COP24: Canada set to improve climate targets

Canada is prepared to table a more ambitious climate pledge by 2020.

“People on the ground at COP24 are expressing messages of thanks and congratulations to Canada and Minister McKenna today,” said Catherine Abreu, Executive Director of Climate Action Network Canada. “This is exactly the kind of boost that countries working hard for an ambitious outcome at this year’s climate summit needed.”

“We know this is just the beginning: with decades of missed climate targets behind it and ongoing investments in the fossil fuel industry, Canada has a long way to go to get to its fair share of the effort to confront climate change. We are looking forward to engaging with Minister McKenna and her team over the next year to build a new Paris package for Canada that delivers on the ambitious action science tells us we need.”

The Paris Agreement invites countries to update their climate commitments by 2020. A major focus of COP24 is the call for countries to announce their plan to do so here in Poland. It is unclear how many countries are going to do this, and this news from Canada shows much-needed leadership.

In October’s IPCC report on global warming of 1.5 degrees, scientists from around the world agreed that the combined emissions reduction plans of all countries are not enough to avoid catastrophic climate change and the associated tolls on human health and the economy. Countries were urged to increase their level of climate ambition immediately. Canada now joins a growing group of countries that are taking heed of scientists’ warnings and making steps required to stop runaway climate change.

This post first appeared on, and is copyrighted to, Climate Action Network Canada. 

CONTACT: Catherine Abreu, Executive Director, CAN-Rac Canada | +1 902 412 8953 catherineabreu@climateactionnetwork.ca

About The Author

Climate Action Network

Canada’s primary network of organizations working on climate change and energy issues, CAN-Rac is a coalition of more than 100 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Our membership brings environmental groups together with trade unions, First Nations, social justice, development, health and youth organizations, faith groups and local, grassroots initiatives.

See author's posts