15.1 Climate Change and Environmental Policies

Climate change and environmental policies have become critical issues in Canada's recent history. The nation grapples with balancing economic growth and environmental protection, participating in global climate agreements while implementing domestic carbon pricing and renewable energy initiatives.

Canada's environmental protection efforts extend beyond climate change. Conservation programs, impact assessments, and debates over resource extraction, like the oil sands controversy, highlight the ongoing struggle to safeguard natural resources and biodiversity while supporting economic development.

International Climate Agreements

Global Efforts to Address Climate Change

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• Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement adopted in 1997, set binding targets for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Aimed to reduce emissions by an average of 5% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012
  • Canada initially ratified the protocol but later withdrew in 2011
• Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, is a global accord to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels
  • Commits countries to set nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions
  • Emphasizes the need for global cooperation and support for developing nations
• Greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), are the main drivers of climate change
  • Emissions result from human activities such as burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation, and agricultural practices
  • Reducing emissions is crucial to mitigating the impacts of climate change

Domestic Climate Policies

Carbon Pricing Mechanisms

• Carbon pricing puts a price on greenhouse gas emissions to incentivize reduction
  • Can take the form of a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system
  • British Columbia implemented a carbon tax in 2008, which has successfully reduced emissions while maintaining economic growth
• Renewable energy initiatives promote the development and adoption of clean energy sources
  • Includes wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal power
  • Ontario's Green Energy Act (2009) aimed to expand renewable energy production and create green jobs
• Climate action plans outline strategies and targets for reducing emissions and adapting to climate change
  • Federal government released the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in 2016
  • Provinces and territories have developed their own plans tailored to regional needs and opportunities (Quebec's 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan)

Environmental Protection Measures

Safeguarding Natural Resources and Biodiversity

• Conservation efforts aim to protect and preserve natural habitats, ecosystems, and species
  • Establishment of protected areas like national parks (Banff National Park) and marine protected areas (Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area)
  • Implementation of endangered species legislation (Species at Risk Act) to prevent extinction and promote recovery
• Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) evaluate the potential environmental consequences of proposed projects or activities
  • Identifies potential adverse effects on air, water, land, and biodiversity
  • Provides recommendations for mitigation measures and monitoring
• Oil sands controversy highlights the tension between economic development and environmental protection
  • Alberta's oil sands are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and have impacts on local ecosystems (deforestation, water pollution)
  • Debates over the balance between the economic benefits of oil sands development and the need for environmental sustainability and Indigenous rights