Canada’s first ministers on Friday laid out a plan for the nation to reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. “This Framework builds on actions of provincial and territorial governments to reduce GHG emissions and identifies actions that will seize the many economic opportunities afforded by clean growth. It presents an ambitious and achievable plan to address our common challenges, while also improving our quality of life and building a healthy environment for our children and grandchildren,” a government communiqué says.
The Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change includes several actions to be taken at the national and provincial level. Action items include “expanding clean electricity systems, promoting inter-ties, and using smart-grid technologies to phase out the reliance on coal, make more efficient use of existing power supplies, and ensure a greater use of renewable energy,” as well as “setting an example and driving significant reductions in emissions from government operations.”
At the center of the plan is the newly announced nationwide carbon pricing plan. “Pricing carbon pollution is an efficient way to reduce GHG emissions, drive innovation, and encourage people and businesses to pollute less. It is a core element of the Framework and governments will work together on its implementation,” the release says.
Under the new pan-Canadian carbon pricing plan, the national government will institute a minimum carbon price of $10 per metric ton in 2018. The price will increase $10 a year until it reaches $50 per metric ton in 2022, at which time it will be evaluated.
In protest of the carbon pricing plan, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall did not sign on to the framework.