Picture the atmosphere as a bathtub with the taps turned on. Like the water filling the bathtub, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions don't just drain away: they can persist for anywhere between decades and thousands of years after they're released. Over the past 200 years, we've filled the bathtub almost to the top, and most of the "water" came from the world's developed countries.
The international negotiations on reducing GHG emissions are really about how to divide up the last few inches of bathtub space between the nations of the world. But that's only one of the "building blocks" that countries have agreed must make up the next global climate deal. Financial support for poorer countries, technology cooperation and adaptation to climate impacts are also integral elements of the negotiations.
Economic Modelling Study for Canadian GHG Targets
With strong policies, Canada can meet a 2°C target in 2020 and have a strong, growing economy, a quality of life higher than Canadians enjoy today, and continued steady job creation across the country.Climate Leadership, Economic Prosperity is the first Canadian study of its kind to show how reducing GHG emissions would affect employment and gross domestic product at the regional level. It also provides a comprehensive outline of policies that would enable Canada to meet both the federal government's current emissions target for 2020, and a more ambitious target derived from scientific analysis of the emission reductions needed to limit average global warming to 2°C.
Download: English Report | Version française | Media Release | Technical Report
Letter in Support of Bill C-311
The proposed federal Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311) would commit the federal government to meeting science-based national targets for reducing GHG emissions. In this letter, The Pembina Institute joined more than 30 other organizations to call for the swift passage of Bill C-311.
Download: Letter
Climate Finance Report: Our Fair Share
Canada is the world's 8th largest emitter of GHG pollution and has the world's 13th largest economy. Conservative estimates peg Canada's fair contribution to tackling climate change in the world's poorer countries between C$2B and C$6B per year — or 3-4% of the global total needed.
As international negotiations continue to work out the details on climate financing for developing countries, Canada needs to lead other developed nations in committing its fair share.
Download: Report | Media Release | Letter to PM | Pembina Reacts: G20 outcomes in New York
Poll: Canadians Want Leadership on Climate Change
What kind of international leadership do Canadians expect on climate change? A McAllister poll of more than 1,000 Canadians in November 2008 found that 83% of respondents wanted Canada to "commit to strong action on global warming without waiting for other countries." 78% also agreed that "Canada's global warming targets should be based on what leading scientists say is needed to avoid serious harm to people and the environment, even if meeting these targets entails some cost to the economy."
Download: Poll | Media release
