Canada plans to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2030

The federal government plans to regulate a number of different sectors to fight climate change.

Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq says Canada will cut emissions to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. She says that’s fair and ambitious, and balances protection of the environment and the economy.

But critics say the target is the weakest of the G-7 countries, and for the first time is weaker than that of the United States. The group Environment Defence says the government is ignoring the biggest source of emissions — the oilsands.

Aglukkaq says there will be some new regulations on methane emissions from oil and gas, new rules for natural gas-fired power generation, and rules for the chemical and fertilizer industries.

Canada is on track to miss its previous promise to cut emissions 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Agencies/Canadajournal