G21-P014 Establishing a National Carbon Budget

Submitter Name

Peter Victor

Ratification Vote Results: Adopted

Proposal

The GPC advocates legal and enforceable carbon budgets and emissions reduction timelines for Canada:

• avoiding changing time scales and emissions targets;

• based on Canada's equitable share of the remaining global carbon budget;

• based on best available science and assessment of societal impacts; and

• not on unproven future negative emission technologies.

Objective

To establish a legislated national carbon budget reflecting Canada’s equitable share of the remaining IPCC-determined global carbon budget consistent with 1.5°C warming and an annual emissions reduction timeline to net zero. The national carbon budget will inform negotiations with the provinces and territories to develop their own carbon budgets.

Benefit

This distinctive policy would help guide federal efforts, orienting Canada’s domestic and international actions. The largest absolute emissions reductions come first counteracting current governments’ tendency to postpone action. Adoption of a strict carbon budget reduces the likelihood and severity of damage from catastrophic climate change.

Supporting Comments from Submitter

The principle is that Canada should limit its cumulative carbon emissions to an equitable share of the remaining global carbon budget. The outcome will be the timely achievement of net zero emissions with the deepest emissions reductions coming first helping ensure that Canada remains within its own carbon budget.

IPPC (2019) Global Warming of 1.5°C. Special Report

Documents the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and estimates the remaining planetary carbon budget if a higher temperature rise is to be avoided.

Carbon Budgets. Where are we Now?, Carbon Tracker

Explains carbon budgets and why they can be a powerful instrument for policy and communications.

A Carbon Budget for Canada, Andrew Gage, West Coast Environmental Law 2015

Proposes an overarching legal planning framework for a carbon budget to help guide federal and provincial governments in developing and implementing laws, policies and tools that work at both a provincial and national level.

Information Brief: Carbon, Nov 19, City of Edmonton Budget and Accounting

Presents Edmonton’s carbon budget, explains how it was calculated, and outlines how aligning the Strategy with it and implementing a carbon accounting system can contribute to the city’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Green Value(s)

Ecological Wisdom, Sustainability, Participatory Democracy, Social Justice, Respect for Diversity, Non-Violence

Relation to Existing Policy

This proposal would rescind and replace current GPC policy G14-P48.