Glasgow, Scotland – Today Prime Minister Justin Trudeau identified the biggest climate challenge for Canada but failed to come up with the right solution. Focusing on emissions from oil and gas production but not production itself will allow oil and gas companies to keep putting forward false solutions, such as carbon capture and storage, fossil-based hydrogen, and far-off net zero plans, all while pumping out more and more atmosphere-destroying fossil fuels.

Canada has the weakest 2030 emissions reduction target in the G7, gives the most public financing to oil and gas companies in the G20, and is second only to the U.S. in its ambitions to increase oil and gas production. We cannot go from climate laggard to even the middle of the pack without curtailing oil and gas production, starting now. Other countries are doing it, through the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), an international coalition of countries and states committed to transitioning away from oil and gas production.

The Prime Minister also said Canada should take action to help vulnerable countries. Yesterday at COP26, the world’s most vulnerable countries put out a statement calling on countries like Canada to phase out fossil fuels, in line with the pathway laid out by the International Energy Agency: no new investments in, or approvals of, fossil fuel projects. Canada must heed this call.

About ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (www.environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

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For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

In Canada: Allen Braude, Environmental Defence, abraude@environmentaldefence.ca

In Scotland: Dale Marshall, Environmental Defence, dmarshall@environmentaldefence.ca