Canada promises emission-free cars and shipping routes at COP26 climate talks

Canada was one of 19 countries that pledged to phase out greenhouse gas emissions from some international shipping lanes at the COP26 climate talks in Scotland on Wednesday.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra also signed a zero-emission car deal with Canada, a memorandum stating that emissions must be reduced from international air travel and a pledge to make heavy trucks and buses emission-free. in less than two decades.

They are the latest in a long line of new climate promises Canada is making during critical negotiations, from specific funding for coral reefs and a promise to halt deforestation to ending international funding for fossil fuel projects by the end of next. anus.

Critics say almost all of them have one theme in common: It’s mostly talk and not a lot of real work.

“COP26 has focused on the main announcements and not so much on the accountability, monitoring, measurement and verification of action on those announcements,” said Catherine Abreu, member of Canada’s net-zero advisory body and executive director. by Destination Zero. .

COP stands for Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was formed nearly three decades ago in an attempt to address the threat of climate change.

The countries that signed the convention, now numbering 197, meet annually, along with advocates and lobbyists, to negotiate how they can cooperate, in an event that combines a world fair atmosphere with political stances and a sea of ​​protests.

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It was at the third meeting of the COP in 1997 that the Kyoto treaty was signed, and at the 15th in 2009 the Copenhagen follow-up agreement was signed. But it was in Paris in 2015 that the world’s largest and most comprehensive climate agreement was signed.

The Paris agreement commits the COP countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that global warming does not exceed 2 C by the end of the century, with the aim of keeping it as close as possible to 1.5 C.

Each COP since Paris has focused on determining the rules for how to follow that plan, including who has to do what by when and how it should be reported. This meeting of COP26 in Glasgow is considered essential to “keep 1.5 alive”.

The International Energy Agency said last week that if everything promised in Glasgow is implemented, global warming should be around 1.8 C by 2100, but Climate Action Tracker suggested it could reach 2.4 C.

Every 0.1 C increase in average global temperature can bring new waves of trouble for the planet, with more heat waves, longer droughts, heavier rains and more difficulties in obtaining fresh water or growing food. After 2 C, the effects of climate change begin to become exponential and potentially irreversible.

Abreu said Canada has made some good moves before and during the Glasgow talks, including adhering to a commitment to eliminate subsidies for foreign fossil fuel projects by the end of 2022, and leading the way in reducing methane emissions from production. of oil and gas by 75% by the end of 2030.

But Abreu said that much of what happened in Glasgow is parallel promises and limited liability alliances, while the draft text of the agreement that is expected to be signed on Friday shows little evidence that governments are agreeing to do anything specific.

“Right now we have a draft that talks a lot about the importance of 1.5 (C) and increasing ambition, but it’s all language like ‘welcome’, ‘acknowledge’ and ‘consider,” he said. “It does not use the language of ‘decide governments will do XYZ’.”

Even many of the side agreements Canada joined are vague, including what was called the Clydebank Declaration to create at least six emission-free shipping routes between the ports of the 19 participating countries by the middle of this decade.

International shipping produces about three percent of total global carbon emissions.

Andrew Dumbrille, the lead marine transportation and conservation specialist at Canada’s World Wildlife Fund, said creating some green transportation corridors is a great start, but noted that Canada has not said anything about which port will be affected or excuse me.

This Canadian Press report was first published on November 10, 2021.