Canada Engages United States With Joint Agreement to Fight Climate Change

Washington, March 7, 2002 - Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson today announced an agreement reached with the United States to expand and intensify bilateral efforts on climate change. The agreement was reached after two days of meetings held in Washington this week between Minister Anderson, representing Cabinet colleagues, and senior members of the U.S. Administration.

While Canada and the U.S. are pursuing different roads to meet the climate change challenge, we have a lot to share. Both countries have agreed to build on existing bilateral cooperation on climate change in the areas of science and research; technology development; carbon sequestration; emissions measurement and accounting; capacity building in developing countries; carbon sinks; targeted measures to spur the uptake of cleaner technology; and, market-based approaches. The expanded effort will involve a number of Canadian departments and U.S. agencies.

"We have many measures that are common to our respective approaches. We will enhance the two countries' existing and future efforts, especially in the energy area," said Minister Anderson. "Our twin-track approach will allow us to work with the U.S. in the North American context while we pursue international solutions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol."

As a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, Canada made a commitment to fight climate change by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. Prime Minister Chrétien has said his goal is to consider ratification of the Protocol this year.

"We welcome U.S. commitment to act on climate change and clean air and we hope to encourage them to move further and faster," said Minister Anderson. "Cooperative action with the U.S. to address the serious issue of climate change will make it easier for Canada to meet its Kyoto target by bringing new technologies to the market sooner."

Examples of opportunities for cooperation that may result in significant greenhouse gas reductions include, but are not limited to, clean coal technology and carbon dioxide capture and storage technology development, expanded use of cogeneration and renewable sources of energy, as well as concrete ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable agriculture and forestry management practices.