Final Report: Gordon Global Fellowship

Final Report: Gordon Global Fellowship
Clare Demerse
September 30, 2009
A. Introduction
My work as a 2008-2009 Gordon Global Fellow concerned financial support for climate action
in developing countries. Climate financing is a make-or-break issue in the negotiations for a new
global climate deal, which are scheduled to conclude in December 2009 in Copenhagen,
Denmark. My research consisted of reviewing the literature on climate financing and attempting
to determine Canada’s “fair share” of the global total.
Of the $20,000 fellowship award, I spent about $13,400 on labour costs (including my own time
and some of my colleagues’) and $6,300 on expenses, mainly for travel and printing. My major
product is a report entitled Our Fair Share, which was published in April 2009. The fellowship
award also allowed me to attend the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany in June 2009.
The report below details my activities, challenges, learnings, outreach and engagement strategy,
and next steps.
I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation for their
confidence in me and their financial support for my work. I have found the guidance of the
Foundation’s staff to be invaluable throughout my fellowship year.
B. Activities
My fellowship activities fall into three major categories: research, writing, and
dissemination/networking. The list below describes my major activities in each category.
Please note that some of the activities listed were partially funded through the Pembina
Institute’s climate program.
1. Research
• Read the major reports and documents concerning the generation, disbursement and
governance of financing for adapting to climate change and reducing emissions
(“mitigation”) in developing countries. This phase took place mainly October 2008 to
March 2009, with ongoing updates to monitor new developments.
•
Participated in the UN climate negotiations in December 2008 in Poznan, Poland. My
fellowship work in Poland included:
o Joining the financing “working group” of Climate Action Network (CAN)
International. CAN is an umbrella group for environmental non-governmental
organizations at the UN climate talks.
Gordon Global Fellowship — Final Report
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o Attending daily meetings with Ambassador Michael Martin, Canada’s lead
climate negotiator, and asking numerous questions about climate financing.
o Along with several other organizations, commissioning a poll question on
financial support for climate adaptation in November 2008. (The results are
posted at http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/bg-polling-results-final.pdf.)
Encouragingly, we found 68% agreement with the statement: “The world's richest
countries, including Canada, should provide sufficient financial aid to allow
developing countries to cope with global warming.”
•
Filed numerous requests for information about climate financing under Canada’s Access
to Information legislation (November 2008). One of the briefing notes I received through
Access to Information is available at http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/our-fair-sharebriefing-foreign-affairs.pdf.
•
Attended the 2009 G8 Leaders Summit in L’Aquila, Italy as an observer and media
spokesperson on climate and financing issues (July 2009).
2. Writing
• Included an overview of the financing issue in Pembina’s briefing note in advance of the
Poznan negotiations (http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/poznan-backgd-nov26.pdf). I cowrote this briefing note with the director of our climate team, Matthew Bramley.
•
Wrote the news release that summarized the results of our polling in Poznan in December
2008 (http://climate.pembina.org/media-release/1736).
•
Published a 50-page report entitled Our Fair Share: Canada’s Role in Supporting Global
Climate Solutions (http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/our-fair-share-report.pdf). The report
was reviewed by financing experts prior to publication, including my two mentors.
•
Published a four-page fact sheet summarizing the full report
(http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/our-fair-share-fact-sheet-final.pdf).
•
Produced a powerpoint slide show to summarize the key findings of the report
(http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/our-fair-share-overview-slide-show.pdf in English and
http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/our-fair-share-overview-slide-show-fr.pdf in French).
•
Wrote a news release to accompany the report (http://climate.pembina.org/mediarelease/1816).
•
Wrote two letters on financing to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The first, published in
November 2008, came from a group of NGOs (http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/letterclimate-finance-eusummit.pdf). The second came from the Executive Director of the
Pembina Institute in June of 2009 (http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/letter-climate-financeeusummit.pdf).
Gordon Global Fellowship — Final Report
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•
Included climate financing in Pembina’s briefing note on the 2009 G8 summit in
L’Aquila, Italy in July 2009 (http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/climate-bg-g8-2009.pdf).
•
Wrote the climate section of the G8 Civil Society platform for Canada’s 2010 G8/G20
meeting (http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/sites/default/files/G8-Platform-civil-societyEN.pdf).
3. Dissemination
•
Participated in a strategy session for the Canadian Coalition for Climate Change and
Development (C4D) in Ottawa in October 2009.
•
Along with NGO colleagues, participated in a speaking tour to launch the report. This
tour included events aimed at the media, NGOs and the general public in Montreal,
Ottawa and Toronto in the week of April 20, 2009. (Please see Appendix A for a listing
of media stories and press releases associated with my fellowship work.)
•
Sent electronic copies of Our Fair Share to key government officials and environment
critics (April 2009).
•
Presented the findings of my fellowship research at a news conference in advance of the
Bonn climate negotiations (May 2009).
•
Provided media commentary on climate financing in numerous interviews in English and
French in 2009, particularly at the G8 in July 2009 in L’Aquila, Italy.
•
Met with members of Canada’s climate negotiating team, including Ambassador Michael
Martin and the lead negotiator on climate finance (numerous meetings in 2008 and 2009).
•
Along with a colleague from Oxfam, met with two MPs who are members of the House
of Commons Foreign Affairs and International Trade committee to brief them on climate
financing (May 2009).
•
Selected as the NGOs panellist on climate financing at a stakeholder consultation for
Canada’s climate negotiating team in Calgary, Alberta (September 2009).
