The Canadian government has published details for its greenhouse gas reduction plan, including new measures addressing oil sands and electricity production.
The country’s plan, "Turning the Corner," announced a year ago, includes mandatory reductions for industry and the creation of an emissions trading system, aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020.
Canada’s Environment Minister John Baird announced the details of what he called "tough measures" to put the country on a path to meet the 2020 goal.
Details of the plan include:
- Starting in 2012, oil sands operations will be required to implement carbon capture and storage
- Starting in 2012, construction of dirty coal plants will be banned
Environmentalists severely criticized the plan, saying too much damage will be done by operations in place before the 2012 deadline.
Minister Baird said, "Our regulations will apply to all big industry, from the oil industry to chemical companies; from smelters to pulp and paper mills. All big industry will have to do their part."
As announced last April, regulated industries will face mandatory reductions that require companies to reduce emissions 18% by 2010 for every unit of production.
The newly published details specify how the targets will apply to each industry sector, how the offsets and trading systems will work and how credits will be provided to companies that took early actions to reduce their emissions.
Companies will be able to choose the most cost-effective way to meet their emission reduction targets from a range of options: in-house reductions, contributions to a capped time-limited technology fund, domestic emissions trading and offsets and access to the United Nations’ Clean Development Mechanism.
Companies that have already reduced their greenhouse gas emissions prior to 2006 will have access to a limited one-time credit for early action.
Proposed greenhouse gas regulations are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette later this year, and the regulations finalized in 2009 to come into force as planned on January 1, 2010.
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