Canada will fall far short of its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, largely because it refuses to regulate emissions from the oil and gas sector, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Julie Gelfand reported Tuesday.
Environment Canada data show the country on track to reduce its emissions from 737 to 734 megatonnes between 2005 and 2020—122 MT short of its 612-MT target. Of the GHG reductions Canada has achieved, Gelfand said the majority come from provincial initiatives, beginning with Ontario’s move to phase out coal-fired generation. (To meet the international goal of an 80% GHG reduction from 1990 levels, Canada would have to cut its emissions to 100 MT per year by 2050.)
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“When you make a commitment, you need to keep it,” Gelfand said. “There’s no overall plan for how we’re going to achieve our target, and climate change is affecting all Canadians.”