C. Challenges and Learnings
Starting Point
My fellowship proposal stated that I hoped to produce “a detailed and credible set of policy
recommendations to the federal government” on some of the key issues that would shape the
Copenhagen negotiations. In my application, I focused on adaptation to climate impacts. I also
planned to make sure that my analysis was “widely disseminated, resulting in increased
effectiveness by Canadian ENGOs at international negotiation sessions and greater awareness of
the issues on the part of Canadian journalists. This effort would help Canadian ENGOs to
publicly hold Canada’s government to account for the full range of climate policies comprised in
Gordon Global Fellowship — Final Report
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the UN negotiations, and ultimately to result in stronger policies and international commitments
from the Canadian government.”
In terms of learning goals, I hoped to gain an increased understanding of the issues and also
“strengthen my leadership skills by acting as a ‘point person’ within the Canadian ENGO
community in developing policy recommendations.”
Changing the focus
Once I started my research, I realized that — although the majority of public dollars will likely
go towards adaptation ― developing countries also need support in other areas, such as
acquiring low-emission technology and reducing deforestation. I also realized that “financing” is
the umbrella term that covers the entire range of climate-related funding needs in developing
countries.
Before the end of 2008, I had shifted my work from adaptation to financing, in an effort to zero
in on the role that Canada and its peers must play in supplying the resources.
Time Pressures
The single biggest challenge in my fellowship work has been finding enough time to get the
work done. In my case, the fellowship research was clearly linked to my “day job,” but fell on
top of the other projects I was responsible for completing. As I learned more about financing, I
realized that I had taken on a massive project, one that could easily fill a full-time job.
I coped with the time pressures in two ways: by making it a personal project that I tackled mainly
outside of regular work hours, and by accepting that I wouldn’t complete the entire workplan in
2009.
By the summer of 2009, I was able to begin incorporating climate financing more effectively into
our day-to-day work at Pembina. Pembina has recently developed a niche of following the
climate issues on the table at G8 (and now G20) negotiations. Financing played a huge part in the
G8 meeting in L’Aquila, Italy, and will likely be an important component of the climate
component of the Muskoka G8/G20 in 2010. Pembina’s existing involvement in Canada’s
G8/G20 meetings provides me with an ideal “venue” to continue working on financing issues
even once my fellowship year ends.
When I started this project, I was entirely focused on the deal to be reached at Copenhagen. As
important as that milestone will be, I now realize that generating and effectively disbursing the
climate finance that poorer countries need will require a multi-year commitment.
Conclusion
Although my work has not succeeded in strengthening Canada’s climate financing policy this
year, I believe that I have been able to provide analysis that my NGO colleagues can use in
holding Canada to account for its climate financing positions. Partly due to personnel changes in
other NGOs, I have also come to be seen as a “point person” on financing issues by my peers.
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And I see this year as just the beginning: the fellowship has provided me with invaluable “seed
money” for work on climate financing that I plan to continue in 2010 and beyond.
D. Meetings with key stakeholders
A partial list of people I have met with in the course of my fellowship work is provided below.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Domestic “climate colleagues,” including Mark Lutes (WWF-International), Graham
Saul (Climate Action Network Canada), Claire Stockwell (Greenpeace International), Joy
Kennedy (United Church of Canada), Paul Cobb (Pembina Institute/Canadian Coalition
for Climate Change and Development), Dale Marshall (David Suzuki Foundation), Mark
Fried (Oxfam), Brian Tomlinson (CCIC), Deborah Murphy and John Drexhage
(International Institute for Sustainable Development), Hugo Seguin and Steven
Guilbeault (Équiterre).
International climate colleagues, including Liz Gallagher (CAFOD), Matthew Finlay
(E3G), Janet Redmond (Institute for Policy Studies), Tom Athanasiou (EcoEquity), Steve
Herz (Greenpeace USA), and my mentor, Alden Meyer (Union of Concerned Scientists).
Members of the Canadian delegation, including Ambassador Michael Martin (lead
negotiator), Laurence Blandford (lead financing negotiator), Judith Hull (carbon markets
negotiator), Dany Drouin (stakeholder relations) and Erin Sible (policy analyst).
Journalists, including Mike De Souza (CanWest News), Susan Lunn and Margo
McDiardmid (CBC), Brian Laghi (Globe and Mail), Etienne Leblanc (Radio-Canada),
William Marsden (Montreal Gazette), and Peter O’Neil (CanWest News).
Technical experts, including Dennis Tirpak (International Institute for Sustainable
Development) and my mentor, Erik Haites (Margaree Consulting).
Members of Parliament and political staff, including Kevin Sorenson (Conservative),
Nathan Cullen (NDP), Bernard Bigras (Bloc Québécois), Ken Dryden (Liberal), Bernard
Patry (Liberal) and Linda Duncan (NDP). Please note that financing was only one of
several issues discussed at these meetings.
E. Outputs and Outcomes
The outputs I produced for my fellowship are listed in Section B above. The conclusion of my
research is summarized in the Executive Summary of Our Fair Share; I have included that
summary as Appendix B to this report.
F. Next Steps
As noted above, there is still an enormous amount of work to do to ensure that Canada does
indeed do its “fair share” in helping poorer countries to tackle climate change. In the next 12
months, I hope to work on the following areas, both on my own and with partners:
•
Continue outreach to decision-makers and media on climate finance as part of the
“Countdown to Copenhagen.” Key financing milestones in the fall of 2009 include the
two UN negotiation sessions before negotiations wrap up in Copenhagen and the
Canadian government’s commitment to announce a “full suite” of climate policies. I hope
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to meet with political staffers and environment critics to brief them on the state of play of
the financing negotiations and on Canada’s contribution.
