Environment Committee on Nov. 19th, 2012

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

The reason we're doing that is that if we can significantly reduce those, we can buy ourselves time on the GHGs, which are the long-lived climate pollutants and forces, which take generations. It's been estimated that fully a third of global warming, on an annual basis, could be eliminated if we were to contain short-lived climate pollutants.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I'm wondering what specific actions the federal government is taking. Last Christmas we were basically where we could get 25% of the way to achieving our greenhouse gas targets. In the summer, it was announced that we could get 50% of the way there. I'd like to know what the federal actions are to do that.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

How that was achieved?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Yes.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

It has been shown, as we've said all along...and some of our regulations are only now taking effect, there has been a separation in our GHG trending models, which we saw last year, where, even with increased GDP growth in the economy, there has been a diminished rate of GHG emissions. Some of this is through provincial regulations. Some of this is through better practices by industry and by individual citizens in terms of the way they heat their homes—

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

What are the specific federal actions, please?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

The specific federal actions?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Yes, that have changed from last Christmas to July.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Well, the newer numbers that we achieved, and factoring in the regulations.... We know, for example, that the tailpipe emissions will achieve a reduction of a significant amount of megatonnage because fully a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions are in the transportation sector. We know that those regulations and the science behind them will get down a certain number of tonnes. We know that the new regulations for coal-fired electricity generation, by achieving new operating performance standards, will reduce the megatonnage from that sector. As we regulate each sector, we can anticipate where we'll be in 2020.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Okay.

Could you table with this committee the exact federal actions that have been taken to make those reductions? The thing I would argue is that, in fact, in doing those calculations, we had a higher start value. We used a projected value rather than actual emissions. The accounting rules were changed. It was the first time that land use and forestry and its emissions projections were used. The provincial—

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

That's right. That's the good news.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Yes, that's important. That's a new piece, yes, but we did change the accounting rules. I'm asking what the federal actions are. NRTEE was clear that the action undertaken by the provinces and territories is responsible for three-quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and we've removed any climate accountability measures by repealing the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act and by getting rid of NRTEE. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could table with this committee the specific federal actions.

I'd now like to ask about species at risk. That law is there to protect endangered wildlife and the habitat they depend on, but only after a recovery plan has been implemented for each one. These recovery plans are required by law. They're especially important in protecting all of the habitat that species need in order to survive and recover. Can you tell me how many recovery plans are delayed today? What is the number, please?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

First of all, I'll tell you that the good news is, as you know...and certainly some recovery plans have been delayed over the years, but the Species at Risk Act is a juvenile—

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Sorry, Minister, but what is the number, please?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Just let me tell you that this is a relatively new act. It only came into force in 2002, so we're at the 10-year mark. The caribou recovery strategy that I presented a couple of months ago was delayed on a deficiency of science and of actual hard numbers on that species at risk—

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Minister, I—

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

—but it has been widely accepted. The science has been acclaimed by even some of our harshest critics at one time. There are certainly some delays, but in a lot of these cases, it's because of a deficiency of science in the species—

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

How many recovery plans have been delayed, please? Is it 188? How many of them are five years overdue?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Do we have a number on that, Bob?

[Bob Hamilton]

I don't have the breakdown for five years overdue, but there are over 200 recovery strategies or management plans that are delayed, yes.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

That are delayed, and I believe it's 87 that are five years overdue.

[Bob Hamilton]

We've made significant progress to reduce that backlog and delay, but there still is a backlog.

[The Chair, Conservative, Mark Warawa]

Thank you.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

You can't do it overnight.

[The Chair, Conservative, Mark Warawa]

Mr. Choquette, you have five minutes.