Reduce greenhouse gas pollution

Pollution overwhelmingly released by the world’s rich countries is already costing lives and livelihoods among the world’s most vulnerable people. The G8 and G20 will be the first high-level summits to tackle global warming after the UN climate summit in Copenhagen in December.

These summits are key opportunities to give momentum towards a fair, ambitious and legallybinding deal to reduce emissions that cause global warming, and pave the way for successful completion of the UN climate change negotiations.

In Canada, our current emissions target falls far short of what the science requires to address climate change. For Canada to be a credible and effective chair of discussions about climate change, we need stronger policies in place to cut our own emissions.

Two steps are necessary to begin real progress on climate change: 1) place a price on pollution, and, 2) scale up public investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Canada can lead on these two steps and make the 2010 summits a turning point in the global effort to tackle climate change.

Support poorer countries in responding

Developing countries are most affected by climate change and yet they are least responsible for it. Many vulnerable countries urgently need help to survive a more hostile climate and to tap into clean energy. That means things like infrastructure strong enough to withstand floods, new farming methods for drier conditions, and adequate health care as diseases like malaria spread into new areas.

In Copenhagen, leaders from the G8 countries agreed to provide up to US $30 billion over the next three years for adaptation and emission reductions in poorer countries. They also agreed to find US $100 billion a year by 2020—although studies show that much more funding will be needed.

As host, Canada must come to the table with our fair share of the funding needed, which we estimate at a modest 3 to 4 percent of the global total, equivalent to $320 to $420 million for 2010 over and above aid commitments for fighting poverty.

The G8 can start by delivering the minimum of US $30 billion that is needed urgently—funding that must be over and above the aid that countries have already committed to. And at the G20, leaders can work to design a new climate fund that will meet the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable.