Greenhouse gases | Canada’s emissions are on the rise again

Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are on the rise again in 2021, the second year of the pandemic, the most recent official data shows.

Canada emitted 670 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO eq.₂) that year, compared to 659 Mt in 2020, says the summary of the National Inventory Report released by Ottawa on Friday, on the eve of the April 15 deadline for submitting it to the United Nations Framework Convention on climatic changes.

This 1.8% increase is essentially attributable to the transport sector and the oil and gas extraction sector, whose increases were respectively 9 Mt (+5%) and 4 Mt (+4%). largely erasing the decreases recorded in the residential heating and agricultural sectors.

At 670 Mt, however, Canada’s 2021 GHG emissions remain below their pre-pandemic level; they had been 724 Mt in 2019.

They are also 8.4% lower than the 732 Mt emitted in 2005, the reference year used by Canada to calculate its reduction commitment of 40 to 45% by 2030.

The summary of the National Inventory Report points out that the “intensity” of emissions from the Canadian economy, or the quantity of GHGs emitted according to the evolution of the gross domestic product (GDP), has decreased by 29% since 2005.

“The growth of Canada’s economy has outpaced the growth of its GHG emissions,” the document explains.

Canada is the 10^e largest GHG emitter on the planet, with 1.6% of global emissions, recalls the document, citing data from the specialized site Climate Watch for 2019.

Canada is also one of the highest emitters of GHGs per capita, with 17.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO eq.₂) per person in 2021; this rate was 22.7 t eq. CO₂ in 2005.

Smaller increase than expected

The increase in Canada’s GHG emissions in 2021 is “lower than expected, [ce qui] shows that Canada’s economic growth continues to be cleaner and less polluting than before,” Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a statement.

“Progress is underway, and Canada has shown determination in its climate actions,” added the minister, praising in particular its Emissions Reduction Plan for 2030.

“We have already achieved nearly a quarter of our 2030 emissions reduction target,” he said.