What’s a Country Like Canada to Do? Addressing the Challenge of Global Climate Change

Abstract

Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of crude oil and natural gas. We also rank among the top ten emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Despite this, our ability to affect world outcomes on key energy markets and with climate change is arguably negligible. How then should a country like Canada work to address the challenge of climate change? The arguments made in this chapter suggest that global success on addressing this challenge requires international agreement and collaboration, with China and the United States poised to play leadership roles in GHG emissions reductions and in clean technology development. Canadian climate policy, in turn, should be articulated around a recognition of the fact that domestic efforts to address climate change will only be successful if these are part of broad-based international efforts. Canadian policy should also take into consideration properties and characteristics of GHGs as global pollutants. Efforts to foster low-cost emissions reductions (through carbon pricing, for example) and to recognize the importance of government support for measures aimed at helping Canadians to adapt to the reality of climate change are to be encouraged. Public (and political) support for domestic actions to address the challenge of global climate change will likely be increased by working to ensure that those who pay the cost for such actions benefit directly from their implementation.