Minister Guilbeault heading to the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP29 to push for collective climate action

GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - The world is in a critical decade to prevent the worst impacts from climate change. Canadians are well aware of the impacts, having just experienced the worst year on record for insured damages from extreme weather events and devastating wildfires across the country. And as the world moves toward a low-carbon economy, Canadian workers and businesses are well-positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities that both create jobs and support household affordability.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, to lead the Canadian delegation to advance international efforts to address climate change.

Now, more than ever, Canada is determined to help lead collaborative efforts on implementing the Paris Agreement and rally the international community toward ambitious global climate action.

At COP28 in Dubai last year, Canada, and nearly 200 other countries, reached an agreement that called for groundbreaking goals to triple renewable energy, double energy efficiency, and a historic consensus to shift toward clean energy systems. This year at COP29, the Canadian delegation, led by Minister Guilbeault, will work with other countries to land outcomes that result in mobilizing resources and agreeing to new goals for climate finance in support of developing nations' efforts to better respond to climate change. Canada will continue to play a bridging role and will advocate for collective efforts to build clean energy systems and strong partnerships in the supply chains of a low-carbon economy.

Canada comes two and a half years into the roll-out of its comprehensive climate plan, the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, with over 120 actions that are cutting pollution and creating a stronger economy. That includes, but is not limited to, the rapid development of its zero-emission vehicle and critical mineral supply chains and a balanced regulatory approach that builds cleaner electricity and cuts pollution from the oil and gas sector. The Government of Canada is also supporting household affordability with measures that help cut pollution and save Canadians money, such as green home renovations, heat pump installations, electric vehicle purchase incentives, and the Canada Carbon Rebate, which is part of Canada's carbon pricing system. Canada continues its work to end inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and is the first G20 country to do so.

COP29 comes during a number of key international meetings this fall that aim to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, all of which are interlinked and driven by human activity. The Minister will use COP29 to discuss with partners and allies Canada's priorities for the upcoming Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) conference in the Republic of Korea for an ambitious, legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, as well as the year's G7. Furthermore, Canada played an important leadership role at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in October in establishing an Indigenous Subsidiary Body to enhance the engagement and participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities in all future convention processes. Canada and its fellow Nature Champions worked diligently to bring countries together to advance the implementation of the Kunming–Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Quotes

"Canada is more invested than ever in ensuring collective global action that responds to the growing costs of climate change and a shift toward a low-carbon, clean energy economy. Canada can show the world how we are successfully bending the curve on emissions, while building a stronger, cleaner economy that supports workers and household affordability. We are eager to make progress on a number of files at COP29, including securing a new goal and new funding sources for financing to support developing nations to address climate change."
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts 

• COP29 is the 29th annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It will run from November 11 to November 22, 2024.
• As an Arctic nation that is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world and three times that rate in the North, Canada has an outsized interest in achieving ambitious global climate action and international collaboration.
• The Global Stocktake is at the heart of the Paris Agreement's ambition cycle. At COP29, countries will consider how to advance the outcomes from the first Global Stocktake from COP28 through concrete actions and measures, notably on energy transitions domestically and internationally.
• Canada's delegation will be led by Minister Guilbeault and will include Catherine Stewart, Ambassador for Climate Change, and Jeanne-Marie Huddleston, Chief Climate Negotiator.
• Canada's delegation at COP29 will be representative of the diverse perspectives emblematic of Canadian society and will include Indigenous representatives, civil society organizations and youth, Canadian businesses, labour organizations, parliamentarians, and representatives from provincial and territorial governments.
• For the third consecutive year, Canada will have a national pavilion at COP29, with event programming running from November 11 to November 21, 2024. The pavilion will showcase a whole-of-society approach to climate action and leadership on the world stage and will serve as a hub for networking and events hosted by representatives of provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, labour, and industry and civil society (including youth and academia). More information about the Canada Pavilion can be found online.
• The New Collective Quantified Goal is a key focus at COP29. It aims to establish a global target for climate finance that will help developing countries tackle climate change and transition to sustainable development. The previous goal was set at US$100 billion per year and it was confirmed that the goal was met for the first time in 2022.
• Canada was an early advocate for the need to make progress on the issue of loss and damage and contributed to the decision at COP28 to launch the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. At COP28, Canada announced a $16 million contribution to the start-up cost of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, making Canada one of the first contributors to the Fund.
• Canada is on track to fully deliver on its $5.3 billion climate finance commitment by 2026 to help developing countries address climate change while striving to halt biodiversity loss around the world.
• In recent years, Canada has become a bridge builder on climate finance by working closely with other contributors on the delivery and transparency of climate finance and improving its effectiveness, notably through joint efforts with Germany. Thanks to these collective efforts, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development confirmed that the US$100 billion goal was fully delivered for the first time in 2022.

Associated links

• Canada at COP29
• Canada Pavilion
• Canada's COP28 Summary of Outcomes
• Canada's International Climate Finance
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy

Environment and Climate Change Canada's X page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's LinkedIn page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Instagram page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Contacts: Hermine Landry, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 873-455-3714, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]