On March 29, 2022, the Government of Canada released the "2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada's Next Steps to Clean Air and a Strong Economy" (the "2030 Plan") – the first Emissions Reduction Plan issued under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.

The 2030 Plan

The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a framework for Canada to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Act requires the Minister of Environment to set national greenhouse gas emissions targets and emissions reductions plan to achieve those targets for 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045.

The 2030 Plan is the first Emissions Reduction Plan. It sets a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40–45% below 2005 levels by 2030.

Some of the key features of the 2030 Plan include:

  • Making it easier for Canadians to switch to electric vehicles;
  • Promoting clean energy infrastructure investments;
  • Developing a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • Exploring measures to guarantee the price of pollution.

Next Steps

The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides that the government must assess its progress under the 2030 Plan and release reports at the end of years 2023, 2025 and 2027. Subsequent targets and plans must be developed for 2035, 2040 and 2045.

In a future blog, we'll discuss specific measures proposed under the 2030 Plan.

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