Public Accounts committee  We will be doing it in the next few years. We have 25 years to reach the 2050 targets, and we are currently on track. In fact, we're actually ahead of schedule for the next five years, but we have work to do to identify additional initiatives to reduce emissions across all three areas—vehicles and building retrofits but also the emissions caused by our planes, ships and other vehicles like that.

Public Accounts committee  There's no doubt that our operational activity was reduced during the pandemic. Of course, that had an impact. We believe it led to a 7% reduction in emissions. We have factored that into our calculations, and we know that our operational tempo will go back up, so we can't take too much credit for the 7% reduction, because of COVID activities.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, I think that even without COVID, we were still on track to meet the 2025 target ahead of schedule. With the 2050 target I mentioned, that 7% is kind of our estimate of the impact of COVID. I believe it was said in the report that we think we'll achieve a 63% reduction by 2050.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Greetings to all the committee members. Since my two colleagues have already been introduced, I have only two more points to raise. First, the context for DND and its operating environment is very important as we work to meet these commitments. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are one of Canada's largest employers and maintainers of equipment and infrastructure.

National Defence committee  Thank you for your question. I'll raise two points on this topic. First, at the Department of National Defence, if we don't spend funds, we can keep them for subsequent years. As the chair has just said, factors like increased costs will have an impact. That's an important point.

National Defence committee  Maybe a couple of quick points.... I know that the natural instinct when we talk about greenhouse gas emissions is to talk about jet fuel and fuel for various capabilities. When the CAF is called into service, they need to deploy the assets we have at hand, and that will continue.

National Defence committee  I would go with the CFO on this one, Mr. Chair.

National Defence committee  I may have to check with the CFO. My suspicion is not.... She's nodding yes. She says, yes, it will, so there we go.

National Defence committee  Certainly, Mr. Chair. The estimates reflect what the government has set aside in previous budgets. They effectively play catch-up. We did mention earlier today some of the potential coming attractions, including the defence policy update, as well as work on continental defence and NORAD modernization.

National Defence committee  Can you clarify that question?

National Defence committee  Mr. Chair, what I would say at this stage is that a key part of the policy update is any update to the threat environment. As you just touched on, the threat environment is certainly more complex than it was. We do engage with relevant partners in terms of properly articulating that threat.

National Defence committee  If I may, Mr. Chair, I'll ask Ms. Bruce to answer the question. It would be better for her to answer, since she is the head of that organization. Ms. Bruce, you have the floor.

National Defence committee  That is not my understanding, but I will turn to Troy to see if he has anything to add.

National Defence committee  Maybe I will start, Mr. Chair. The vice-chief may have things to add. I think we've already touched on the importance of the Arctic offshore patrol ships and the voyages that they've already taken. There's more to come on that front, so presence is important. The other one I would flag is the ongoing maintenance of the North Warning System.

National Defence committee  Mr. Chair, that is not my understanding.