Evidence of meeting #32 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was targets.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
You sound good to me, so why don't you continue? I may interrupt you if we need to make some adjustments.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Okay.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.
Coming back, Bill C-12 introduces new reporting requirements on the government between now and 2030. Could you expand on those and how they would be integrated into the existing reporting obligations? I appreciate your previous answer as well, but if you could expand on it a little bit, I'd appreciate it.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Under the act, we'll be required, first of all, to formalize the target for 2030, and then to provide a plan to achieve that target. As the minister explained, that plan will include considerable detail and, consistent with existing plans and existing reporting to the UNFCCC, will include, as the member already indicated—and I apologize; I can't remember his name—projected emission reductions in the form of a trajectory from present to 2030 and beyond. Then there will be an obligation for a formal progress report two years before 2030.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Bill C-12 would put obligations on the Minister of Finance to put together reports disclosing the “risks and opportunities” of climate change at the federal level. Can I ask officials to explain what those reports would look like?
What does the bill mean by “risks and opportunities”, as mentioned in clause 23?
Samuel Millar Director General, Corporate Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Department of Finance
The “risks and opportunities” phrase is used in many of the international standards around climate-related risks. The government would intend to develop a report that's suitable to the federal government and the federal public administration to match the best practices that are seen internationally.
You'll note that in the most recent budget, the government has committed to adopting the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures for large Crown corporations by 2022 and for smaller Crown corporations by 2024. This measure complements the existing commitments.
Liberal
Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, gentlemen. I would like to come back quickly to the target range of a 40% to 45% reduction in GHG emissions that will be included in the act and its feasibility.
Earlier, I asked the minister whether there was a shortfall between the Department of the Environment's projections and the target range announced by the government. If we follow the current path, what will the GHG emission rates be in 2030, in megatonnes?
Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
A deputy minister who has the answer to this question could answer me.
If you do not have the figures in front of you, you could send them to the committee. Otherwise, I can ask another question.
Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
Okay.
Section 11 of the bill provides that the minister may amend targets for the relevant milestone years at any time.
If the minister saw that Canada was not on track to meet the targets set, he would therefore have the power to lower them. In other words, in the event of failure, he would have the power to change the target rather than the measures or the action plan.
Did I understand section 11 correctly?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Who will answer the question? Is it Mr. Moffet?
This is the question, as I understand it: The minister has the right to change the targets, but does he also have a right to change the plan?
Is that your question, Ms. Michaud?
Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
Is there a problem with the interpretation? I only have two and a half minutes and I don't want to—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
No, you will not lose your speaking time for this.
Would Mr. Moffet or Mr. Nevison like to answer that question?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
The minister indicated that our target would be aligned with Canada's nationally determined contribution.
Under the Paris Agreement, a country's targets cannot go backwards. They cannot be weakened.
Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
I'm not sure I understand, Mr. Moffet. I'm going back to section 11, which says that the minister can amend the target he's set. If we take into consideration what the minister said earlier, that he will include the 40% to 45% GHG reduction target, that means that he can decide to change that target along the way. Is that correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Yes, that is true. Section 11 gives the minister the power to amend the target, but we also have to keep in mind that Canada and the minister will have to respect the Paris Agreement.
At the beginning of this bill, there is a requirement that targets be set respecting Canada's international commitments with respect to climate change, which as I said earlier, require countries to make their ambition increasingly ambitious and not less ambitious over time.
Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
Section 11 could then allow the minister, for example, to reduce the target from 40% to 30%, which is the Paris Agreement target. Is this correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
No. In the coming months, Canada will introduce a new nationally determined contribution that will reflect the 40% to 45% target.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
The question is.... Theoretically, as I understand it, yes, we could set a target at 40%, but for whatever reason, the minister or the government could say, “You know what? It really needs to be 38%,” as long as we don't go below 30%. Is that the understanding?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Yes, I understand that's the question, but the answer is no.
It can't go below our NDC, and our NDC is going to change. Our NDC is going to increase—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I see. Because of the change that we made, we are now committing internationally to something new.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
We are committing to a new NDC, which the government intends to announce this summer.