Canada Stands its Ground while U.S. leaves Paris Agreement

Despite US President Trump’s decision to exit the Paris Agreement in search of a better deal, Canada remains committed to the cause. However, America’s northern neighbour still has a lot to accomplish to meet the agreement’s proposed goals.

Although Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau has expressed disappointment in Trump’s decision and claims that Canada will do whatever it can to minimize climate change, the country’s environmental actions don’t reflect its dedication to the earth. A 2015 report card from The Columbia Institute evaluating the environmental protection efforts of 61 countries showed that Canada ranked 58th.

Of course, Canada hasn’t been sitting idle in this category. The country’s government put a carbon tax into place to discourage companies that emit great amounts of greenhouse gases. It will need to work on removing fossil fuel subsidies and implementing more renewable energy to meet its goals laid out in the Paris Agreement, however. Creating a legal carbon reduction framework the way the UK, Mexico, Denmark, and Finland have is an important next step for Canada.

With the US government withdrawn from the Paris Agreement after brushing off pleas to stay, the EU has denied renegotiation and instead decided to collaborate with American business and political leaders directly. The earth may suffer, but the renewable energy sector in Canada could experience a boom in business with the US’s commitment to fossil fuels. Many other countries are currently working on green technology and energy as well.

If Canada steps up to the plate and does its part to slow environmental deterioration, it could meet its green goals in the Paris Agreement and become an even more attractive place to live, thriving on renewable resources.