Commitments by the federal government to exceed Canada’s 2030 goal under the Paris Agreement and set the country on a path to a net-zero emissions future by 2050 present a critical opportunity to ramp up climate ambition and action.
This policy brief proposes a framework for a new Canadian Climate Accountability Act that would enshrine these new and ambitious commitments – and a world-class governance framework to ensure they are achieved – in law. Doing so would leave a legacy for decades and generations to come: positioning Canada among current global leaders on climate change; ensuring climate action remains a priority for future federal governments; and driving the transition to a low-carbon economy and society.
The proposed framework for a Canadian Climate Accountability Act reflects the carefully considered perspectives of civil society organizations most engaged in Canadian climate policy, cultivated over the course of a four-year effort aimed at enhancing Canada’s accountability for delivering on its climate commitments.
The below recommendations carry the support of Climate Action Network Canada’s large and diverse membership across the country. The framework is based on extensive research on international experiences and recent developments in Canadian provinces, and dialogue with constitutional and environmental lawyers, policy experts, scientists and economists. This policy brief is based on a longer report which includes greater detail and analysis.
