The Paris Agreement is a historic agreement that was signed in 2015 by 195 countries as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Its primary objective is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Canada is one of the signatories to the Paris Agreement and is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly emphasized the importance of Canada’s role in the global fight against climate change, stating that “Canada is back” on the international stage.

To meet its Paris Agreement commitments, Canada has implemented a variety of climate change policies and initiatives. The federal government introduced the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in 2016, which outlines a plan for Canada to transition to a low-carbon economy. This plan includes measures such as putting a price on carbon pollution, investing in clean energy technology, and promoting energy efficiency in buildings and transportation.

In addition to federal initiatives, individual provinces and territories in Canada have also developed their own climate change policies and targets. For example, British Columbia has introduced a carbon tax, while Quebec has implemented a cap and trade system. These provincial efforts are contributing to Canada’s overall progress towards meeting its Paris Agreement commitments.

Despite these efforts, Canada’s progress towards its emissions reduction targets has been slow. In 2020, the federal government announced that it would raise its emissions reduction target to 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030 in order to align with the more ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement.

In conclusion, the Paris Agreement is an international agreement aimed at combatting climate change and Canada is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with this agreement. Although progress has been slow, federal and provincial initiatives are underway to help Canada meet its emissions reduction targets and transition to a low-carbon economy.