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Home / Medium- and long-term scenarios for GHG emission and air pollutant reductions / ECC – Interim Report – Section 6

ECC – Interim Report – Section 6

Interim Report to the Minister of Environment

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6 Next Steps

This report represents the NRTEE’s initial findings in response to the government’s Reference, focusing on the possible effects of a range of target reductions for GHGs and CACs. The NRTEE is continuing to work on exploring the questions and issues surrounding national and sectoral emission reduction targets for GHGs and CACs. As noted previously, the Government of Canada in April 2007 released the Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions, in which it committed to reducing GHG emissions by 60% to 70% below 2006 levels by 2050. In its final phase of work the NRTEE will expand the scope of its analysis to address the implications, in terms of GHG prices, pathways and economic effects, of three reduction targets: 45%, 65% and 80%. Furthermore, the NRTEE’s final report will focus its research, recommendations and options on the policy pathways (or scenarios) that could allow Canada to attain a range of emission reduction targets. This work over the next several months will include:
  • exploring policy scenarios to achieve medium-term GHG emission reduction targets, including an examination of GHG prices;
  • further analyzing the question of Canada’s ‘burden’ of the global effort to reduce GHGs, in the context of Canada’s national circumstances;
  • examining how an emissions intensity approach can translate effectively into a fixed cap on absolute emissions;
  • further evaluating the potential effects of emission reduction actions on GDP; and,
  • examining the issue of a national ambient air quality objective for PM and ozone.
In the summer of 2007, the NRTEE will conduct a limited number of meetings with stakeholders and experts, to discuss the draft findings and recommendations, before submitting a draft final report to the government in September. Following this, the NRTEE will conduct outreach sessions with Canadians in the fall to solicit feedback on the report; these views will be reflected in a final version of the report to the Minister in late fall.