A framework for Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plans

The Canadian Climate Institute outlines a framework for Canada's Emissions Reduction Plans based on the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. The framework consists of three core elements: establishing emissions pathways consistent with net zero, implementing policies that credibly reduce emissions, and creating responsive governance processes for course correction. The report provides illustrative sectoral pathways for 2026 and 2030, noting that the oil and gas sector exhibits the greatest variability and risk, while the electricity sector is well-positioned to meet targets. It emphasizes that reaching net zero will require sustained policy effort and a shift from historical emissions growth to strong annual declines in sectors such as buildings and transportation.

• A credible and adaptive Emissions Reduction Plan must be based on three elements: an emissions pathway consistent with net zero, policies that credibly reduce emissions to the milestone, and governance processes that are responsive and capable of course correction.
• The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act mandates the publication of Emissions Reduction Plans for milestone years (2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045), including a 2026 interim objective, and requires progress and assessment reports.
• The oil and gas sector shows the highest variability in emissions projections due to drivers like global oil prices, which can affect the available emissions envelope for other sectors, including large emitters.
• The electricity generation sector's emissions are projected to remain well below the equal share target in 2030, driven by the phase-out of coal power and increased renewable capacity.
• Sectors including buildings, transportation, and oil and gas must undergo a dramatic shift from recent historical emissions growth to strong annual declines to meet the 2030 target.
• The 2026 objective, based on the median pathway of sector emissions, is estimated at 555 Mt, representing a 3.8 per cent annual reduction from 2019 levels.

APA

Sawyer, D., Griffin, B., Kanduth, A., & Beugin, D. (2022). A framework for Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plans. Canadian Climate Institute. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ERP-Report-ENG-Final-Mar-1.pdf

Chicago

Sawyer, Dave, Brad Griffin, Anna Kanduth, and Dale Beugin. A framework for Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plans. Canadian Climate Institute, 2022. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ERP-Report-ENG-Final-Mar-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sawyer |first1=Dave |last2=Griffin |first2=Brad |last3=Kanduth |first3=Anna |last4=Beugin |first4=Dale |title=A framework for Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plans |publisher=Canadian Climate Institute |date=March 2022 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ERP-Report-ENG-Final-Mar-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sawyer2022framework, author = {Sawyer, Dave and Griffin, Brad and Kanduth, Anna and Beugin, Dale}, title = {{A framework for Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plans}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2022}, month = mar, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ERP-Report-ENG-Final-Mar-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }