The Emerging International Climate Change Regime

The report analyzes how the Canadian agricultural sector can contribute to greenhouse gas reductions and the economic implications of emerging climate policies. It highlights the potential for carbon sequestration in soils and the role of bioenergy, while discussing the complexities of implementing a national cap-and-trade system. Key concerns include the integrity of agricultural offsets, the risk of carbon reversal, and the impact of international trade rules and U.S. policy alignment on Canadian competitiveness.

• Canada's agricultural sector emissions were 60 Mt in 2007, representing approximately 8 per cent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. While cropland has transitioned from a source to a carbon sink, there is a risk of 'saturation' where soil carbon levels reach equilibrium, potentially preventing Canada from removing carbon at the same rate as the 1990 base year under Kyoto Protocol accounting.
• Bioenergy presents significant mitigation and economic potential, with estimates suggesting Canada could provide 20 per cent of its energy needs from bioenergy by 2020, potentially reducing GHG emissions by 70Mt CO2e per year. However, there is scientific controversy regarding the carbon neutrality of biofuels, and some government incentives for liquid biofuels are considered expensive, ranging from $122 to $580 per tonne of CO2e.
• A national cap-and-trade system could provide farmers with income through the sale of offsets, which may help offset rising input costs. However, the proposed 25-year liability period for carbon reversals in the federal system is viewed by producer representatives as 'unreasonably strict'.
• The integrity of agricultural offsets is challenged by issues of 'additionality'—whether reductions are beyond business-as-usual—and 'permanence'. In Alberta, concerns have been raised that some farmers are being paid for continuing existing practices rather than implementing new reductions.
• Canadian agricultural competitiveness may be enhanced by climate change as warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons are expected to benefit the sector. However, this could be offset by higher input costs from domestic regulations or trade barriers if other countries perceive Canada's GHG reduction targets as insufficient.
• There is a risk that Canadian agricultural offsets will face competition from lower-cost credits from developing countries. While the proposed Canadian regulations limit the use of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) credits to 10 per cent of a firm's obligation, some argue this restricts cost-effective emissions reductions.

APA

Murphy, D., McCandless, M., & Drexhage, J. (2010). The Emerging International Climate Change Regime. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/emerging_int_climate_regime_can_agri.pdf

Chicago

Murphy, Deborah, Matthew McCandless, and John Drexhage. The Emerging International Climate Change Regime. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/emerging_int_climate_regime_can_agri.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Murphy |first1=Deborah |last2=McCandless |first2=Matthew |last3=Drexhage |first3=John |title=The Emerging International Climate Change Regime |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=May 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/emerging_int_climate_regime_can_agri.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{murphy2010emerging, author = {Murphy, Deborah and McCandless, Matthew and Drexhage, John}, title = {{The Emerging International Climate Change Regime}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/emerging_int_climate_regime_can_agri.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }