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Environment and Climate Change Canada

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ECCC Releases Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Assessment Framework and Guidelines

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The Minister of Environment and Climate Change on Monday announced the release of the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Self‑Review Assessment Framework (the Assessment Framework) and the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Guidelines (the Guidelines). The Assessment Framework and Guidelines were jointly developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Department of Finance Canada and are intended to support Canada’s 2009 commitment alongside other G20 countries to phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies over the medium-term while providing targeted support for the poorest. The Assessment Framework also builds on Canada’s commitment under the Statement on International Public Support for the Clean Energy Transition (the Glasgow Statement) in 2021 at COP 26 in Glasgow, to end new direct public support for international unabated fossil fuel, except in limited and clearly defined circumstances that are consistent with the 1.5°C warming limit and the goals of the Paris Agreement. This bulletin briefly summarizes key information and criteria provided in the Assessment Framework and Guidelines. Assessment Framework. ECCC noted that the Assessment Framework is the “first transparently published methodology worldwide” and that it will be used to determine which tax and non-tax measures constitute an “inefficient fossil fuel subsidy”. The Assessment Framework defines “measures” as including: (i) expenditure programs (i.e., grants, contributions, transfers); (ii) intramural research and development; (iii) tariff and duty reliefs; and (iv) tax expenditures that support fossil fuel consumption or that can be claimed by the fossil fuel sector and that represent alternatives to expenditure programs (i.e., tax credits, accelerated capital cost allowances, flow-through shares), and utilizes the World Trade Organization’s definition of “subsidy” as set out in Article 1.1 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. The international carbon markets provisions of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement will have an…

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Canada Releases 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan

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Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) today released the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan (the Plan) under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act; read our earlier bulletin on the Act here). The Plan sets out current actions, additional funding of $9.1B, and several new initiatives to meet Canada’s emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030, as provided last year in an update to Canada’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement (read our earlier bulletin on Canada’s updated NDC targets here).   The Plan also sets a new interim objective of reducing GHGs by 20% below 2005 levels by 2026, noting that this interim objective is not an official target akin to Canada’s 2030 NDC, but that progress towards achieving the objective will be a cornerstone of progress reports associated with the Plan in 2023, 2025, and 2027.   This bulletin highlights key parts of the Plan and summarizes the newly announced funding and initiatives, across the following categories: Carbon pricing Clean fuels Clean growth funding Methane Buildings Electricity Heavy industry Oil and gas Transportation Agriculture Waste Nature-based solutions Clean technology and climate innovation Sustainable finance Jobs, skills, and communities Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched the Plan in an address at the GLOBE Forum in Vancouver earlier today.  Carbon pricing. The Plan notes the measures undertaken to address economy-wide emissions including the federal fuel charge and the Output-Based Pricing System for industrial emitters under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act. Escalating the federal benchmark price to $170 by 2030 is meant to further support the 2030 targets of the federal government along with continued consultations on a possible border carbon adjustment (read our earlier bulletin here). Very significantly, the Plan puts forward the concept of investment approaches, like carbon contracts for differences, which enshrine future price levels in contracts between the federal government and low-carbon…

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ECCC Publishes Draft GHG Offset Protocols

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Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) yesterday published draft Federal GHG Offset Protocols for Landfill Methane Recovery and Destruction and Reducing Greenhouse Gases from Refrigeration Systems (the Draft Protocols) for a 30-day comment period (read our earlier bulletin announcing the development of draft protocols here). ECCC is in the process of developing protocols to advance the Federal GHG Offset System under Part 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act and in accordance with proposed Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System Regulations published last year.   Public Consultation ECCC is seeking public comment on the Draft Protocols to help inform the development of the final protocols. ECCC intends to publish the final versions mid-2022. Interested stakeholders have until February 18, 2022 to submit feedback on the Draft Protocols by emailing the Offsets and Emissions Trading Section of ECCC.    Future Protocols ECCC is also currently working on developing Federal GHG Offset Protocols for the following: Improved Forest Management Enhanced Soil Organic Carbon Livestock Feed Management We anticipate draft protocols on the above to be published later this year. For assistance with comments, further information, or to discuss the contents of this bulletin, please contact Lisa DeMarco at lisa@resilientllp.com.

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Prime Minister Trudeau Announces New Cabinet

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday announced a new Cabinet following the September 20, 2021 election. The priorities for the new Cabinet include creating jobs, growing the middle class, homeownership, accelerating the fight against climate change, $10-a-day childcare, and truth and reconciliation. We expect that the Prime Minister’s Office will issue new mandate letters for the ministers in the coming days.   The new Cabinet is gender-balanced and reflective of Canada’s diversity.  It is noteworthy that three of the most significant ministries (Finance, Foreign Affairs, and National Defence) are now held by women.  The climate agenda is also likely to be bolstered by a strong pairing of Minister Wilkinson, a former environmental innovator, at Natural Resources and Minister Guilbeault, a former environmental advocate, at Environment and Climate Change. The elevation of Edmonton Centre MP, Randy Boisonneault, to Cabinet as Associate Minister of Finance and Minister of Tourism is likely to add a more geographically-diverse perspective to Cabinet decisions in and around energy infrastructure.  Minister Hajdu’s move from her strong leadership at Health during the pandemic to Indigenous Services is also consistent with the government’s stated priority on Indigenous reconciliation.   The new confirmed Cabinet is as follows: Steven Guilbeault becomes Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson becomes Minister of Natural Resources Chrystia Freeland remains Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mélanie Joly becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lametti remains Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Marc Miller becomes Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Omar Alghabra remains Minister of Transport Anita Anand becomes Minister of National Defence Carolyn Bennett becomes Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Marie-Claude Bibeau remains Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Bill Blair becomes President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness Randy Boissonnault becomes Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne remains Minister of…

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