Despite the Liberal’s punitive carbon taxes on Canadians, a recent report by Canada’s Environment Commissioner shows that Canada will not meet its climate targets.
Environment and Sustainable Development Commissioner Jerry V. DeMarco’s Nov. 7, 2023 report concluded that the Liberal government’s climate plan is insufficient to meet its 2030 emission reduction target.
The report highlighted that from 1990 to 2021, Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 13.9%, marking the worst performance in the G7 as other member countries have all seen decreases.
Additionally, the report indicated the changes between 2005 and 2021. During this timeframe, Canada has seen an 8% decrease in emissions, the smallest reduction among its peers.
In March 2022, the federal government published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, the first plan under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.
The Act requires the Commissioner to report by the end of 2023 on the implementation of the measures aimed at mitigating climate change.
“With the urgent need for rapid, deep emission cuts in Canada’s fight against catastrophic climate change, we decided to begin reporting in fall 2023, more than a year earlier than required,” the report stated.
The latest figures projected that Canada would miss the target set out in the plan for reducing emissions.
To achieve the 2030 climate goals, the report stated Canada must reduce emissions by 40% from 2005 levels.
Initially, a 36.4% reduction was expected, but the latest forecast suggests only a 34% decrease, further straying from the target.
Following the Commissioner’s report release, the Conservatives issued a press release condemning the Liberal government’s costly measures.
“The reality is that many Canadians simply cannot bike or take the train everywhere, as Minister Freeland told them to, and that this tax simply takes more money out of Canadians’ pockets during a time when life has never been more expensive,” the release read.
According to the Commissioner’s report, the government hasn’t acted fast enough as only 45% of the measures in the plan had a deadline for completion.
Furthermore, a staggering 95% of measures lack defined targets or expected emission reductions.
The federal government expected only 43% of measures to have some direct impact on emissions.
“Weaknesses in Environment and Climate Change Canada’s economic modelling included overly optimistic assumptions, limited analysis of uncertainties, and lack of peer review,” highlighted the report.
The Conservatives called the Liberal government’s approach “punitive” and unrealistic, in response to the Commissioner’s findings. .
“They know their punitive plan won’t accomplish anything, and the Environment Commissioner’s report shows they haven’t done their homework on how this will affect Canadians,” the Conservatives stated in their release.
DeMarco’s report said that course correction is critical to achieving the target.
“We found that responsibility for reducing emissions was fragmented among multiple federal organizations that were not directly accountable to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change,” wrote DeMarco.
The Commissioner also said that the federal government has failed to meet previous emission reduction targets despite the development and implementation of more than ten climate change mitigation plans since 1990.
