Ottawa, Canada, September 26, 2024 –The Net-Zero Advisory Body (NZAB) advises the federal government to redouble its efforts and implement new measures to reach its 2030 climate target and adopt a 2035 target and tools comparable to trading partners.

In a new report, “Climate’s Bottom Line: Carbon Budgeting and Canada’s 2035 Target”, the NZAB recommends developing a national carbon budget—the total greenhouse gas emissions that Canada will emit over time. Carbon budgets are used by other countries to better track the effect of policy decisions on the climate and the consequences of delaying action.

Alongside the carbon budget, the NZAB recommends that Canada adopt a 2035 emissions target of 50-55% reduction below 2005 levels. The proposed target meets the Paris Agreement requirement to increase ambition, and will help Canada keep paces with the ambitious climate goals of its G7 partners. Meeting the target will require greater ambition on decarbonization from the federal government, and also from provinces, territories, municipalities, and the private sector.

In a companion report “Closing the Gap: Reaching Canada’s 2030 Emissions Target”, the NZAB advises the federal government on how the country can achieve its 2030 target, of a 40-45% reduction below 2005 levels. The report highlights five key areas of action: 1) Finalize existing policy measures, 2) Address negative interactions between policies, 3) Strengthen industrial carbon pricing, 4) Secure additional reductions from the oil and gas sector, and 5) Pursue a small number of additional high-impact actions.  These complementary actions will give Canada the best chance of meeting its target.

The reports were developed in response to requests from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and with the support of research from the Canadian Climate Institute.

Canada committed to reduce GHG emissions by 40–45% below 2005 levels by 2030 as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. The 2030 target is established in legislation through the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. The Act also requires Canada to announce its 2035 target by December 1, 2024.  

The 2030 and 2035 targets are crucial milestones to ensure Canada is on the right path to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Net-zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that is produced and the amount that's removed from the atmosphere. Efforts to mitigate climate action over the next decade will be critical to setting Canada up for success on our pathway to net-zero.

Quick Facts 

• NZAB is mandated under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act to engage Canadians and provide independent advice to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change with respect to achieving Canada’s target of net-zero emissions by 2050. 
• NZAB members are appointed by the Governor in Council and bring together a diverse range of expertise. The NZAB provides independent advice to the Minister based on the best available scientific information and knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge. 

• To inform its advice, NZAB engaged with decision-makers and experts, including industry experts, academics, labour representatives, and non-governmental organizations, and published an initial summary of what was heard through the NZAB’s engagement activities on its website. 
• The Canadian Climate Institute provided research and analytical support in Technical Annexes that accompany the NZAB reports.

Links 

• Climate's Bottom Line: Carbon Budgeting and Canada’s 2035 Target 
  
  • Technical Annex (Canadian Climate Institute): Options for Canada's 2035 emissions reduction target
 
• Closing the Gap: Reaching Canada’s 2030 Emissions Target
  
  • Technical Annex (Canadian Climate Institute): Closing the Gap to 2030

 
• X: @NZAB_Canada  
• LinkedIn

Quotes 

“The 2035 target is a crucial milestone on Canada’s pathway to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Our efforts to mitigate climate change over the next decade will be critical to setting Canada up for success on our pathway to net-zero, including realization of benefits such as jobs in the growing renewable energy sector, more affordable and reliable electricity, and improved health through cleaner energy.”

~Sarah Houde, NZAB Co-Chair 

“The Government of Canada has made significant progress on climate action to reduce emissions over the past eight years since signing the Paris Agreement in 2016. However, more aggressive and sustained action is necessary to reach our 2030 emissions target and to shift to a long-term net-zero pathway. Our advice focuses on how to finish what has been started, improve what exists, and then implement new policies.”

~Simon Donner, NZAB Co-Chair

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Get ready!

On October 10, 2024, join the Canadian Climate Institute and the Net-Zero Advisory Body for our fourth annual national climate conference, The Net-Zero Edge: Navigating the New Realities for Canadian Competitiveness.

Date: Oct 10, 2024

Event details: This full-day conference takes place in-person in Ottawa and will be live-streamed online to enable participation from across the country.

In-person attendance is by invitation only due to limited capacity but you can reserve your complimentary virtual spot today (log-in details will be sent closer to the date).

Full agenda coming soon but here is a sneak peek at some of the great speakers who will be presenting:

• Brian Deese, Former Director of the White House National Economic Council
• Michael Sabia, President & CEO, Hydro Québec
• Ivette Vera-Perez, CEO, Canadian Hydrogen Association
• Hillary Thatcher, Managing Director, Investment: Indigenous and Northern Infrastructure, Canada Infrastructure Bank
• Kwatuuma Cole Sayers, Executive Director, Clean Energy BC

Our speakers will share a diverse range of perspectives on how Canada can thrive as the shift to net zero accelerates around the world.

Stay tuned to our social media channels on X and LinkedIn for updates.

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The Net-Zero Advisory Body is pleased to release our second What We Heard Report. This shares our engagement efforts from 2022 and 2023, and what we heard during our engagement activities during that time.

Ten overarching themes emerged from our 2022-2023 engagement:

Accountability: Culture and mechanisms for net-zero accountability need to be embedded in both public and private sectors to set and keep us on net-zero pathways.

Affordability: Net-zero policy development must consider the cost-of-living challenges facing many Canadians.

Competitiveness: Net-zero policy needs to both reduce emissions and position Canada to have a competitive and prosperous net-zero economy.

Equity: Climate policies and programs need to build stronger and more equitable communities, that respond to social, health and economic needs, while also driving emissions reductions.

Indigenous rights: Indigenous rights must be respected, including the full and meaningful implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, for all net-zero projects and pathways.

Implementation: Action is needed now to fully implement committed policies in a timely manner to achieve Canada’s ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals, and in many cases strengthen them to set us on pathways to net-zero.

People: Net-zero pathways must include greater focus on people, including Indigenous Peoples, local and racialized communities, the private sector (small-and-medium sized enterprises), workers and trade unions, as well as with youth, new Canadians, women and economically vulnerable populations.

Regional awareness: Regional differences and circumstances, including differing urban and rural needs, energy system designs, and infrastructure and workforce distribution, need to be considered during the design and implementation of net-zero policies and programs.

Transparency: Canada’s net-zero policy-making process, including the use of data and modeling, must be open and transparent.

Vision: Canada requires a clear vision on what the country’s net-zero future and energy transition looks like to drive demand and investment.

Engagement is part of NZAB’s mandate as per our Terms of Reference and the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. We view engagement as critical to cultivating the collective commitment and shared leadership across all orders of government, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector, and civil society, and to inform and drive pathways to net-zero.

NZAB looks forward to strengthening relationships with stakeholders and partners and listening to new voices and perspectives to inform its advice on independent pathways to net-zero in the months and years ahead.  In particular, we recognize that Indigenous Peoples are at the forefront of both climate change impacts and climate change action. We are deeply grateful to the Indigenous partners with whom we engaged in 2022 and 2023. We acknowledge there is much more work for us to do to ensure that our advice more fully reflects Indigenous knowledge, representative perspectives, lived experiences, and leadership.