15/07/2005 - The commitment
in the Government of Canada's Climate Change
Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
industrial sources was honoured today with
the publication of the road ahead to meet
the 45 megatonne reduction goal for Large
Final Emitters during the Kyoto Protocol period
between 2008 and 2012.
The Notice of Intent to Regulate Greenhouse
Gas Emissions by Large Final Emitters (LFEs)
was published today in the Canada Gazette,
Part I, outlining how emission-reduction targets
would be set, the mechanisms through which
LFEs could meet their targets and the preferred
regulatory option for implementing the system,
under the Canadian Environmental Protection
Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999).
"To achieve significant reductions in
GHGs over the long-term, the Canadian economy
needs to accelerate the transformation to
low-carbon technologies, while maintaining
strong economic growth," said the Honourable
Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment.
"The implementation of the LFE system
as described in this Government's updated
climate change plan - Moving Forward on Climate
Change: A Plan for Honouring our Kyoto Commitment
- is a major step in this important transformation
of our economy and a key component of Project
Green, the government's approach for a sustainable
environment and a competitive economy."
The Government of Canada's climate change
plan, released on April 13, identified a 45-megatonne
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for
LFEs, which is part of our overall 270 megatonne
target. Canada's LFEs number about 700 companies
in the energy-intensive mining and manufacturing,
oil and gas, and thermal electricity sectors
and represent just under 50 percent of total
Canadian GHG emissions.
The LFE system will establish clear emission-reduction
targets and give industry multiple avenues
for meeting their target, including through
contributions to a new Technology Investment
Fund established in Budget 2005. The monies
contributed to the Fund will help promote
technological innovation and reductions beyond
the Kyoto period. Companies that have surplus
emission reductions may sell them to other
companies or to the Climate Fund. This approach
provides a financial incentive for companies
to exceed their targets.
The first step towards the development of
the LFE regulations will be for the Government
of Canada to add greenhouse gases to Schedule
1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection
Act, 1999. Consultations around this addition
will continue through August 2005, at the
time of the publication of the proposed Order
in Council in Part I of the Canada Gazette,
and into the Fall.
Action at home combined with international
measures is the surest way for Canada and
other countries to address climate change
over the long term. G-8 leaders endorsed a
Plan of Action to combat climate change at
the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, July
8. Canada is also looking to continue this
momentum, as it prepares to host the United
Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal,
November 28-December 9, 2005.
Project Green is a national project to create
a healthier environment and a stronger economy
by combining the efforts of all Canadians
to build a more sustainable future. The first
phase of Project Green was launched in April
of this year with the release of the updated
climate change plan for Canada.
http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/newsroom/2005/plan05.asp?pid=179
For more information, please visit Environment
Canada's Greenlane www.ec.gc.ca/ceparegistry
or call 1 800 668 6767. For a copy of the
Notice of Intent to Regulate Greenhouse Gas
Emissions by Large Final Emitters or the Proposed
Order to add greenhouse gases to Schedule
1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection
Act, 1999, please visit http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2005/20050716/pdf/g1-13929.pdf
or www.ec.gc.ca/ceparegistry.