•
Speaking engagements: I have speaking engagements scheduled on climate financing
throughout the fall of 2009, including presentations in Calgary, Ottawa and Montréal.
•
Monitoring the issue and communicating developments: Financing developments in the
U.S., Europe and Mexico are very relevant for Canadian policymakers. I hope to follow
those developments closely and communicate them to decision-makers in Canada.
•
G8/G20 outreach: As noted above, climate finance will almost certainly form part of the
agenda at Canada’s June 2010 Muskoka G8 summit. As the first G8 meeting after
Copenhagen, this summit provides a timely opportunity for Canada to make climate
financing part of its G8 “legacy.” I have joined the NGO working group preparing for the
2010 G8/G20, and plan to make this a key focus of my work in the first half of 2010.
•
Case studies: To make the case for climate financing more concrete, I would like to
produce two case studies that illustrate the need for — and the benefits of — effective
climate financing. Moving forward on these studies will require finding partners with
greater expertise on the ground, but my tentative plan is to look at emission reduction
opportunities in Mexico and adaptation needs in Haiti.
Based on my fellowship work to date, I believe that three constituencies are particularly relevant
to building support for stronger action on the issue:
• new Canadians from countries at risk of serious climate impacts
• clean technology companies who could benefit from new markets for their products, and
• the faith community.
Over the longer term, I hope to connect with partners in those constituencies to discuss
collaboration in pushing for Canadian leadership on climate financing.
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Appendix A: Media Engagement
This appendix includes press releases and news stories related to my fellowship work. Please
note that it does not include all broadcast media stories, as our clippings service mainly covers
print media.
1. Pembina Institute Media Release
Dec 2, 2008
Poll: Canadians Want Action on Global Warming Despite Economic Downturn
Media Contact: Clare Demerse
POZNAN, Poland, Dec. 2 /CNW/ - Nearly two-thirds of Canadians want to see Canada take
action to tackle global warming despite the economic crisis, according to new polling released
today by four Canadian observer organizations at the UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland.
"Canadians believe that the government should tackle global warming despite the economic
crisis," said Graham Saul, Climate Action Network Canada. "Unfortunately, Canada's
government is still stuck in a mentality that sees action on global warming as a risk to our
economy."
In his first major speech as Canada's Environment Minister, Jim Prentice pledged last week not
to "aggravate an already weakening economy in the name of environmental progress."
The poll surveyed 1,015 Canadians from November 17 to 23, 2008 on four questions relevant to
the UN climate meetings now underway in Poznan. The full results, including regional
breakdowns, are available here [PDF]. The poll was commissioned by the United Church of
Canada, Greenpeace, Climate Action Network Canada-Réseau Action Climat Canada, and the
Pembina Institute.
The poll finds little support from Canadians for some of the arguments that the Harper
government has made at international climate meetings. For example, 83% of Canadians
surveyed agreed with the statement that "Canada should commit to strong action on global
warming without waiting for other countries" — a position at odds with the government's view
that Canada cannot move more quickly than the U.S., or that binding targets for Canada must
wait until major developing countries commit to reducing their emissions.
The Harper government's current national emissions targets fall far short of the levels
recommended by climate scientists to avoid catastrophic climate impacts. (The government's
national target for 2020 is equivalent to 3% below the 1990 level, while leading climate scientists
recommend reductions to at least 25% below the 1990 level by 2020.) Despite the government's
position, more than three -quarters of respondents agreed that "Canada's global warming targets
should be based on what leading scientists say is needed to avoid serious harm to people and the
environment, even if meeting these targets entails some cost to the economy."
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Finally, more than two-thirds of those surveyed agreed that "the world's richest countries,
including Canada, should provide sufficient financial aid to allow developing countries to cope
with global warming." Compensating poorer countries for the effects of global warming —
which has been caused mainly by rich countries' emissions — is one of the key issues on the
table at the negotiations.
"The results are crystal clear," said Dave Martin, climate coordinator for Greenpeace Canada.
"Canadians want real leadership on global warming, and they won't accept hypocrisy and
greenwashing from the Harper government. Canada should act now without waiting for other
countries."
"If the government was listening to Canadians, we'd have a much more ambitious approach to
cutting our greenhouse gas pollution," said Clare Demerse, a senior policy analyst at the
Pembina Institute. "Right now, Canada's targets are nowhere close to the level that scientists tell
us is needed to do our fair share in avoiding catastrophic global warming."
"Global warming is already putting the world's poorest people in harm's way, and Canadians
want to help," said Joy Kennedy, program coordinator (poverty, wealth and ecological justice) at
The United Church of Canada. "In Poznan, governments are talking about how to ensure that
funding is provided to poorer countries so they can cope with climate change. These poll results
show that our government must do much better to live up to Canadians' expectations."
The telephone poll was conducted by McAllister Opinion Research, a member of the
international body for professional opinion and market research. A random sample of 1,015
Canadians were surveyed, producing a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.
2. Pembina Institute News Release
Apr 20, 2009
New Report Outlines Canada's Fair Share of Financial Support for Global Climate Action:
Internal Government Document Acknowledges the Scale of Funding Needed, but Canada Has
Yet to Take a Position
Media Contact: Clare Demerse
With countries racing to reach a new global climate deal by December, financial support for
climate action in developing countries has emerged as an essential building block for a
successful outcome. A Pembina Institute report released today outlines Canada's "fair share" of
the climate financing needed.
