A Climate Change Plan for the Purposes of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act – 2007

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Provincial and Territorial Collaboration and Action

Provinces, territories and municipalities control many of the important levers for making significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from particular sectors. These sectors include, among others, electricity generation, residential, commercial and institutional buildings, transportation, agriculture, and waste management. Over 85% of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions is emitted in areas under sole or partial provincial / territorial responsibility.

Most provinces and territories have announced greenhouse gas emission reductions targets largely commensurate with their responsibilities and capacities. Provinces such as British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario have established specific targets for aggregate reductions in the province, while Alberta has a reduction target based on emissions intensity.

Federal Collaborative Initiatives

In February 2007, the federal government put in place an important instrument for collaboration across jurisdictions on climate change policy. Under the $1.5 billion Clean Air and Climate Change Trust Fund, a series of third-party trusts have been established to directly support provincial and territorial efforts to develop technology, improve energy efficiency, and undertake other projects that will result in significant environmental benefits.

The Trust Fund is expected to result in the following reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

This section on federal collaborative initiatives addresses the descriptive requirements of paragraph 5 (1) (a) (iv) of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act to include measures respecting cooperative measures or agreements with provinces territories or other governments as well as paragraphs 5 (1) (b) (i) and (ii).

Provincial Climate Change Targets and Plans

Canada's provinces and territories have developed an ambitious array of plans, programs and other initiatives that will go beyond those supported by the Trust Fund for Clean Air and Climate Change and other federal-provincial funding agreements to reduce significantly the overall greenhouse gas emissions within their respective jurisdictions.

• In the British Columbia 2007 Speech from the Throne, the B.C. Government announced its intention of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33% below current levels by 2020, which would place its emissions 10% under 1990 levels. The B.C. Government has also committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector to 2000 levels by 2016.
  
  
• Alberta's 2002 Plan, Albertans and Climate Change: Taking Action, established a target to reduce emissions intensity by 50% below 1990 levels by 2020. Starting July 1, 2007 Alberta facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year will be required to reduce their emissions intensity by 12% under the Climate Change and Emissions Management Act.
  
  
• In June 2007, Saskatchewan released its Saskatchewan Energy and Climate Change Plan with goals of: stabilizing the level of greenhouse gas emissions by 2010; reducing emissions to 32% below current (2004) levels by 2020; and reducing emissions by 80% from current levels by 2050.
  
  
• Manitoba's climate change plan entitled "Kyoto and Beyond" released in October 2002 calls for emissions reductions of 18% from 1990 levels by 2010 and as much as 23% by 2012.
  
  
• In June 2007, Ontario announced its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6% below 1990 levels by 2014, 15% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
  
  
• Quebec's 2006 climate change plan entitled Quebec and Climate Change -- A Challenge for the Future outlines actions that are intended to produce greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 1.5% below 1990 levels by 2012. Quebec's overall goal is to achieve the Kyoto Protocol target of 6% below 1990 levels by 2012 through the actions in the 2006 plan combined with those derived from federal funding.
  
  
• In March 2007, Nova Scotia introduced an Act Respecting Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity with the mid-term objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.
  
  
• In June 2007, New Brunswick released its Climate Change Action Plan which seeks to deliver a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2012 with mid-term target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.
  
  
• The Northwest Territories has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations by 10% below 2001 levels by the year 2011. It also encourages all other sectors to develop their own emissions management plans and targets.
  
  
• Newfoundland and Labrador has not yet released a climate change strategy, although it has stated a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 Mt annually.
  
  
• To date, Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Nunavut have not set recent greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Annex 2 presents details on the wider range of actions provinces and territories are taking to reduce greenhouse gases, including national partnerships, regulations and economic instruments, energy and conservation, and transportation and biofuels.

Working Together for National Progress

It is clear that Canada's provinces and territories, like the federal government, are committed to serious action to address climate change. Governments at all levels are implementing a wide range of climate change plans with incentives for businesses and individual Canadians to take action. Together, action by government, industries and individuals will achieve real change. These initiatives will help Canada reach its national medium term target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 2006 levels in 2020 and place Canada on a pathway to achieving the long term goal of a 60 to 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Canada's Emissions Levels from 2008 to 2012

In accordance with paragraph 5 (1) (c), the text and the table below set out Canada's projected greenhouse gas emission levels for 2008 to 2012 and how these levels compare with Canada's obligations under Article 3, paragraph 1, of the Kyoto Protocol. In addition to the levels in the table, provincial plans and actions are expected to lower Canada's emission levels over the period of 2008 to 2012; however, it is premature to estimate the resulting emissions reductions in the context of this Plan.

Canada's allowable emissions for the period 2008 to 2012 are 2,815 Mt. These projected numbers will be verified by the national inventory reports, the first of which will be due on April 15, 2010, with the final report for 2012 due on April 15, 2014. The degree to which Canada has met its emissions reduction obligations under the Kyoto Protocol will be assessed after its final report has been filed in 2014.

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