Thanks so much for having me this afternoon.
I'll begin by saying a little bit about who I am and what Climate Action Network is. Canada's primary network of organizations working on climate change and energy issues, the Climate Action Network is a coalition of 116 not-for-profit organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. We are part of an international network that operates in 120 countries and has 1,200 members worldwide. However, our membership is unique in that it brings environmental NGOs together with trade unions, first nations, social justice groups, development, health, faith and youth groups.
For 30 years we have been the only organization with a mandate to promote the interests of the Canadian climate movement as a whole, rather than any one individual organization.
I came on board as executive director of the Climate Action Network about two years ago from having worked on the east coast for Atlantic Canada's largest environmental organization, heading up climate and energy programs there. For a bunch of years, I ran something called the Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition, where I worked with all four Atlantic governments to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the transition to clean energy.
I'm speaking to you today aware of the fact that this is the sixth session that you've had on this issue. Believe it or not, I've actually listened to most of the others. You've received some really excellent testimony from a number of witnesses, including a few Climate Action Network members and some of our really close working allies.
I don't want to be repetitious. I'm going to start by saying something that I haven't yet heard said in these meetings, and I'm then going to reinforce some of the reflections that others have provided to you on the three main topics that you're taking a look at through this study. I will end by talking about why the world needs Canada. I did have a big section on carbon pricing but Chris has covered that off so I'm going to strike that.
Since 1992, Canada has been making and breaking international commitments on climate change and that's why, as Chris said, we are not currently a leader on climate change policies, but we are moving forward and we do have a chance at redemption. The Paris pledge is our fourth climate target and it is our moral obligation to get this one right. The world's scientists tell us that we have 12 years to cut global emissions in half if we want to keep living in this paradise that we currently inhabit.
The pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change is a historic document and implementing the 50-plus policies that are outlined in that document is essential if we are going to get on track to meeting our current Paris pledge, but it's not enough. That's because we know that our Paris pledge to reduce emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 does not represent our fair share of the global effort and we are going to very soon need to push past that to deliver the reductions that science tells us we need.
That's why Climate Action Network Canada proposes that the Government of Canada establish a body of experts—taking lessons from the U.K. climate committee and the German environment agency—mandated to develop and track standard indicators that measure progress on Canada's climate and clean growth goals over time; that provides regular reports to federal and provincial governments, reports that necessitate a formal response from the federal government; that makes recommendations on how Canada can improve its performance on climate action in line with the best available science and credible assessments of our fair share of the global effort; and that proposes more robust emission reduction goals over time in line with our Paris pledge, putting us on track to fully decarbonize by 2050.
That's the new idea, and now I'm going to address those three areas you outlined that you're taking a look at in the study.
First, on Canada's international climate finance commitments, I want to first emphasize what you've already heard from Greenpeace Canada and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. That $2.65-billion commitment over five years that was made in 2015 was very welcome but insufficient. In 2020 Canada will provide $800 million in international climate finance. If we take a look at the size of Canada's economy relative to the economies of other donor nations, the Climate Action Network in partnership with the Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development—which is our sister network—estimates that Canada's fair share contribution to the overall $100-billion goal would be about $4 billion in 2020.
As we grow our contribution to get closer to that fair share, we also have to be working to hit a fifty-fifty split between financing for mitigation and financing for adaptation. Climate finance should come in the form of grants, not loans. Adaptation financing should be targeted at those most vulnerable and poor, with the focus on women and girls.
To these points, I want to add that climate finance must use sound, transparent and honest accounting methods. I can talk more about that later, if you want to know what that means.
It has to be efficient. It has to speed up the global transition away from fossil fuels. What that means is that financing for fossil fuel electricity generation that is marginally less GHG-intensive than other fossil fuel electricity generation is not climate finance. That perpetuates continued dependence on fossil fuels.
Climate finance has to include environmental and social safeguards. For example, projects that have a fairly limited benefit for climate, but very high social impacts should be avoided. An example of this might be a forest project that displaces indigenous communities.
Climate finance must not result in double counting or constitute our buying our way out of domestic action.
Speaking of buying our way out of domestic action, I'll turn to internationally transferred mitigation outcomes or ITMOs.
You've heard now from the Centre for Clean Air Policy, the Pembina Institute and Greenpeace Canada that, if Canada is going to consider taking credit for greenhouse gas emissions reductions that happen outside of our borders, then we can only do so if we are taking the greatest, most ambitious possible action here at home already. That means that none of our existing Paris pledge can come from ITMOs, with the exception of the carbon market, of course, which is currently shared between Quebec and California.
Any money used to facilitate ITMOs must be new and additional; i.e., over and above Canada's fair share of contribution to international climate financing. ITMOs can only be used to increase overall climate ambition, rather than cover up for ambition that is lacking.
I think Canada actually has an opportunity to really lead negotiations, under article 6 of the Paris Agreement, to get any facility that would operate ITMOs right. I have some recommendations on what Canada might be able to offer to that space, but we can touch on that later in conversation.
Finally, on trade, I'm just going to pick up on what you've already heard from the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity and the Grain Growers of Canada.
Canada has a lot to offer that the world needs, particularly as we move away from fossil fuel dependence. That's why it's really important that any trade agreement we enter into reinforces, rather than undermines, the strong environmental and social safeguards that Canada has in place. That will give our companies a leading edge, as we move into the clean energy economy.
Several speakers have noted, and I agree, that the work of the task force on climate-related financial risk disclosure can offer a really complementary process, where businesses engaged in international trade develop a shared understanding and transparent accounting of the climate-related risks of their operations.
I'm going to end by talking about why the world needs Canada.
When we look around, I think it's easy to see that, more than ever, a compelling and credible global voice to champion clean economic development and the long-term opportunities presented by the transition away from fossil fuel is absolutely essential.
Canada has a lot to offer the world, when it comes to lessons on how to get things right. As I said at the beginning, we may not currently be an overall leader when it comes to climate change policy, but leadership is a multi-faceted thing. It comes in a bunch of different packages. We can offer the world examples of leadership on coal phase-out, climate action in an oil-producing jurisdiction and just transition for workers and communities.
My first UN climate conference was in Paris in 2015 and I can't tell you how moving it was to be a Canadian in a space where the world was so excited to have Canada back. We just can't afford to lose our reputation again for punching above our weight when it comes to climate policy and international climate diplomacy.
Thanks.