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For release: June 15, 2009

Environmental and Justice Groups to MPs:
No Time to Waste on Global Warming Action

(Ottawa) – Several environmental and justice groups today called on MPs of all political stripes to fast-track their consideration of a landmark global warming bill that is currently in the House of Commons Environment Committee. Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act, is essential to restoring Canada’s credibility at the UN climate negotiations that are scheduled to wrap up in Copenhagen in December.

“Canadians agree on the need for urgent action to tackle global warming,” said Graham Saul, Director of Climate Action Network Canada – Réseau action climat Canada. “Now we need to see that urgency reflected at the House of Commons Environment Committee.”

Bill C-311 is a private member’s bill that would set science-based national emission reduction targets for Canada from the end of the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol to 2050. The bill would also require regular assessments of the government’s plans to meet those targets and its progress towards them.

The House of Commons passed a virtually identical version of this bill last June, but that bill’s progress into law ended when a federal election was called in the fall of 2008. That version of the bill received detailed consideration by Committee members in the spring of 2008.

The current version of the Climate Change Accountability Act passed second reading in the House of Commons on April 1 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Two and a half months later, committee members are now scheduled to begin consideration of C-311 on June 18. To make progress in time for the Copenhagen climate talks, all parties must cooperate to move the bill through committee stage quickly and return it the House for a final vote as soon as possible.

“One hundred and thirty MPs have already pledged to support the KYOTOplus target of a 25 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, which is also reflected in C-311,” says Dave Martin, Climate and Energy Coordinator for Greenpeace Canada. “Parliament should extend this non-partisan support for action on global warming by speedy passage of the bill.”

“The clock is ticking in the countdown to Copenhagen, and time is very short. We need progress on this legislation before the House comes back from its summer break,” said Aaron Freeman, Policy Director with Environmental Defence. “Canada’s MPs need to work together on C-311 to help ensure that Canada plays a responsible part in the global effort to tackle global warming.”

Groups supporting the call for urgent action on Bill C-311 include: Sierra Club Canada, Greenpeace Canada, Forest Ethics, Environmental Defence Canada, Pembina Institute, Sierra Youth Coalition, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, and Climate Action Network-Réseau action climat Canada.

Climate Action Network Canada - Réseau action climat is a nation-wide coalition of 50 environmental, faith, development, aboriginal, health, and youth organizations committed to making action on climate change a reality.

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