"Canada has a narrow window of opportunity to play a constructive role in this year's pivotal UN
climate negotiations," said Clare Demerse, Associate Director of Pembina's Climate Change
Program and the report's author. "Committing to provide our share of the financing that poorer
countries need would be a huge step in the right direction."
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Some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people are already facing impacts from global
warming, even though they have done little to cause the problem. And poorer countries need
help to pursue a development path with lower greenhouse gas emissions. Estimates from UN
bodies and others show that tens of billions of dollars per year in new public finance will be
required to meet these needs.
Formulas that share out countries' responsibility show that Canada should provide about 3 to 4
per cent of the required financing. Multiplying that percentage by assessments of the total needed
in developing countries produces an estimate of $2.2B to C$5.7B per year as Canada's fair share.
The mid-point of that range, $4B/year, is less than the cost of a 1 per cent cut to the GST.
"Although many countries have made innovative proposals to generate the financing needed,
Canada has not yet come to the table with ideas and commitments of its own," said Demerse.
"This is particularly unfortunate when the government's own internal briefing notes acknowledge
the scale and urgency of adaptation needs in developing countries."
A briefing note from the Department of Foreign Affairs obtained through an Access to
Information request acknowledges that the costs of adaptation "are estimated to be extremely
high," that the UN's existing adaptation funds "are widely criticised as being under-funded" and
that "addressing adaptation now is more affordable than the costs of inaction."
Adaptation financing would allow communities to, for example, build "climate proof"
infrastructure to withstand more violent storms. An example of financial support for reducing
emissions would be funding the costs of a switch from generating electricity from coal to using
wind power.
As a "downpayment" on the global climate agreement expected in Copenhagen this December,
Pembina's report recommends that Canada provide at least $80M towards urgent adaptation
needs identified by the world's least developed countries.
- 30 For more information contact:
Clare Demerse
Associate Director, Climate Change Program, The Pembina Institute
Tel. 613-762-7449
This report was prepared thanks to support from the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation's
Global Fellowship program.
3. La Presse Canadienne
Le Canada est exhorté à jouer un plus grand rôle à la conférence de Copenhague
Gordon Global Fellowship — Final Report
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Mon 20 April 2009
Section: Nouvelles
MONTREAL _ Le Canada devra s'impliquer davantage lors de la prochaine conférence des
Nations unies sur le climat qui se déroulera à Copenhague, en décembre. C'est du moins ce
qu'avancent Equiterre, le Réseau action climat, l'Institut Pembina et l'Eco-Equity USA dans un
rapport rendu public lundi.
Huitième plus grand émetteur de gaz à effet de serre au monde, le Canada doit assumer et jouer
un rôle plus important sur la scène internationale concernant cette préoccupante question, a
soutenu le porte-parole d'Equiterre, Hugo Seguin.
En plus de trouver un protocole succédant à celui de Kyoto, la conférence de Copenhague
réfléchira à des solutions de financement concrètes pour aider les nations les plus démunies. En
effet, bien qu'ils aient peu contribué aux émissions de gaz à effet de serre, les pays en voie de
développement sont les premiers à souffrir de leurs incidences sur l'environnement.
Il faut aider ces populations à s'adapter aux changements climatiques, mais aussi à atténuer leurs
propres émissions de CO2, a fait valoir Clare Demerse, auteure du rapport de l'institut Pembina.
Passer du charbon à l'éolienne, réduire la déforestation, former les fermiers à l'agriculture en
situation de sécheresse, partager les technologies vertes comme les systèmes géothermiques sont
les mesures décidées en 2007 lors de la conférence de Bali. Elles permettront d'améliorer les
conditions de vie dans les pays du Sud et de lutter contre le réchauffement de la planète. Ce
programme appelle un investissement de plusieurs centaines de milliards de dollars.
Le succès du sommet de Copenhague passe par la résolution du financement de ce projet. C'est
ici que le Canada doit prendre position et apporter sa juste contribution, a affirmé l'auteure. Selon
ses calculs basés sur les textes de l'ONU, le pays devrait assumer 3 à 4 pour cent de son
financement mondial, soit 2,2 à 5,7 milliards $ par année.
Dans le contexte actuel de crise, ces montants semblent imposants. Toutefois, Clare Demerse
souligne que le financement du Plan d'action de Bali ne débutera qu'en 2012 après la fin du
protocole de Kyoto.
4. Le Devoir
LES ACTUALITÉS, mardi, 21 avril 2009, p. a5
Lutte contre les changements climatiques
Francoeur, Louis-Gilles
Le Canada est invité à s'acquitter de ses responsabilités internationales : Le pays devrait réduire
ses émissions de GES de 38 % d'ici 2020, selon un groupe de recherche américain
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À Copenhague, en décembre prochain, la principale pomme de discorde entre pays riches et
pauvres sera inévitablement le partage de l'effort global de réductions de gaz à effet de serre afin
d'enrayer à temps l'emballement du climat. Des chercheurs commencent à plancher sur cette
question particulièrement délicate.
Selon le groupe de modélisateurs des États-Unis EcoEquity, un «juste partage» de l'effort de
réductions des gaz à effet de serre impose au Canada de réduire ses émissions de 38 % d'ici 2020
par rapport à leur niveau de 2006, soit 25 % sous le niveau des émissions historiques en 1990.
En comparaison, le gouvernement Harper cible plutôt une réduction de 3 % sous la barre de 1990
d'ici 2020.
