Province Showing Climate Change Leadership at Annual U.N. Meeting in Peru
Ontario is joining the Compact of States and Regions which commits international partners to publicly reporting on greenhouse gas emissions every year.
Ontario is also a member of The Climate Group‘s States and Regions Alliance Steering Group, mandated to accelerate international action on climate change by raising the profile of successful mitigation efforts, facilitating discussions among states and regions and sharing best practices from around the world.
The alliance represents 313 million people, 11 percent of the world economy and seven percent of global emissions. Other members of the alliance include Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and other states and regions around the world.
The compact builds on Ontario’s recent actions showing leadership and collaboration on climate change, including:
- Working with all provinces to ensure the Canadian Energy Strategy, currently being developed, takes climate change objectives into account.
- A Joint Statement on Climate Change with California, Quebec and British Columbia. The statement recognizes the urgency of addressing climate change and resolves to work collaboratively towards mid-term greenhouse gas reduction goals.
- Meeting Ontario’s 2014 greenhouse gas reduction target of six per cent below 1990 levels.
Leading and collaborating with other jurisdictions and industry leaders to address climate change is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.
QUICK FACTS
- The compact is a joint project of the Climate Group and the Carbon Disclosure Project, which provides a global system to help governments and companies collect, store and report environmental information. Ontario is a founding government member of the compact.
- Ontario’s action to eliminate coal-fired electricity is the single largest greenhouse gas reduction initiative in North America.
- Phasing out coal-fired electricity generation is the equivalent to taking up to 7 million cars off the road when it comes to reducing greenhouse gases.
- Ontario’s Climate Change Update highlights the province`s success in achieving its 2014 greenhouse gas reduction target and its progress towards longer term goals.