Intergovernmental Issues on Climate Change

1. Intergovernmental Issues on Climate Change Notes for Pols 321 2012

2. Constitutional Background • Environment not mentioned in 1867. • All governments have responsibilities • Provinces: • Land, natural resources, local planning, electricity generation, industry regulation • Federal government: • Transboundary pollutants, auto emissions, transportation regulation • International treaties

3. Sources of GGEs(in order of importance) • Transportation sector (gasoline and diesel) • Oil and gas production • Electricity generation by use of fossil fuels • Industrial processes • Residential/commercial heating • Agriculture and waste sectors

4. Overall Canadian Situation • Very high in per capita emissions • Energy “super-power” • Integrated economy with USA • Some skepticism in public opinion and issue salience varies a lot. • Sharp regional differences • Difficulty in intergovernmental coordination

5. Canada’s Climate Change Timeline G7, Rio (1992) Kyoto (1997) World Conference on Changing Atmosphere (1988) Turning the Corner Climate Change Plan for Canada Project Green 900 Action Plan 2000 National Action Program 800 Green Plan 700 600 500 Canadian GHG Emissions (Mt CO2e) 400 300 200 100 0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Source: Environment Canada, 2008, “Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990-2006”.

6. Comparison of emission targets Source: Environment Canada, 2008, “Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990-2006”. Bollinger, J. & Roberts, K., 2008, “Building on our Strengths”, Canada West Foundation. Various provincial climate change plans. Western Climate Initiative.

7. Comparison of emission forecasts Source: Environment Canada, 2008, “Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990-2006”. Natural Resources Canada, 2006, “Canada’s Energy Outlook”.

8. Required emission reduction to meet mid-term (2020) targets Increasing Policy Stringency Source: Calculations.

9. Provincial and Regional Differences • Severe Climate Change impact: • Coastal areas, northern areas, areas prone to drought • Concentration of GGEs (The Big Culprits) • Oil and gas sector production (Alberta, SK, NL) • Industrial process and population density (Ontario) • Electricity generation from coal (NS, Ont, AL) • Ahead of game (largely due to Hydro power): Quebec, Manitoba

10. The Road to Kyoto and Back • 1992 Rio Earth Summit: Framework Convention on Climate Change • 1997 Kyoto Protocol reached • 2000 Voluntary Fed-Prov Action Plan released • 2001 US government decides not to ratify • 2002 Canadian govt does ratify • 2005 Kyoto Protocol into force • 2006 Harper government says commitments unattainable

11. Post-Kyoto • Copenhagen conference, December 2009 fails to reach agreement, but talks continue. • Goal is to reach binding international agreement including both rich and developing countries • Global recession intervenes, slowing down process. • In 2009 Canada adopts new targets to achieve 3 % below 1990 emissions, by 2020. • Recent analysis estimates that combined fed+prov+terr measures currently in place will only achieve 47% of Canada’s targets.

12. Key policy instruments and approaches • Direct command-control regulation of emissions at source • Includes mandates for renewable-source electricity • Market-based • Carbon tax • Emissions cap and trade • Incentives • Household, business energy use, building re-fit, public transport subsidy, etc.

13. What would effective intergovernmental policy coordination on GGEs look like? • Commitment to common understanding and goals about the policy problem. • Fair (or agreed upon) contribution to global outcomes. • Agreement on national targets and their allocation across sectors and constituent units • Means to enforce or encourage achievement of targets.