Le groupe étasunien était de passage hier à Montréal pour présenter son étude sur la manière
dont la communauté internationale devrait se partager un effort global de réductions de 40 % des
émissions de GES d'ici 2020, soit le niveau supérieur préconisé par le Groupe
intergouvernemental d'experts sur le climat (GIEC) de la fourchette de «25 à 40 %» qu'il
proposait l'an dernier pour empêcher le climat de devenir hors de contrôle. De
plus en plus de chercheurs estiment qu'il faut viser désormais la partie supérieure de cette
fourchette, soit 40 %, en raison de l'accélération foudroyante du réchauffement, en particulier
avec la fonte du pergélisol, de la calotte polaire et des calottes glacières du Groenland et de
l'Antarctique.
De son côté, une autre étude, d'Oxfam celle-là, établissait hier que le nombre de personnes
touchées par les catastrophes climatiques pourrait augmenter de 54 % d'ici 2015, passant de 133
à 375 millions de personnes.
Cette intensification des problèmes attribuables au climat fera passer les besoins en aide de 14,2
à 25 milliards.
De son côté, l'Institut Pembina d'Ottawa rendait publique une autre étude visant à déterminer le
budget que le Canada devrait consacrer pour aider les pays en développement à mieux s'adapter à
des changements climatiques déclenchés par la surconsommation de combustibles fossiles des
pays développés. Selon cette étude, le Canada devrait fournir de 3 à 4 % du financement global
en raison de sa richesse et du volume de ses émissions. Cela équivaut à ajouter 4 milliards à son
budget d'aide extérieure, ce qui correspond à une hausse de 1 % de la TPS.
Pour Clare Demerse, porte-parole de l'institut, «plusieurs pays ont jusqu'ici proposé plusieurs
formules pour fournir aux pays en développement une aide qui correspond aux besoins. Mais le
Canada n'a rien mis de l'avant ni même commenté les propositions des autres pays. C'est encore
plus préoccupant quand on sait que dans ses propres documents internes, le gouvernement
reconnaît l'ampleur et l'urgence de la situation dans les pays en développement».
Selon les évaluations des fonctionnaires fédéraux obtenues par l'Institut Pembina en vertu de la
Loi d'accès à l'information, le coût pour les pays en développement est «extrêmement élevé», les
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fonds d'aide de l'ONU sont «sous-financés» et «le fait d'adopter des mesures d'adaptation dès
maintenant entraînera des coûts moins élevés que ceux de l'inaction».
Quant à l'étude des chercheurs étasuniens, dont des spécialistes en modélisation de l'Université
Harvard, elle commence par établir un «indice de capacité-responsabilité» basé sur le fait qu'il
faudrait diviser la population mondiale en deux catégories, soit ceux qui gagnent en moyenne
moins de 20 $ par jour - et qui ne peuvent supporter le fardeau de réductions des GES - et les
autres, qui doivent le partager au nom de leur propre sécurité climatique.
Selon cet indice, le Canada devrait assumer 3,1 % de l'effort de réduction globale des émissions
de GES, contre 36,4 % pour les États-Unis, 22,6 % pour l'Europe, 5,2 % pour la Chine et 0,3 %
pour l'Inde.
Pour le Canada, cela impliquerait de ramener ses émissions, qui étaient de 721 Mt (mégatonnes
ou millions de tonnes) en 2006 à 444 MT en 2020 dans l'hypothèse d'une réduction de 25 % sous
la barre de 1990, ou à 473 Mt si le Canada convenait d'en faire autant que l'Europe, soit une
réduction de 20 %.
5. Métro (Montréal)
Actualité, mardi, 21 avril 2009, p. 3
Changements climatiques
Le Canada devra allonger des milliards
Jennifer Guthrie
Le Canada devra délier les cordons de sa bourse s'il veut contribuer à la lutte aux changements
climatiques.
Selon deux rapports publiés hier par l'Institut Pembina et EcoEquity, le Canada devrait
débourser, au bas mot, 2,2 G$ annuellement. Cet argent servirait à soutenir financièrement les
pays les plus pauvres dans leurs efforts de développement afin de les empêcher de suivre la route
des pays industrialisés qui ont trop souvent réalisé leur croissance au détriment de
l'environnement.
Le Canada, qui représente la 13e puissance économique mondiale et le 8e plus grand émetteur de
GES au monde, devrait assumer de 3 % à 4 % du financement mondial des pays en
développement selon la grille de calcul de la répartition des responsabilités des différents pays.
Cela représenterait de 2,2 G$ à 5,7 G$ par année.
Clare Demerse, directrice associée du Programme sur les changements climatiques à l'Institut
Pembina, a précisé qu'une telle cible était atteignable, le montant intermédiaire (4 G$)
correspondant à moins d'un point de réduction de la TPS.
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"Au Canada, quand on parle de Kyoto, on pense à la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de
serre (GES), mais ce n'est qu'une partie de l'entente, a-t-elle expliqué. Le Canada doit aussi aider
les autres pays à réduire leurs émissions."
Un financement urgent
Selon plusieurs experts, la participation financière du Canada dans le développement des pays
pauvres est urgente.
"Le gouvernement libéral était très proactif sur ce plan, a rappelé Steven Guilbeault d'Équiterre.
Mais avec les conservateurs, c'est la traversée du désert."
Pourtant, selon des notes internes obtenues par Clare Demerse grâce à la loi sur l'accès à
l'information, les conservateurs admettent que l'inaction entraînerait des coûts plus importants
que le respect des obligations du Canada envers les pays en développement. Malgré tout, le
gouvernement n'est pas passé à l'action.
