A Timeline of Canadian Climate Change Commitments

Text Version

1992
​At the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Canada ratifies the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.​

1997
​The Kyoto Protocol is adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

1998
​Canada signs the Kyoto Protocol.

​2000
​The Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change commits to reducing GHG emissions by 65 million tonnes per year from 2008 to 2012.

2002
​Canada formally ratifies the Kyoto Protocol.

2002
The federal government releases Climate Change—Achieving Our Commitments Together, committing to cut 240 million tonnes of GHG emissions from Canada’s projected 2010 level.

2005
​The Kyoto Protocol formally enters into force, committing Canada to reducing GHG emissions to an average of 6 percent below its 1990 emission level over the 2008–2012 period.

2005
​The federal government releases Project Green—Moving Forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring Our Kyoto Commitment, which commits to reducing GHG emissions by 270 million tonnes per year from 2008 to 2012.

2007
​Environment Canada releases the first climate change plan, as required by the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, which indicates that Canada’s target is to reduce GHG emissions to an average of 6 percent below its 1990 emission level over the 2008–2012 period. The plan reiterates the government’s commitment as indicated in “Turning the Corner” and adds a commitment to reduce Canada’s total GHG emissions by 60 to 70 percent by 2050. These targets were repeated in the 2008 and 2009 climate change plans.

2007
​The “Turning the Corner” plan is announced. The government commits to reducing GHG emissions by 20 percent below Canada’s 2006 level by 2020.
​
2007
​The Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act is assented to in June 2007.

2009
​At the G8 summit, the G8 leaders establish a long-term objective to reduce global emissions by 50 percent by 2050. A baseline year was not specified.

2010
​Canada commits to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 17 percent below its 2005 level by 2020 under the Copenhagen Accord. Canada’s submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change notes that this target is to be aligned with the final economy-wide emissions target of the United States in enacted legislation.
​
2010
​Canada commits to reducing GHG emissions by 17 percent below its 2005 level by 2020 under the new Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

2010
​Environment Canada releases its 2010 climate change plan, as required under the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, which indicates that Canada’s target is to reduce GHG emissions to an average of 6 percent below its 1990 emission level over the 2008–2012 period. The plan also reiterates Canada’s target under the Copenhagen Accord.

2011
​Upon return from the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2011, the Minister of the Environment announces that Canada will formally withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol.

2011
​Environment Canada releases its 2011 climate change plan for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act.

2015
​Prior to the UN Climate Change Conference which took place in Paris in December 2015, Canada indicated that it would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent compared to 2005 levels, and that it would do so by 2030.

Since then, the government has indicated that it considers this target to be a minimum, and it has committed to work with the provinces to develop a Canadian plan to tackle climate change.

2015

​Canada and 192 other countries committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to achieving the related 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

1992
​At the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Canada ratifies the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.​

1997
​The Kyoto Protocol is adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

1998
​Canada signs the Kyoto Protocol.

​2000
​The Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change commits to reducing GHG emissions by 65 million tonnes per year from 2008 to 2012.

2002
​Canada formally ratifies the Kyoto Protocol.

2002
The federal government releases Climate Change—Achieving Our Commitments Together, committing to cut 240 million tonnes of GHG emissions from Canada’s projected 2010 level.

2005
​The Kyoto Protocol formally enters into force, committing Canada to reducing GHG emissions to an average of 6 percent below its 1990 emission level over the 2008–2012 period.

2005
​The federal government releases Project Green—Moving Forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring Our Kyoto Commitment, which commits to reducing GHG emissions by 270 million tonnes per year from 2008 to 2012.

2007
​Environment Canada releases the first climate change plan, as required by the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, which indicates that Canada’s target is to reduce GHG emissions to an average of 6 percent below its 1990 emission level over the 2008–2012 period. The plan reiterates the government’s commitment as indicated in “Turning the Corner” and adds a commitment to reduce Canada’s total GHG emissions by 60 to 70 percent by 2050. These targets were repeated in the 2008 and 2009 climate change plans.

2007
​The “Turning the Corner” plan is announced. The government commits to reducing GHG emissions by 20 percent below Canada’s 2006 level by 2020.
​
2007
​The Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act is assented to in June 2007.

2009
​At the G8 summit, the G8 leaders establish a long-term objective to reduce global emissions by 50 percent by 2050. A baseline year was not specified.

2010
​Canada commits to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 17 percent below its 2005 level by 2020 under the Copenhagen Accord. Canada’s submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change notes that this target is to be aligned with the final economy-wide emissions target of the United States in enacted legislation.
​
2010
​Canada commits to reducing GHG emissions by 17 percent below its 2005 level by 2020 under the new Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

2010
​Environment Canada releases its 2010 climate change plan, as required under the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, which indicates that Canada’s target is to reduce GHG emissions to an average of 6 percent below its 1990 emission level over the 2008–2012 period. The plan also reiterates Canada’s target under the Copenhagen Accord.

2011
​Upon return from the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2011, the Minister of the Environment announces that Canada will formally withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol.

2011
​Environment Canada releases its 2011 climate change plan for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act.

2015
​Prior to the UN Climate Change Conference which took place in Paris in December 2015, Canada indicated that it would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent compared to 2005 levels, and that it would do so by 2030.

Since then, the government has indicated that it considers this target to be a minimum, and it has committed to work with the provinces to develop a Canadian plan to tackle climate change.

2015

​Canada and 192 other countries committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to achieving the related 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.