Electrification of transportation, creation of new innovative economic sectors, carbon pricing, Quebec’s adaptation to climate change: the Plan for a Green Economy is well underway. Overview of projections for the next five years.
Deeply committed to preventing environmental issues and solving the resulting problems, the Government of Quebec presented its Plan for a Green Economy 2030 in 2020. This framework policy builds on Quebec’s strengths, starting with hydroelectricity , to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and reduce its GHG emissions by 37.5% by 2030 in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. At the same time, it aims to develop new clean energy sources, while by implementing green economy principles to decarbonize the industrial sector. In order to stay the course on these long-term objectives, this action plan is deployed in an evolutionary manner. It is subject to an annual update covering the next five years, which takes into account the progress made, the evolution of climate change, the socio-economic context, scientific developments and technological innovations. This approach allows the government to channel its financial support and its efforts to support the most promising actions, which offer tangible benefits to society.
RECORD INVESTMENTS TO REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS
The five-year plan 2022-2027 injects additional funding of $1 billion, for a total of $7.6 billion over five years, in the fight against climate change. This increase will be used mainly to enhance investments in the transport, industry and building sectors. The adoption of electric mobility is a priority, both for citizens, who must have access to vehicles, and for businesses and the transport sector. Increased support will also be offered to municipalities, which have a direct influence on GHG emissions, as well as to industries and businesses considering their environmental footprint. The carbon market, a real lever of change for the latter, will play a crucial role in the adoption of alternative energy solutions.
A CONCERTED APPROACH TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSITION
The 2022‑2027 Implementation Plan also focuses on the electrification of all sectors of economic activity, as well as the use of bioenergy and green hydrogen. The development of new technologies and the training of skilled workers, with knowledge and skills in line with the challenge of climate transition, will be essential to build the low-carbon economy of tomorrow. The well-being of communities and citizens is also high on the list of the five-year plan, as the effects of global warming threaten their quality of life. The sums invested will be used to adapt their environment to cope with future changes and to encourage everyone to reduce their GHG emissions. These concerted actions will enable Quebec, which has the lowest GHG emissions per capita in North America, to maintain its leadership role in the fight against climate change.
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