[email protected]
Encadré(s) :
Preuve de bonne foi
Clare Demerse, directrice associée du Programme sur les changements climatiques à l'Institut
Pembina, a invité le gouvernement conservateur à faire preuve de bonne foi en versant sa juste
part pour répondre aux besoins d'adaptation les plus urgents identifiés par les pays en
développement. Cette aide correspondrait à au moins 80M$.
Illustration(s) :
Le Canada, qui est le 8e plus grand émetteur de GES au monde, devrait assumer de 3 % à 4 % du
financement mondial des pays en développement, selon la grille de calcul de la répartition des
responsabilités des différents pays.
6. Racing beyond Kyoto
Sat 30 May 2009
Page: B1 / BREAK
Section: Saturday Extra
Byline: WILLIAM MARSDEN
Source: The Gazette
Illustrations: Colour
Excerpt:
…Canada, Europe and the United States will have to come up with most of the money to finance
projects that will help populations adjust. The convention has established an Adaptation Fund,
which is run by an independent board. Its money comes from a two per cent levy charged on
carbon credit transactions. But de Boer said this will not be enough.
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"It's very clear by anybody's figures that we need to generate significantly more financial support
beyond the Adaptation Fund in order to address the adaptation challenge," he said. "It runs in the
tens of billions to hundreds of billions (of dollars) per year increasingly over time."
The Pembina Institute in Calgary has estimated that Canada's contribution would be $2.2 to $5.7
billion per year once the adaptation program is in place. Who controls the funds and how they
are to be dispersed and administered remain key unanswered questions.
Developed countries, which will supply most of the money, want institutions they control and
trust. Developing countries want to make their own decisions about spending priorities, since
they feel they are in the best position to decide what is best for their people.
7. Cyberpresse / La Presse
Samedi, 30 mai 2009
Politique, samedi, 30 mai 2009, p. A7
Les environnementalistes somment Ottawa d'agir
Malorie Beauchemin
À la veille des prochaines négociations en prévision d'un nouveau traité international sur les
changements climatiques, les environnementalistes somment le gouvernement canadien de
changer son fusil d'épaule et d'accepter de contribuer financièrement pour aider les pays en
développement à réduire leurs émissions de gaz à effet de serre.
Ottawa - En conférence de presse à Ottawa, les représentants de plusieurs groupes
environnementalistes réunis dans le Réseau action climat ont dénoncé le «manque de leadership»
du gouvernement conservateur de Stephen Harper ainsi que la nouvelle position du ministre de
l'Environnement, Jim Prentice, qui «attend Washington» pour agir dans le dossier.
Le 1er juin débute à Bonn, en Allemagne, d'importantes négociations où, pour la première fois,
des textes juridiques seront étudiés dans le but de conclure une entente internationale à
Copenhague, en décembre prochain.
«Le Canada arrive à ces négociations avec zéro crédibilité, a estimé Dale Marshall, analyste à la
Fondation David Suzuki. Ce qu'on voit au Canada, c'est un manque total de leadership. Si on
veut vraiment jouer un rôle constructif, à l'égard des États-Unis mais aussi sur le plan
international, il faut qu'on sente le besoin d'urgence, et ce n'est pas du tout le cas.»
Le principal enjeu discuté à Bonn sera la contribution financière des pays industrialisés aux
efforts des pays en développement pour s'adapter aux changements climatiques et réduire leurs
émissions de GES, à l'aide notamment de transferts technologiques. La question divise les deux
camps. L'Institut Pembina chiffre à entre 2 et 6 milliards de dollars la «juste part» annuelle du
Canada dans l'effort international pour appuyer les pays en développement.
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Clare Demerse, de l'Institut Pembina, rappelle que le Canada a pris l'engagement, même
récemment, lors de la signature du traité de libre-échange avec l'Union européenne, de contribuer
à l'effort financier international.
Le non-respect des engagements de Kyoto a terni la réputation canadienne en matière de lutte
contre les changements climatiques, soutiennent les environnementalistes.
«Tous les modèles économiques démontrent que plus on attend longtemps avant d'agir pour
réduire nos émissions de gaz à effet de serre, plus ça va coûter cher», a critiqué M. Marshall.
L'inaction a déjà un coût, a ajouté Mme Demerse: l'Institut Kofi Annan calcule dans un récent
rapport que les changements climatiques causent pour 125 milliards de dollars par an de pertes
économiques.
Jeudi, le ministre Prentice a affirmé que le Canada attendrait la mise en application des mesures
américaines pour imposer des contraintes de réduction d'émissions de gaz à effet de serre aux
industries du pays, soit pas avant 2012 à 2016.
«Ce qu'on a devant nous maintenant, c'est un gouvernement qui n'a pas de stratégie, qui n'a pas
de politique, qui n'a pas de plan et qui s'apprête à jouer un rôle de plante verte sur la scène
internationale et canadienne», a déploré hier le critique du Bloc québécois en environnement,
Bernard Bigras.
Le député conservateur de Langley, Mark Warawa, s'est porté à la défense du ministre de
l'Environnement et a assuré que le gouvernement fédéral faisait preuve d'un «leadership fort» sur
la scène internationale.
Le temps presse, notamment pour les pays les plus pauvres de la planète, aux prises avec de plus
en plus de catastrophes naturelles.
«La terrible injustice des changements climatiques est que les populations les plus pauvres sont
les plus touchées, mais ce sont elles qui ont le moins contribué au problème», a souligné Mark
Fried, d'Oxfam-Canada.
