Green Party calls out government’s “net zero by 2050” chicanery

OTTAWA – The Green Party of Canada is calling on the federal government to explain why it appears to have abandoned its Paris Climate Agreement commitment to limit global average temperature increase to no more than 1.5 degrees C.

“We are watching a political magic trick,” said Green Party interim Leader Amita Kuttner. “Before our very eyes, the government is making its Paris promise disappear and pulling something very different – Net Zero by 2050 – out of the hat. 

“We are not fooled – and Canadians shouldn’t be either – by this clever attempt to renege on our commitment to 1.5 degrees C and replace it with a goal that is more acceptable to Canada’s fossil fuel industry.”

Dr. Kuttner was commenting as Green Party leaders filed a submission to the government’s brief online public consultation on the Canadian Net Zero Accountability Act. In their submission, Dr. Kuttner joins Green MPs and shadow cabinet climate experts in calling on the government to recommit to the Paris target and abandon the “inadequate and dangerous” goal of Net Zero by 2050.

The submission provides detailed advice across the seven topics listed in the survey, setting out a broad range of measures that will allow Canada to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 – the scale of cuts necessary to meet the commitments made in Paris.

“The devastating heat domes, floods, landslides, fires and droughts of the past 12 months are driving the message home – every ton of greenhouse gas matters,” said Green Party parliamentary leader Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands). “Every increment of warming is an increased threat to millions of people and species.

“We believe that by taking strong action immediately to hold to 1.5 degrees C, Canada could have a significant impact on global momentum at a time when global leadership is sorely needed.”

Read the Green Party submission

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For more information or to arrange an interview:
John Chenery
media@greenparty.ca
1-613-562-4916 ext. 215