Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to stand here today to address this question.
The Government of Canada indeed is committed to achieving tangible improvements in our environment. At home, the government is taking action to regulate both greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants from industrial emitters. This will pave the way for a cleaner and healthier environment.
On April 26, the government released the action plan to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. The plan will impose mandatory targets on industry to achieve a goal of an absolute reduction of 150 megatonnes in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and to cut air pollution in half by 2015, something that was completely ignored by the Liberals.
The plan will also regulate the fuel efficiency of cars and light duty trucks beginning with the 2011 model year and strengthen energy efficiency standards for a number of energy-using products.
The plan will allow us to reduce greenhouse gases now and prepare for deeper cuts later without derailing Canada's economy. It means we can achieve real gas emission reductions and protect the health of Canadians while still growing the economy.
Internationally, the government believes there is an emerging consensus on the need for an effective and flexible climate change framework, one that commits all the world's major emitters to concrete action against global greenhouse gas emissions without placing unfair burdens on any one country.
Canada is actively participating in international discussions within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UNFCCC. In this process, we are engaging with other countries in a global dialogue to shape long term international cooperative action on climate change.
At the same time, Canada is engaged in initiatives that complement the UNFCCC process, including the G-8 Gleneagles dialogue and the major economies meeting on energy security and climate change.
Canada has also joined the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate. The partnership supports practical actions to develop and implement clean technologies that will achieve real world emission reductions. The government believes that clean technologies are one of the most promising ways to address climate change.
The partnership is of interest to Canada because it brings together countries that represent about half of the world's economy, population and energy use. The APP also represents over 50% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
In the global fight against climate change, Canada will do everything in its power to help develop an effective, all inclusive international framework that recognizes national economic circumstances.