8. SRC Radio - Radiojournal
Vendredi, 29 mai 2009 - 18:00 HAE
Les GES dans les pays en développement
Animateur(s) : JOANE PRINCE
JOANE PRINCE (LECTRICE) :
Des groupes environnementaux demandent au gouvernement canadien d'injecter jusqu'à six
milliards de dollars par année pour aider les pays en développement à réduire leurs émissions de
gaz à effet de serre. Les environnementalistes jugent cette condition essentielle pour pouvoir
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conclure un nouvel accord international à Copenhague au Danemark dans six mois. Le reportage
de Stéphane Leclerc.
STÉPHANE LECLERC (REPORTER) :
Les pays en développement veulent bien faire leur part pour réduire les gaz à effet de serre, mais
pas à n'importe quel prix, d'où la nécessité, disent les environnementalistes, que les pays
industrialisés paient une partie de la note. Ce sont d'ailleurs des pays comme le Canada qui ont
produit et qui produisent proportionnellement le plus de gaz à effet de serre. La contribution
financière des pays industrialisés est donc essentielle, dit Dale Marshall de la Fondation David
Suzuki, pour le succès des négociations d'un nouveau protocole à Copenhague au Danemark en
décembre.
DALE MARSHALL (FONDATION DAVID SUZUKI) :
Le morceau qui manque, qui pourrait changer la nature des négociations, c'est vraiment les pays
industrialisés.
STÉPHANE LECLERC (REPORTER) :
Pour aider les pays en développement à réduire leurs émissions, il faudra des dizaines sinon des
centaines de milliards de dollars par année. Proportionnellement, la part du Canada sera
importante, estime l'Institut Pembina. Claire Demers.
CLAIRE DERMERS (INSTITUT PEMBINA) :
Oui, alors essentiellement, les deux à six milliards de dollars...
STÉPHANE LECLERC (REPORTER) :
La somme est considérable, dit le député Bernard Bigras du Bloc québécois, mais elle est
justifiée.
BERNARD BIGRAS (DÉPUTÉ, BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS) :
On ne réussira jamais à obtenir une véritable réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre si on
ne met pas en place une politique commune et différenciée, et ça, ça passe par l'aide au
développement.
STÉPHANE LECLERC (REPORTER) :
Sans répondre spécifiquement aux milliards demandés, le ministère de l'Environnement réplique
qu'il continuera à appuyer les mesures internationales pour aider les pays les plus pauvres à
s'adapter aux changements climatiques. Stéphane Leclerc, Radio-Canada, Ottawa.
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9. Pembina Media Release
http://climate.pembina.org/media-release/1858
July 9, 2009
G8 Meetings Show That Canada Must Step Up with Climate Financing
Media Contact: Clare Demerse
L’Aquila, Italy — A declaration issued today by the leaders of the world’s largest economies
shows that negotiations for a new global climate deal cannot succeed without stronger
commitments from countries like Canada for financial support of climate action in developing
countries.
The failure of most G8 countries to make meaningful financing commitments in L’Aquila,
coupled with a lack of progress on emission reduction targets for 2020, stalled work at a joint
meeting of developed and developing nations. Along with progress on stronger targets, new
financial support is critical to ending the gridlock and getting on track for a strong global
agreement this December in Copenhagen.
U.S. President Barack Obama announced today that finance ministers will be asked to report on
their progress on climate financing at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh in September.
“Today’s declaration shows that we can’t succeed in Copenhagen unless rich countries show
leadership on targets and financing. These are make-or-break issues for the Copenhagen talks,
and there’s less than six months left to reach a deal,” said Graham Saul, executive director of
Climate Action Network Canada. “Canada needs to stop stalling and come to the table with
specific financing commitments before the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh in September.”
Poorer countries need significant financial support from developed countries to adapt to global
warming and to cut their own emissions. Canada is the world’s eighth-largest emitter of
greenhouse gas pollution and the world’s 14th-largest economy, so it has both the responsibility
and the capacity to make a strong contribution. Canada’s current 2020 target, which is equivalent
to just three per cent below 1990 levels, falls far short of the emission cuts needed to avoid
dangerous climate change.
“Canada has committed to pay its fair share of the financing that poorer countries need. Now that
we’ve taken the first step, the federal government should state how much needs to be spent and
explain how it plans to raise the funds,” said Clare Demerse, associate director of climate change
with the Pembina Institute. “Our analysis indicates that Canada’s fair share is about $2 billion to
$6 billion a year — less than the cost of a one per cent cut to the GST.”
“Unfortunately, it feels like the glaciers are moving faster than some G8 leaders on this issue,
including Canada,” said Martin von Mirbach, climate change advisor with WWF–Canada.
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“There is still hope for success in Copenhagen but in order to make progress leading developing
countries need to step up and provide the financial support that poorer countries need urgently.”
“Once again, we have had a lot of talk and little action from Canada and the G8. To end a
stalemate in international climate negotiations, the G8 needed to make a commitment to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions 40 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020,” said Dave Martin, climate and
energy coordinator for Greenpeace. “Stephen Harper has given lip-service to the importance of
fighting climate change but has opposed meaningful greenhouse gas reductions in Canada.”
The Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate is a U.S.-led initiative that brings
together the world’s 17 largest economies with the goal of generating political leadership for a
successful outcome at the UN climate talks to be held in Copenhagen this December. MEF
leaders met on July 9 as part of the G8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy.
Climate Action Network Canada–Réseau action climat Canada is a nationwide coalition of 50
environmental, faith, development, aboriginal, health and youth organizations committed to
making action on climate change by Canada a reality.
