Joint Meeting of Energy and Environment Ministers

Quebec City, October 17, 2000 -- Canadian Energy and Environment Ministers* reviewed and approved the final version of the National Implementation Strategy on Climate Change. Ministers also released the First National Business Plan, which sets out concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The National Implementation Strategy and the First National Business Plan are a significant step forward in addressing climate change. Ministers recognize the need to act now -- the impacts of climate change are being felt in Canada now, particularly in the North.

Ministers discussed the importance of the upcoming international negotiations at the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in The Hague in November. Against this background, Ministers also released the First National Business Plan today to demonstrate to the world Canada’s resolve to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many provincial and territorial Ministers confirmed their participation as members of the Canadian delegation to the Conference.

Ministers agreed to continue working collectively in a spirit of trust and partnership, and with a clear, common purpose. The Business Plan is a key element of the National Implementation Strategy and will enable Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing environment.

Ministers* directed that implementation of the First National Business Plan begin immediately. Some jurisdictions have provided details of their actions in appended documents.

The First National Business Plan will address climate change on many fronts: further reductions to Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions; enhancing opportunities to store carbon in agricultural soils and forests (removal by sinks); advancing timely and prudent efforts that can reduce the cost of future actions; assessing impacts; identifying adaptation needs; and preparing the basis for future decisions through analysis and options development.

The First National Business Plan draws on the extensive work of 450 experts and input from stakeholder sessions held across the country. This plan also builds on over a decade of action on climate change by all jurisdictions. Improvements in energy efficiency and emissions intensity have resulted from better practices, technology development and increased public awareness, as described in A Compendium of Canadian Initiatives – Taking Action on Climate Change.

Ministers directed officials to conduct analytical work, including a full range of options for future business plans, competitiveness issues, implementation in an integrated national, North American and international economy, disaggregation of modelling results and the discussion of future policy approaches such as domestic emissions trading. This would include possible approaches to provincial/territorial or sectoral allocations of any Canadian target, and how any resulting burden would be shared.

Ministers also announced the implementation of the Baseline Protection Initiative - a key element of removing disincentives to early action. Effective March 1, 2001, companies are encouraged to register their baseline emissions levels with the Voluntary Challenge Registry (VCR) Inc. and/or ÉcoGESte in Québec.

In addition, Ministers directed their officials to develop a cost-shared program for pilots that would allow the purchase of emission reductions in strategic areas; this would involve the various jurisdictions adopting multilateral and bilateral approaches.

Ministers were pleased to see the establishment of pilot ‘hubs’ - multi-stakeholder Public Education and Outreach Centres or other consultation mechanisms - that will help increase Canadians’ awareness and understanding through regionally appropriate outreach activities coordinated across the country.

This National Business Plan is the first in a series that Canada will implement to deal with climate change. Ministers* agreed to submit the draft framework agreement on climate change for approval by their respective governments so that it can be ratified at the next Joint Meeting of Energy and Environment Ministers.

Governments will continue to analyse future policy options and update the plan annually. Ministers agreed to meet again in 2001 to discuss domestic and international progress on addressing climate change.

In closing their meeting, Energy and Environment Ministers agreed that they had made significant progress with respect to climate change.

 

* Except Ontario

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