OTTAWA, Ontario, June
25, 2007– The Honourable John Baird, Minister
of the Environment will work with the U.S.
and Mexico to take further steps on issues
of common environmental concern, including
air pollution, at a meeting this week (June
26-27) of the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation (CEC) in Morelia, Mexico.
“We have taken great strides on improving
air quality with the introduction of a new
regulatory package in Canada,” Mr. Baird
said. “We are hoping to enhance our cooperation
with the U.S. and Mexico to deal effectively
with pollution at the continental level.”
In April, the Minister announced a comprehensive
set of initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse
gas emissions and air pollution that imposes
limits on industrial emitters, regulates
the fuel efficiency of vehicles and imposes
efficiency standards on consumer products
like light bulbs, among other things.
Canada’s New Government will impose mandatory
targets on industry, so that greenhouse
gases come down and we achieve our goal
of an absolute reduction of 150 megatonnes
by 2020. As well, it will impose targets
on industry so that air pollution from industry
is cut in half by 2015. For more information
on the regulatory framework, visit ecoaction.gc.ca.
At the Commission meeting this week, Minister
Baird will hold discussions with U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Administrator, Stephen
L. Johnson, and Mexican Secretary of Environment
and Natural Resources, Juan Rafael Elvira
Quesada. Their talks will focus on issues
such as harmonizing air quality data between
the three countries and strengthening Mexico’s
pollutant monitoring and reporting ability.
This work could set the stage for the development
of a North American emissions trading regime,
a move Canada supports.
At the end of this meeting, Canada will
assume the chair of the CEC for a period
of one year.
“We are all partners in caring for this
continent,” Mr. Baird added. “We share a
lot of responsibility. So, it is important
that we work together to protect the North
American environment.”
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation
was created by Canada, Mexico and the United
States in 1994 to work together on issues
of common environmental concern.
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