- 30 The MEF declaration is available from
http://www.g8italia2009.it/static/G8_Allegato/MEF_Declarationl,0.pdf .
10. Pembina Reacts: G20 Summit Outcome
Sept 25, 2009
Clare Demerse, Associate Director of the Pembina Institute's climate change program, made the
following statement in response to the climate change portions of today's G20 declaration:
"Unfortunately, today's G20 declaration did virtually nothing to advance the UN climate talks on
the make-or-break issue of financial support to help poorer countries tackle climate change.
With less than 90 days before negotiations on a new global agreement are scheduled to wrap up
in Copenhagen, acknowledging the importance of climate finance isn't enough. Developed
countries like Canada must now offer real plans to provide their fair share -- something that their
leaders failed to do this week in Pittsburgh.
While the EU and the US have at least started to 'do their homework' on climate financing,
Canada has not yet given any indication of how much new public funding it will provide.
Canada cannot play a constructive role in Copenhagen unless it contributes its fair share to
helping poorer countries cut their emissions and adapt to global warming.
A range of studies have found that the overall financing needed will be in the hundreds of
billions of dollars per year. Pembina's analysis shows that Canada is responsible for about three
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to four per cent of the total. Based on recent estimates of the funds needed, Canada's share works
out to approximately $2 billion to $6 billion per year.
Finance ministers have been tasked with further work in this area over the fall. Jim Flaherty and
his counterparts will have to step up their efforts significantly to enable a strong deal in
Copenhagen.
The G20 also committed today to phase out some fossil fuel subsidies 'over the medium term,'
with finance and energy ministers to develop implementation plans in time for the next G20
Leaders' Summit.
In Canada, the federal government continues to subsidize fossil fuels, creating incentives for
increased activity that produces greenhouse gas emissions. Removing those subsidies -- while
scaling up federal support for clean energy -- is an important step that would encourage
significant cuts to Canada's emissions."
-30The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
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Appendix B: Executive Summary of Our Fair Share
In December 2009, countries will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark to hammer out the next global
climate deal. The agreement they plan to reach there will take effect once the first phase of the
Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012.
National targets to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are easily the best-known aspect of the
UN climate framework. But they’re just one of the “building blocks” needed for a successful
outcome in Copenhagen. This report concerns another crucial piece of the puzzle, financial
support for climate action in developing countries. It is clear that there will not be an agreement
in Copenhagen without meaningful progress on the question of financing.
Developed countries first accepted an obligation to provide financial support for climate action
in poorer countries over 15 years ago. The 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
creates an obligation on the world’s richest countries to provide financial support to developing
countries for action on climate change, including both reducing their GHG emissions and
adapting to climate change.
Examples of adaptation expenses include building infrastructure strong enough to withstand
more violent storms; training farmers in new techniques to deal with drought; and investing in
malaria prevention in new regions as the disease spreads. Financing for emission reductions
(“mitigation”) would, for example, cover the extra cost a country would incur to power homes
with electricity generated from wind energy instead of coal. These investments are urgently
needed to protect some of the world’s most vulnerable people from the consequences of a
problem they did little to create.
Estimates of Financing Needs
Although it’s not possible to reach a precise assessment of the funding required, a range of
estimates shows that it will run into the tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars per year. No
matter which estimate you choose, an indisputable conclusion is that far more finance is needed
than is currently being provided. For example, the finance currently devoted to climate
adaptation, both from bilateral and multilateral sources, is at most C$4.4B/yeari — less than onethird of the lowest estimate of what developing countries need for adaptation, and 26 times less
than what the UN Development Programme says is needed annually by 2015. These assessments
of the climate financing needs are over and above the official development assistance (ODA) that
developing countries require for poverty reduction.
Numerous countries have already put forward plans to generate, manage and disburse climate
financing. Some of these proposals feature “innovative” fundraising mechanisms, such as a levy
on airline emissions, that would generate funds without countries having to make annual budget
decisions about whether to contribute again. Unconventional means of raising funds offer
significant promise in generating the finance required to tackle climate change.
Canada's Role
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In recent years, Canada has faced sustained public criticism for positions it has adopted at the
UN climate negotiations. Despite successful forays into support for climate adaptation (using
ODA funding) in the past, Canada has not yet recognized the scale of financial resources needed
to avoid dangerous climate change or publicly acknowledged that it must play an important role
in securing new resources for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Canada now has a narrow window of opportunity to contribute to a successful outcome in
Copenhagen. The UN climate negotiations resume in June, and G8 leaders will meet in July at a
summit where climate change is expected to feature prominently on the agenda. In advance of
those meetings, Canada should:
• Acknowledge that the scale of financing needed will run into the tens, or possibly even
hundreds, of billions of dollars per year.
• Commit to providing Canada’s fair share of that need. Formulas that assess countries’
responsibility for financing show that a fair contribution from Canada is approximately 3 to 4
per cent of the global total. Multiplying that percentage by indicative estimates of the public
finance needed for climate action in developing countries produces an estimated range for
Canada’s “fair share” of C$2.2B to C$5.7B per year.
• As a “downpayment” on the Copenhagen agreement, the Government of Canada should
provide adequate funding for the most urgent adaptation needs identified by Least Developed
Countries under the UN’s National Adaptation Programmes of Action process. Canada’s fair
share of the over US$1.5B total is at least C$80M.
i
All conversions to Canadian dollars in this report used exchange rates of US $1=C$1.2877(as of March 5, 2009)
and €1=C$1.6609 (as of April 6, 2009), using the Bank of Canada’s Currency Converter.
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