Canada and the UN Climate Negotiations: A Paris package that shows Canada cares

Canada has a lot of catching up to do.

Since 1992 when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was negotiated at the Earth Summit, our country has contributed less than its fair share to the work we all need to do to protect the climate. The result in 2015 is an economy over-reliant on fossil fuels and investing less than it could in the transition to a 100% renewable energy system to power our economy and to ensure a healthy quality of life.

From November 29th to December 11, 2015 in Paris governments are expected to finalize negotiations on a new agreement and package of implementation decisions under the UNFCCC1 to limit global carbon pollution. Canada needs, however, to start making things right ahead of Paris starting at a meeting of ministers hosted by France and Peru November 8th to 10th and at the G-20 in Turkey November 15-16th. Canadians and media can use this document to compare Canada’s performance at these early meetings and in Paris against metrics that have the best chance of keeping the climate system in balance.

There is a consensus among governments and climate scientists that keeping the climate system in balance requires that global warming stay well below an average of 2oC above pre-industrial levels. This level of warming, however, exceeds what is safe for the world’s most vulnerable countries. These countries are calling for global warming of no more than an average of 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels to protect their dignity and well-being; a position endorsed by the more than 950 organizations working together to advance climate protection under the auspices of Climate Action Network.