Opening Statement before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act—2030 Emissions Reduction Plan

(Report 6—2023 Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

11 June 2024

Jerry V. DeMarco
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are happy to appear before your committee to discuss our November 2023 report on the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, which was developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Canadian Net‑Zero Emissions Accountability Act. I would like to acknowledge that this hearing is taking place on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people. With me today is Kimberley Leach, who was responsible for the audit.

Emissions in Canada are higher today than when this country and the world first committed to fighting climate change at the United Nations Earth Summit, more than 30 years ago. Plans have come and gone, and Canada has yet to meet any of its targets. Meanwhile, the need to reverse the trend on Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions has grown only more pressing. This is not my first time sounding this alarm, and I will continue to do so until Canada turns the tide.

While we were not required to begin reporting on the implementation of the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan until the end of 2024, we decided to move more quickly, given the urgency of climate change. Overall, we found that the plan was insufficient to meet Canada’s target to reduce emissions by 40% to 45% below the 2005 level by 2030.

We found that measures needed to meet the 2030 target were delayed by departments or were not prioritized for implementation. We also found a lack of reliability and transparency in economic and emission modelling, leading the government to make overly optimistic assumptions about emission reductions.

I was also concerned to find that responsibility for reducing emissions was fragmented among multiple federal entities not directly accountable to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. This means that the minister has no authority to commit other entities to reduce emissions to meet the target.

On a positive note, some measures in the plan have great potential. If stringent enough and applied widely, carbon pricing and regulations may support deep emission reductions.

We expect to issue our next report under the Canadian Net‑Zero Emissions Accountability Act this fall. In it, we will assess government actions in 3 areas: implementing specific emission reduction measures, advancing our recommendations, and public reporting on progress.

In closing, I want to emphasize again that the window to avoid catastrophic climate change is closing fast. Intense forest fires, smoke‑filled skies, heat waves, violent storms, and flooding are becoming more severe and frequent and affecting people all across Canada.

Taking meaningful action to reduce emissions is the most impactful thing Canada can do to play its part in addressing the global climate emergency. Solutions exist, such as implementing effective fiscal and regulatory measures to reduce greenhouse gases. The problem is that available solutions are being implemented much too slowly.

Mr. Chair, this concludes my opening statement. We would be pleased to answer any questions the committee may have. Thank you.