Environment committee  Assuming that everything goes smoothly, the two bills in the Senate are reconciled and they're adopted and in the mid-term elections the American people send representatives to the House and to the Senate who are keen on doing something about climate change, how long would it take to get this cap-and-trade system up and running?

Environment committee  I had the opportunity of going with the federal Minister of the Environment here to the world business summit on climate change, and they seemed to be very clearly onside, certainly in Europe and the United States. The British High Commissioner appeared here as well and spoke about the close relationship they have with their business community, who seemed to be onside with early action so that they could get investment opportunities.

Environment committee  I'd like to ask the first question to all three of you quickly, one that I've been asking of every single witness to appear in the context of Bill C-311 and to a certain extent in the pre-Copenhagen phase we're in. Do any of you have in your possession a plan, a climate change plan, from the Government of Canada that is coherent in its reach, addressing the elements you've all three raised independently? Is there a plan in your possession, and can you share it with the committee?

Environment committee  I was a representative as an official stakeholder in the development of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which is known as RGGI, the first and only mandatory carbon cap and trade program in the U.S. I was the lead author on our policy report, A Climate Change Road Map for New England and Eastern Canada, and I also oversee our energy policy work at the state level, which now requires utilities to invest in all cost-effective energy efficiency and is leading to historic new levels of efficiency investment in New England.

Environment committee  Murrow, director of policy analysis. From Washington we have Janet Peace, Pew Center on Global Climate Change, vice-president markets and business strategy. Point of order, Mr. Warawa.

Environment committee  High Commissioner, if I could start with you, please, in the plan that you provided us today, the “UK Climate Change Policy”, you indicate that by 2020, for example, you have a goal of creating 1.2 million green jobs. I presume that some of those jobs have been created already on our way to 2020.

Environment committee  The target we've chosen is not driven by comparing what others can do. It is driven by what the scientists are telling us. In the UN climate change conference, they are telling us that two degrees is the maximum level that we can allow the world to warm up without very dangerous security implications that would lead to extreme weather events, mass migrations, and crop failures.

Environment committee  As I understand it, the issue around climate change is human activity causing emissions. Do you agree with that?

Environment committee  We have within the European Union a regional fund that isn't specific to climate change or to the carbon market but seeks, through having a central part, sort of an equalization mechanism and distributes money to those in need of additional federal funds to manage their development.

Environment committee  We think it probably needs to be balanced also with levies of different kinds, and we have a climate change levy and other regulation to drive change. But we think the price instrument is one important mechanism for driving the change, and we certainly believe that carbon trading is a useful mechanism.

Environment committee  I have a simple question: what do you expect from Canada at the next UN Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention?

Environment committee  I don't want to ask them about anything specific to Canada's internal political debate about the climate change crisis and what the state of the situation is domestically. But I think we have a responsibility to ask these gentlemen, Mr. Chair, in their positions representing either one nation-state or in the case of the European Union—you'll forgive me, Ambassador--how many states are there now in the EU?

Environment committee  We are going to continue with our study of Bill C-311, An Act to ensure Canada assumes its responsibilities in preventing dangerous climate change. We're very pleased, and fortunate, to have two distinguished witnesses at committee today. From the European Union, we have His Excellency Matthias Brinkmann, Head of Delegation and Ambassador Designate for the European Commission.

Environment committee  Next week, on Tuesday, we have the international panel, with witnesses from Environment Northeast and from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. On November 26 we have the panel on the economy. Our final panel is on December 1, and we have an industry panel. There have been other witnesses who have requested to appear, but time is running short, unless the committee desires to have one more panel on December 3.

Environment committee  Are you aware if Bill C-311 speaks to the issue of climate change adaptation at all?