Following Monday’s election, the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister , secured a narrow victory against and the Conservative Party, marking their fourth term. The election was largely dominated by and his perceived threats, overshadowing other important issues. Even Carney’s background in climate action failed to make it a central focus, as recent polls indicated that climate change was not a top priority for Canadian voters.
This represents a significant change from previous elections. Jennifer Winter, a professor at the University of Calgary specializing in climate policies, noted that the election did not primarily revolve around climate change. Instead, the main narratives centered on Trump, U.S. tariffs and their impact on Canada, and the rising cost of living.
However, the Liberal Party’s win suggests a continuation of existing environmental policies, including mandates for zero-emission vehicle sales and regulations for clean electricity and fuel. Kathryn Harrison, a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia, stated that the victory implies maintaining the policies implemented by the Liberal government under Justin Trudeau.
Carney’s career has spanned both the private sector and climate advocacy. He became a U.N. Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance in 2019 and launched the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero in 2021, aiming to unite financial institutions in supporting the transition to a net-zero economy. Harrison believes that his experiences influenced many of the Liberal’s campaign proposals, particularly the commitment to sustainable investment guidelines.
Carney has expressed his aim to make Canada a leader in both clean energy and oil and gas. Harrison suggests this shift reflects Canada’s desire to reduce reliance on natural resource imports from the U.S. He seems to be advocating for a pipeline to serve Canada’s domestic oil demand rather than new pipelines for exporting Canadian oil to other markets.
After succeeding Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister in March, Carney’s initial actions included abolishing the country’s carbon tax, a contentious climate policy that imposed a fee on consumers of fossil fuels. This initiative was often blamed for the increasing cost of living, despite the fact that received more money in rebates than they paid in the tax.
Experts emphasize the importance of Carney finding a replacement for the carbon tax. Green suggests that the key question moving forward is whether Canada can still meet its emissions reduction goals without consumer emissions pricing, and if so, what alternative measures will be implemented. This is expected to be addressed in the coming weeks and months.
Some argue that the government needs to adopt a more ambitious approach. Rick Smith, president of the Canadian Climate Institute, points out that Canada was not on track to meet emission reduction standards even with the carbon tax. He believes the new leadership presents an opportunity for Canada to embrace more ambitious policies. Smith recommends improving existing policies and adding new ones to ensure the country meets its emission reduction commitments. While the focus has been on the future of the consumer carbon tax, he suggests prioritizing solutions with greater potential for reducing emissions, such as accelerated methane reduction policies or a national carbon market, advocating for a broader perspective.
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