of GHG Emissions and Projections
As outlined
in Chapters 3 and 5, between 1990 and 1999, Canada’s GHG emissions
increased by 15%. Significant economic and population growth
played major roles in these GHG emissions increases. Moreover,
these increases were exacerbated by national circumstances,
increases in coal consumption for electricity generation,
due in part to the temporary shutdown of some nuclear power
stations, growth in fossil fuel production, mainly for export,
and increases in Canadian transportation energy consumption.
However, it should be noted that, as of 1999, Canada has seen
major improvements in per capita GHG emissions and reductions
in annual growth rates. Had Canada taken no actions on climate
change during the past decade, by 2010 it would have faced
the task of reducing its emissions by 259 Mt (31%). Instead,
due to the reduction expected from Action Plan 2000 and other
climate change–related initiatives, it is projected that Canada
will have to reduce its GHG emissions by 134 Mt (19%) to meet
its Kyoto target.
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Vulnerability
Assessment and Adaptation
The magnitude,
timing, and regional impacts of climate change could have
serious repercussions on Canada’s natural resources, wildlife
habitat, social and economic systems, and infrastructure,
as well as on the health and general well-being of Canadians.
While there may be positive impacts associated with global
warming, Canada’s vulnerability to extreme weather events
such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, and violent thunderstorms
could also increase. Impacts of climate change on, for example,
precipitation and evapotranspiration could affect soil moisture
levels and erosion, water quality and safety, surface water
and groundwater levels, hydrologic cycle variability and predictability,
and wetland area extent. As a result, the following sectors
of the economy could be affected: agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
tourism, municipal water supplies, and water transportation.
The full range of climate change impacts will influence virtually
every sector of the Canadian economy, as well as aspects of
our cultural identity.
In this
regard, identifying risks and adaptation options that are
sustainable over time is of great importance. Understanding
the climate system is also crucial for addressing climate
change in an appropriate way — both for mitigation and for
adaptation. Canada continues to take action to improve its
understanding of the science of climate change.
Canada
is working towards improvement of its research networks, enhancement
and coordination of systematic observations, better understanding
of the function of biological GHG sources and sinks, and development
of statistical and analytical tools to understand changes
in climate. The Government of Canada established the Canadian
Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences to undertake
some of these key activities.
This
research on climate change related to climate science, impacts,
adaptation, and vulnerability is being done by a number of
different agencies within the country, including federal and
provincial agencies and universities.
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Financial
Resources and Transfer of Technology
In fulfilment
of its obligations under the UNFCCC, Canada has contributed
substantial resources and assistance toward capacity building
and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to
a wide range of countries. In addition to meeting our commitments
under the Convention, these international efforts work to
address the global nature of climate change. Technology transfers
and capacity-building programs represent important steps in
enabling action on climate change, as well as engendering
global sustainable development practices.
A significant
part of Canada’s official development assistance program (ODA)
provides support to multilateral institutions such as the
Global Environment Facility (GEF), several United Nations
programs, as well as regional development banks. Country to
country assistance, or bilateral aid, also supports a large
proportion of actions that contribute to assisting developing
countries in managing climate change. Ongoing and new initiatives
include the signing of several memoranda of understanding
(MOU) with various countries, research initiatives, technology
transfer and capacity-building programs, and special funds
dedicated to helping developing countries to manage the causes
and effects of climate change.
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Public
Education and outreach
Federal,
provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, along
with environmental organizations, educational institutions,
and private industries, all play a vital role in informing
the public on climate change. Since public understanding of
climate change is crucial, the Government of Canada has developed
a national strategy on education, training, and public awareness:
Reaching Out to Canadians on Climate Change: A Public Education
and Outreach Strategy. This strategy focuses primarily on
building awareness of climate change among Canadians and encourages
them to take personal action to reduce GHG emissions.
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Conclusion
The environmental,
social, and economic well-being of all Canadians may depend
on how well we respond to climate change. As outlined in the
Third National Report on Climate Change, Canada is active
on all fronts to address climate change. Analysis, planning,
and actions in the field of science, mitigation, and adaptation
are all well under way. Canada’s NIS emphasizes the importance
of managing risks associated with the climate change issue.
Policies and measures at every level of government have had,
and will continue to have, a significant impact on levels
of GHG emissions.
Canada
will continue to work internationally and domestically to
develop appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies to
climate change. As a key to the successful realization of
these strategies, constant efforts to foster the understanding
of climate change among Canadians and their engagement in
implementing solutions will also be pursued.
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