Bill C-12 is an Essential Step Toward Net Zero

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) commends the Canadian government for tabling Bill C-12, the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. The organization highlights four key strengths of the legislation: the legal enshrining of the 2050 net-zero target, a five-year milestone accountability framework, the creation of an independent science-based advisory body, and new requirements for reporting climate-related financial risks within the federal government. While supporting the act as a foundation for a resilient recovery, IISD notes that it lacks specific initiatives to reach net zero and calls for further actions, including a detailed 2030 target plan, sectoral pathways, a Just Transition Act, and a National Adaptation Plan.

• IISD identifies four primary strengths of Bill C-12: the legal commitment to net-zero by 2050, a management framework featuring five-year milestones and transparent reporting, an independent science-informed advisory body, and federal reporting on climate-related financial risks to guide investments.
• Despite its strengths, the act is described as an accountability framework that does not contain specific initiatives to achieve net zero, unlike similar plans in the United Kingdom.
• IISD asserts that additional measures are required to support the accountability framework, specifically a detailed plan for the 2030 target, sectoral pathways for 2050, a National Adaptation Plan, and a robust Just Transition Act.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2020). Bill C-12 is an Essential Step Toward Net Zero. https://www.iisd.org/articles/statement/bill-c-12-essential-step-toward-net-zero

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Bill C-12 is an Essential Step Toward Net Zero. 2020. https://www.iisd.org/articles/statement/bill-c-12-essential-step-toward-net-zero.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Bill C-12 is an Essential Step Toward Net Zero |date=19 November 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/statement/bill-c-12-essential-step-toward-net-zero |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2020bill, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Bill C-12 is an Essential Step Toward Net Zero}}, publisher = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/statement/bill-c-12-essential-step-toward-net-zero}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }