Gatineau, QC: The federal government announced March 31 that Canada will host the 46th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Montréal, from September 3 to 9, 2017.
Hundreds of scientists and representatives from 195 countries will gather to advance the science of climate change and to decide the scope of the sixth IPCC assessment report. This report will provide the most up-to-date international scientific knowledge on climate change, and it will play an important part in supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.
On April 20, the Government of Canada endorsed the Under2 Coalition, consisting of varied levels of governments, from national down to municipal, all committed to achieving emissions reductions believed necessary to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. The coalition identifies action being taken by regional and local jurisdictions around the world and promotes ambitious action on climate change.
California, San Francisco, and Sacramento are among the American signatories. Canadian signatories include British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Quebec, Vancouver, and Ontario. Canada joins national endorsers Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Panama, Peru, and the United Kingdom.
Endorsing the Under2 Coalition supports the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, developed with the provinces and territories and in consultation with Indigenous peoples. The framework sets out the path to meet or surpass Canada’s emissions reduction target and grow the economy.
A total of 167 jurisdictions spanning 33 countries and 6 continents have signed or endorsed the Under2 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Signatories to the MOU commit to limiting their greenhouse gas emissions from 80 to 90 percent below 1990 levels, the level required to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. National governments that endorse the MOU indicate their commitment to support subnational governments within their boundaries in achieving their objectives.
In a related story, on March 29 U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran issued a statement in response to the Trump administration’s policies on energy and the environment, saying, in part, “U.S. Mayors have committed their cities to address climate change by investing in renewable energy, increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, addressing the water-energy nexus, and providing more energy-efficient transportation options. We acknowledge the detrimental impact that climate change already has, and will continue to have on our communities and our planet.” The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000+.
In addition, on April 21 Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr launched Generation Energy, a national dialogue on Canada’s path to a low-carbon future. The purpose of this dialogue is to invite all Canadians to share their ideas and participate in helping define Canada’s energy future. The launch marked the beginning of a six-month national conversation, to take place face to face with provinces and territories, Indigenous groups, international experts and academics, and online with all Canadians. Further information is available through www.generationenergy.ca.