Environment minister ‘cautiously optimistic’ about COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow
Canada has two “very heavy weeks” ahead as the government gears up for negotiations at the United Nations climate change conference, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
“These are difficult negotiations. Everyone is not necessarily ready to do more or do more faster,” he added in French.The UN summit, known as COP26 and delayed one year by COVID-19, is intended to finalize the rule book for the Paris accord, including how carbon emissions trading can work between countries and what each country has to report about progress toward climate goals.
“The international community had very little faith in us, and I think that is clear evidence that the situation has changed,” the freshly appointed environment minister told reporters in French. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called on the Liberal government to axe fossil fuel subsidies and raise its emissions reduction target for a second time this year to 50 per cent.
The duo spent the past three months wrangling new commitments out of various governments, with Sweden and New Zealand offering fresh pledges and Italy among the most notable holdouts. Canada has promised to double its climate aid to more than $1-billion a year for the next five years. Guilbeault also uttered indirect support for the Liberal stance on Line 5, a cross-border pipeline that Michigan aims to shut down.
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