(New York) There was more than just pats on the back on Wednesday at the first Climate Ambition Summit organized by the UN, where Canada and Quebec were represented by their respective heads of government.
When introducing Justin Trudeau, the UN assistant secretary general for global communications, Melissa Fleming, addressed him by saying that he had been “one of the world leaders in the expansion of fossil fuels. last year.”
“Could you explain the steps Canada is taking to align with the Secretary-General’s Acceleration Agenda to protect the 1.5 target [degré de réchauffement] and deliver social justice? ”, she asked.
The senior UN official was likely referring to the report published earlier this month by the organization Oil Change International, which describes Canada as a “climate hypocrite” due to its increase in oil and gas production.
During his brief intervention, the Canadian Prime Minister did not take notice of the moderator of a summit during which some 30 government leaders or representatives spoke. But he suggested his country had come a long way and had taken unprecedented decisions to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
“In 2015, Canada, a major supplier of gas and oil, was lagging far behind on climate action. Through hard work, we were able to change this situation. Canada’s emissions are in fact following a downward curve,” he said after referring to the year in which his first government was formed.
Among Canadian initiatives, Justin Trudeau mentioned the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, a first for a G20 country, and the upcoming unveiling of a regulatory framework to reduce methane emissions by 75%.
“If we give up this fight, as some would like us to do, the future will not be bright. If we continue to act, things will improve and our common future will be stronger,” he concluded.
In the press scrum, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, was more direct and partisan about the “some” mentioned by Justin Trudeau.
“Would Canada have been invited to participate in this type of summit ten years ago? The answer is no. Would Canada be invited to participate in this type of summit if Pierre Poilievre became Prime Minister of Canada? The answer is also no. »
Asked about how the assistant secretary general for global communications addressed Justin Trudeau, Steven Guilbeault replied: “The federal government has no jurisdiction over the use of natural resources. What we have said and what we are doing is taxing pollution from the oil and gas sector and all other industries. »
Even though he did not have the chance to speak at the Climate Ambition Summit, François Legault said the invitation to attend was a “proud moment” for Quebec. He also considered that the event was a great opportunity to establish contacts and include Quebec in the green economy.
“That’s the message,” he said Wednesday morning during a press scrum outside the United Nations headquarters. “Let’s prepare to buy green aluminum rather than buying gray aluminum. Let’s get ready to buy electric vehicles with electric batteries. Let’s get ready to buy electric buses. These products are already available in Quebec. That’s the message. We must accelerate this transition. »
Steven Guilbeault also welcomed the presence of François Legault at the UN summit. But he expressed reservations about Quebec’s green claims as a member of Beyond Oil and Gas (BOGA), a coalition of governments in favor of banning the production of hydrocarbons on their territories. Monday, alongside former American Vice-President Al Gore, the Premier of Quebec welcomed members of this alliance during a round table held at the General Delegation of Quebec in New York.
“If we do not reduce our oil consumption, collectively, that will not move us forward in the fight against climate change,” declared the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Quebec has committed to being part of this organization, but we continue to import oil into Quebec – 360,000 barrels of oil per day. We need these initiatives, but we have to look at the whole equation. »
Other reservations, expressed by André-Yanne Parent, general director of Climate Reality Canada, the Canadian branch of the international climate education organization founded by Al Gore. According to her, François Legault and the other members of BOGA will deserve the title of “hero”, a laudatory word used by Gore on Tuesday, only “if they continue to phase out oil and gas and recruit other members to make even “.
Earlier in the evening, Justin Trudeau also spoke before the UN Security Council, which was holding an exceptional session on Ukraine.
“It’s not just Ukraine, or Europe, that suffers if we don’t defend our values,” he said. We will all suffer, including all of you in the South. It’s not just about the long-term impact, but about the current suffering. Russia exploits energy and food, leading millions of people to face shortages, hunger and even starvation. »
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia’s “criminal” and “unjustified” assault and called on the Security Council to withdraw its veto power from Vladimir Putin’s country.