GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Cutting methane emissions is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change. Today, the Government of Canada is taking a major next step in tackling these emissions with the release of Faster and Further: Canada's Methane Strategy.
The Strategy, announced today by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, provides a pathway to further reduce methane emissions from across the economy while supporting Canadian technology and creating good-paying jobs. It builds on Canada's existing progress and commitments, including the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.
From being the first country to establish national oil and gas methane reduction regulations to investing in our world-class science and clean tech sector, and helping other countries reduce their methane emissions, the Strategy announced today will position Canada to continue leading in reducing methane emissions domestically and driving ambitious reductions internationally.
With the measures outlined in the Strategy, Canada will reduce domestic methane emissions by more than 35 percent by 2030, compared to 2020 levels. This will exceed the Global Methane Pledge target of 30 percent that Canada signed on to last year.
The Methane Strategy outlines how Canada will:
- implement measures across sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, to reduce the largest sources of methane emissions;
- strengthen the clean technology sector and provide tools to industry to achieve cost-effective methane emission reductions while creating good-paying jobs;
- advance scientific knowledge and technical capacity to improve methane detection, measurement, and reporting;
- meet international climate targets under the Paris Agreement and Global Methane Pledge; and
- solidify its global leadership and provide funding, tools, and best practices for other countries to achieve emissions reductions.
Lowering methane emissions can also have positive impacts on air quality and public health. In particular, methane contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone that causes serious health problems such as reduced lung function and asthma attacks, and is responsible for half a million premature deaths globally.
The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with and support ongoing complementary action by provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous groups, industry sectors, and others to reduce methane emissions across the country. As Canada and countries around the world take action to reduce methane emissions, Canadian companies can remain competitive players in the $3.6 trillion clean technology market and drive jobs in key sectors.
"Reducing methane emissions is one of the success stories of Canada's climate action to date, and will continue to pay dividends because it is both cost-effective and critical to fighting climate change. Canadian industries, as well as our scientists and researchers, have the expertise and experience to go faster and further in reducing this potent greenhouse gas. We have already made significant progress to reduce methane emissions in Canada, and I look forward to doing even more both at home and abroad."
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
"Canadians share a collective ambition that is driving us to meet our climate goals and make a more sustainable future for all. By focusing on innovation-backed economic development, investing in clean technologies and creating well-paying, green jobs, we can reduce our methane emissions across the country while growing the economy and cementing our competitive edge."
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"Canadian scientists and industry are unlocking innovation every day as we move towards net zero. The Government of Canada is pleased to support these methane reductions. They represent low-cost actions that allow us to simultaneously make progress on lowering emissions while advancing innovative technologies that can be exported to the world."
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
"Our farmers have already come a long way in reducing methane emissions through better herd management, including improvements in nutrition and genetics. Our government will continue to make investments to support the adoption of best practices and the acquisition of clean technologies, while helping to accelerate research and innovation."
– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
- Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and climate pollutant that is responsible for 30 percent of observed global warming to date, with global levels of atmospheric methane continuing to rise.
- In November 2021, Canada joined over one hundred countries in supporting the Global Methane Pledge (GMP). This pledge commits members to a collective goal of reducing human-caused methane emissions by 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030. More recently, Canada joined as an inaugural member supporting the GMP Energy Pathway.
- Canada was the first country to commit to achieving at least a 75 percent reduction in methane emissions from its oil and gas sector from 2012 levels by 2030, a reduction target recommended by the International Energy Agency.
- In December 2021, a federal review of Canada's oil and gas methane regulations to reduce methane emissions by 40–45 percent by 2025 (from 2012 levels) concluded that Canada is on track to meet its target.
- Faster and Further: Canada's Methane Strategy
- Reducing methane emissions in Canada
- 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada
Contacts: Kaitlin Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations: Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]
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