Joint Meeting of Energy and Environment Ministers

Ministers of Energy and Environment:

   
• Supported an informal ministerial discussion prior to CoP7 and agreed to additional informal meetings as appropriate;    

   

     
   
• Agreed to meet in May 2002 to discuss international developments and key analytic and policy issues related to Canada's decision on ratification;    

   

     
   
• Supported the enhanced involvement of stakeholders in the National Climate Change Process;    

   

     
   
• Agreed to undertake broader consultations, as appropriate, and    

   

     
   
• Ministers also recognized the need for a concerted and collaborative effort by all governments to consult with stakeholders.

National Business Plans

The National Implementation Strategy on Climate Change adopts a risk management approach and implements climate change actions through annual business plans.

Today, Ministers of Energy and Environment:

   
• Agreed that further work needs to be undertaken to inform a discussion on ratification issues.    
         
  • In particular, Ministers requested an update on the international context, the size of the challenge to meet the Kyoto target, the possible approaches to meeting a potential Kyoto target and implications of such approaches.
         
  • To support such a discussion, work will continue on such issues as a possible domestic emissions trading system, emissions allocation and burden sharing, targeted measures, sinks, covenants, impacts and adaptation, technology, and competitiveness.
     
     

   

     
   
• Agreed to the public release of the Progress Report on Canada's First National Climate Change Business Plan, which outlines federal, provincial, territorial and joint actions to address climate change.    

   

     
   
• Supported continued actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to build on efforts in the First National Business Plan. For consideration at their next meeting, Ministers directed their officials to prepare National Business Plan 2002:    
         
  • retaining the same goals and themes of the previous business plan but expanding the plan to include examples of private sector activities;
         
  • taking action across all themes and sectors and to focus on strategic sectoral activities; and
         
  • placing an increased emphasis on understanding the regional impacts of climate change and potential adaptation responses.