Climate Change — Some progress since 1998

Still in early stages of action, while emissions continue to rise

Chapter 6, 2001 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Ottawa, 2 October 2001 — In her report tabled today in the House of Commons, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Johanne Gélinas, indicated that the federal government’s progress since 1998 in responding to climate change falls short of what is needed to achieve the commitments Canada made in Kyoto.

Canada has committed to reducing its emissions of certain greenhouse gases to six percent below 1990 levels in the period 2008 to 2012 (Canada's Kyoto target). However, our greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise: in 1999 they were 15 percent above 1990 levels.

"The continued upward trend in Canada's emissions demonstrates that the government has not transformed its promises into results," Ms. Gélinas said. "The government is still in the early stages of setting national action in motion."

The impacts of climate change — for example, increased flooding, drought, forest fires, and severe storms could adversely affect all sectors of the economy and all regions of Canada, particularly the North. The emissions that cause climate change also create pollutants that produce smog and acid rain.

In a 1998 report on climate change, the Commissioner stated that the failure to meet Canada’s climate change commitments was mainly a result of poor planning and ineffective management. The report suggested that it was time to rethink Canada’s implementation strategy.

This year’s chapter notes that the government has made some important progress in rethinking its implementation strategy. It has changed the management structure for dealing with climate change by establishing a national climate change process. And it has increased its funding for addressing climate change. However, it is too early to tell if the changes in strategy will reverse the direction of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. The federal government still needs to do a great deal of work, such as clarifying federal roles and responsibilities, developing a broader portfolio of measures to meet Canada's climate change commitments, and providing summary-level information to Parliament.

"Given the important health, economic, environmental, and social benefits of taking action, I believe Canada cannot afford to lose ground," said Ms. Gélinas.

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The chapter "Climate Change and Energy Efficiency: A Progress Report" is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada Web site (www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/environment).

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