TORONTO – In response to Justin Trudeau’s announcement of Canada’s new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of 40 to 45% by 2030 (relative to 2005) at Joe Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate, Keith Stewart, Senior Energy Strategist, Greenpeace Canada, said:
“Trudeau’s proposed target is less ambitious than what climate science requires, with no commitment to phasing out fossil fuels at home or abroad. Canada is a rich country yet its target is less than Canada’s fair share of the global effort and less than what the U.S. is proposing. We should be proposing at least a 60% reduction in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels, alongside a plan for a just transition for workers as we phase out fossil fuels. We must start with eliminating fossil fuel subsidies immediately.
“After more than five years in office, the Trudeau government is still incapable of proposing a target as ambitious as that of Joe Biden who took office just three months ago. Despite recent positive commitments on climate, Canada remains under the influence of the oil and gas industry, which prioritizes private profits over the wellbeing of communities and the environment. The costs of inaction will be greater than the cost of acting quickly and decisively. “
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For more information, please contact :
Marie-Christine Fiset, Head of Media, Greenpeace Canada
[email protected] ; +1 (514) 972-6316
