Opening Statement before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
Lessons Learned from Canada’s Record on Climate Change
(Report 5—2021 Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)
8 February 2022
Jerry V. DeMarco
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are happy to appear before your committee this morning. I would like to acknowledge that this hearing is taking place on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People. With me today are Kim Leach, and Elsa Da Costa, the principal and director who were responsible for the report.
As you know, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada conducts performance and financial audits of the federal and territorial governments. We provide elected officials with objective, fact‑based information and expert advice. We also undertake special examinations of Crown corporations, and we conduct additional work, such as a yearly commentary on our financial audit work and the climate report that I will be discussing today.
The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, who is appointed by the Auditor General, reports to Parliament at least once a year on environmental and sustainable development issues, including the specific matters set out in legislation, such as the new Canadian Net‑Zero Emissions Accountability Act.
Our most recent reports, which were tabled in Parliament in November 2021, included a report on lessons learned from Canada’s record on climate change. By choosing this topic to discuss today, the committee is sending a critical message about the urgency of addressing climate change. In preparing our report on lessons learned, we looked back at our audit work on Canada’s action over the last 3 decades. We also asked climate experts and former senior government officials what we can learn from the past in order to help translate today’s good intentions into real results.
After more than 30 years, the trend in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, which create harmful climate impacts, is going the wrong way. Despite repeated government commitments to decrease emissions, they have increased substantially, unlike the other Group of 7G7 countries. During that time, Canadians have felt the devastating effects of climate change, such as droughts, floods, melting permafrost, heat waves, wildfires, and storms.
Our report sets out 8 lessons learned from Canada’s action and inaction on the enduring climate crisis.
Leadership is the first lesson. Stronger leadership and coordination are needed to drive progress on climate change. Other lessons include reducing dependence on high‑emission industries, learning to adapt to climate change impacts, investing in a climate‑resilient future, increasing public awareness, acting on and not just speaking about climate targets, involving all climate solution actors, and protecting the interests of future generations.
The new net‑zero legislation seeks to bring more rigour to Canada’s approach to greenhouse gas emission reductions. Just as this committee holds government to account on financial matters and program implementation, you can also consider holding government to account on its climate plans. Ensuring that government starts translating its plans and targets into effective action would be in keeping with lesson 6 of our report. Climate change is not just an environmental issue; its social and economic implications are just as significant.
The enduring crisis of climate change looms larger than ever. Like pandemics, climate change is a global crisis, one that experts have been raising the alarm about for decades. Pandemics and climate change both carry risks to human health and the economy, and both require whole‑of‑society responses to protect present and future generations.
To help frame discussions on climate change such as this one, our report provides critical questions that legislators and others can consider to prompt action against commitments. We’ve provided these in an appendix to this statement for your reference.
In closing, there is a need for the federal government to achieve real outcomes—not just words on paper or unfulfilled promises. All too often, Canada’s environmental and sustainable development commitments are not met with the actions needed to protect air, land, water, and wildlife, now and for future generations. And this is a trend we urgently need to reverse.
Mr. Chair, this concludes my opening remarks. We are happy to answer any questions the committee may have.
Appendix—Lessons Learned from Canada’s Record on Climate Change—Considerations for Parliamentarians
Lesson 1: Stronger leadership and coordination are needed to drive progress toward climate commitments
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How can coordination across all levels of government be strengthened?
- How will the federal government ensure that lead departments on climate change are given the resources and authority they need to provide leadership to other departments and agencies?
- How will the federal government ensure that policies within various jurisdictions are complementary rather than redundant or contradictory?
- Is there a way to depolarize aspects of the issue and ensure that the necessary elements of Canada’s climate actions remain consistent through changes in government?
Lesson 2: Canada’s economy is still dependent on emission‑intensive sectors
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How much financial support does Canada provide to the oil and gas industry? Could this support be reallocated to workers?
- How can Canada deliver on its promise to reduce fossil fuel subsidies that undermine the achievement of climate change actions?
- What role could a national energy strategy play in diversifying Canada’s economic interests and mitigating risks to the energy supply across Canada?
- How can the federal government identify and assist communities and workers most affected by the transition to a low‑carbon economy?
Lesson 3: Adaptation must be prioritized to protect against the worst effects of climate change
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How will the federal government ensure that all sectors of society are involved in developing and implementing adaptation strategies?
- As the federal government dedicates resources to adaptation, how can it ensure that the most pressing risks are prioritized?
- How can the federal government catalyze nature‑based solutions as a route to adaptation?
- How will the federal government ensure that funding is available for adaptation projects and initiatives?
- How can the federal government better integrate local and community‑level insights into federal adaptive planning and action?
Lesson 4: Canada risks falling behind other countries on investing in a climate‑resilient future
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How should the federal government incorporate climate disclosures into the regular risk‑disclosure practices of federal organizations and Crown corporations?
- How should the federal government mandate firms that are seeking investment capital to disclose their climate risks?
- How can the federal government better contribute to international discussions on climate finance?
- How can the federal government mandate investments that are managed across its operations to decarbonize their investment portfolios?
Lesson 5: Increasing public awareness of the climate challenge is a key lever for progress
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How can the federal government strengthen Canadians’ awareness of the climate crisis and the measures to address it?
- Where are the knowledge gaps and sources of misinformation on the topic and how can they be addressed?
- What are the best ways to relay climate‑related messaging so that it resonates with Canadians?
Lesson 6: Climate targets have not been backed by strong plans or actions
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How can the federal government tangibly demonstrate accountability and transparency in its results?
- How will Parliament ensure that the federal government is held to account for action on climate change?
- What steps will the federal government take to ensure that Canada’s climate plan, policies, and actions align with its new targets?
- How can the federal government (advised by the Net‑Zero Advisory Body) advance the implementation of the Canadian Net‑Zero Emissions Accountability Act and its incremental 5‑year milestones?
Lesson 7: Enhanced collaboration among all actors is needed to find climate solutions
Considerations for parliamentarians
- What steps can the federal government take to better collaborate with all sectors of society to meet Canada’s climate targets and develop mitigation and adaptation strategies?
- How can Parliament facilitate more effective ways for non‑government actors to hold the federal government to account for its climate objectives?
- How can the federal government support industry, trade, and professional associations to help them equip their members for the effects, risks, and opportunities of climate change and the transition to the low‑carbon economy?
- How can the federal government help sectors create transition plans to accelerate the transition to a low‑carbon economy?
Lesson 8: Climate change is an intergenerational crisis with a rapidly closing window for action
Considerations for parliamentarians
- How can the federal government be held to account for solving long‑term issues such as climate change?
- How can the federal government ensure that the interests of future generations are included in present decisions?
- How can the principle of intergenerational equity be incorporated into institutional decision making?
- How can the federal government better involve youth in climate policy?