BRUSSELS, June 21, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadians expect their governments to take serious action to fight climate change because it's the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren, and it's creating new economic opportunities for Canadian workers and companies. That's why the Government of Canada is pursuing ambitious climate action at home and keeping up the momentum abroad on Paris Agreement commitments while encouraging cleaner economic growth.

This week, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, was in London, Berlin, and Brussels to meet with international partners to ensure continued progress toward global climate commitments in the lead-up to the upcoming international climate talks in Poland, in December.

Minister McKenna later co-chaired the second Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action, co-hosted by Canada, China, and the European Union, in Brussels. As co-chair, the Minister worked with other ministers to push for the adoption of common and robust implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement, ahead of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), in Poland, this December. Guidelines that are ambitious, credible, transparent, and applicable to all countries will help to ensure that action—taken now and in the future—will contribute to meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming by no more than 2 °C and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C.

While in Brussels, Minister McKenna also co-chaired a meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development's Task Force on Global Governance and Ecological Civilization, with Xie Zhenhua, China's Special Representative on Climate Change Affairs. As the International Executive Vice-Chair, Minister McKenna helped advance policy discussions about how China and the international community can play a meaningful role in driving international momentum to promote environmental sustainability in three areas: biodiversity, ocean health, and climate change. Outcomes of the meeting will be integrated into policy recommendations from the China Council, which will be provided to Chinese leaders, this fall.

While in Berlin, Minister McKenna participated in the Petersberg Climate Dialogue IX, with other climate leaders, to discuss how to enhance global climate action for reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Minister underscored how critical it is for the world to maintain momentum on reducing carbon pollution in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement and discussed Canada's domestic and international efforts to tackle climate change, phase out traditional coal power, and support workers and communities affected by the transition to clean energy.

The Minister also highlighted the progress of developed countries toward mobilizing $100 billion in climate finance by 2020. Climate finance will help developing countries adapt to a changing climate and reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

The World Bank estimates that global climate action will unlock $23 trillion in new opportunities for investments to combat climate change, between now and 2030. Those opportunities are creating demand for Canadian clean-technology solutions and expertise, and the federal government will continue to work at home and abroad to promote the transition to cleaner economic growth and to support the development and export of Canadian innovation.

Quotes

"Canadians expect our government to take ambitious action to fight climate change at home and abroad. These meetings with other international climate leaders were essential to continue building momentum toward the ambitious global action we need to keep our climate safe and realize the opportunities of the transition to cleaner economic growth. We will continue to work with our national and international partners to ensure we can all meet our Paris commitments to protect our planet for our kids and grandkids."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick Facts

• Last year, Canada organized the first-ever Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action, in Montréal. This year's meeting was co-hosted by Canada, China, and the European Union, and it brought together representatives from major economies and other global climate leaders, for frank and constructive dialogue to support an ambitious outcome at the upcoming international climate talks, in Poland.
• Canada is providing $2.65 billion by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
• The China Council, which Canada helped to establish in 1992, is a high-level international advisory body that provides the Chinese government with research-based policy recommendations on the environment and development.
• The first Petersberg Climate Dialogue, co-hosted by Germany and Mexico, took place in 2010. This meeting was co-hosted by Germany and Poland—as the next host country for COP24—with the theme "Changing Together for a Just Transition."

Related Products

• READOUT: Minister McKenna discussed ambition for climate action with British climate leaders

Associated Links

• Canada-China agreement on China Council on Environment and Development
• Petersberg Climate Dialogue IX
• Coal phase-out: the Powering Past Coal Alliance
• Task Force: Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities
• Ministerial meeting on climate action
• China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development

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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

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