GLASGOW (CU)_The government of Canada, which continues to aim for deeper reductions in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, has been running into opposition from its powerful energy sector, particularly from local government authorities in the province of Alberta, who claim that the faster emissions cuts that are being demanded by the government may be unachievable. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration has already committed to slash Canada’s carbon emissions by 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by the end of this decade. But in late October the Liberal government decided to advance its timetable for cuts to the oil sector’s total emissions by 2025.
With the environment being one of the major concerns of Canadians, tackling the climate crisis has been a priority for PM Trudeau since he took office in 2015. However, after the Liberals failed to win a majority government in the federal election in September, party officials said some progressive voters had been disheartened by the government’s green record.
Accordingly, the Prime Minister vowed to boost its targets on slashing carbon emissions, considering the speed and scale of changes needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Speaking to reporters after outlining Canada’s plans for the COP26, PM Trudeau said: “I look forward to presenting even more ambitious targets in the future. But we will ensure that before we set new targets we are able to achieve the ambitious targets that we’ve just set out here.”
He also expressed his confidence in the global community’s ability to achieve the 1.5°C target through modern technology and innovation. “One of the things we recognize is that we’re going to need to be continuing to push our levels of ambition… pushing on the development of new solutions, of technologies, of new ways of growing our economy,” he said.
“These are the things we need to do. So yes, I am confident we’re going to be able to stay on that track to 1.5 (degrees).”
