Canada committed to reaching climate-change deal, French President says
French President Francois Hollande says he has “no reason to doubt” Canada’s commitment to reaching a global agreement for addressing climate change.
France will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris next year, where governments will seek to come to a legally-binding agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Speaking in Ottawa during a three-day visit to Canada, Mr. Hollande said there are a number of steps that must be taken in the coming months for the 2015 conference in Paris to be successful.
“I have no reason to doubt that Canada will be fully committed during each of these steps on the way to the Paris conference,” Mr. Hollande said. “We would like to avoid what happened in Denmark, in Copenhagen, where the heads of state and governments thought they could reach an agreement in the very few, last few hours. And this is not possible, we have to find an agreement within the coming months.”
His comments come one day after the United Nations released a landmark document outlining a dire global future if more is not done to mitigate the threat of climate change.
Mr. Harper said Canada is bringing down greenhouse gas emissions, but government figures released earlier this year suggest there is little chance Canada will meet the targets it agreed to during the last climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Prime Minister said Canada is taking a sector-by-sector approach to regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and will ban and phase out coal-fired electricity generation. “So look, I think we have a good story to tell, but we recognize, as obviously does France, that there’s a lot of work to be done at the international level to get what all of us want, which is a global agreement that will create binding obligations on all major emitters.”
Mr. Hollande also urged developed countries to contribute to the Green Climate Fund, adding that France will be providing $1-billion toward the fund. “And I call upon all the countries that can contribute to do so as well,” he said.
The French President is on a multi-day visit to Canada, which began with a trip to Banff, Alta., a sign he is interested in boosting his country’s relationship with Canada’s western provinces. He spoke in Parliament on Monday and will travel to Quebec.
During his visit to Ottawa, Mr. Hollande laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, where Corporal Nathan Cirillo was gunned down in an attack on Oct. 22. Cpl. Cirillo had been guarding the memorial when he was shot. His attacker then went to Parliament Hill and forced his way into Centre Block. He was shot dead by security officers.
Mr. Hollande expressed sympathy for the attack, which he referred to as “terrorist-inspired.”
Follow Kim Mackrael on Twitter: @kimmackrael
Hollande in Canada: Desmarais on why we should ratify CETA
French president making historical trip to western Canada
The next climate deal is doomed. But our planet isn’t doomed yet
Canada committed to reaching climate-change deal, French President says - The Globe and Mail
French President Francois Hollande says he has “no reason to doubt” Canada’s commitment to reaching a global agreement for addressing climate change.
France will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris next year, where governments will seek to come to a legally-binding agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Speaking in Ottawa during a three-day visit to Canada, Mr. Hollande said there are a number of steps that must be taken in the coming months for the 2015 conference in Paris to be successful.
“I have no reason to doubt that Canada will be fully committed during each of these steps on the way to the Paris conference,” Mr. Hollande said. “We would like to avoid what happened in Denmark, in Copenhagen, where the heads of state and governments thought they could reach an agreement in the very few, last few hours. And this is not possible, we have to find an agreement within the coming months.”
His comments come one day after the United Nations released a landmark document outlining a dire global future if more is not done to mitigate the threat of climate change.
Mr. Harper said Canada is bringing down greenhouse gas emissions, but government figures released earlier this year suggest there is little chance Canada will meet the targets it agreed to during the last climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Prime Minister said Canada is taking a sector-by-sector approach to regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and will ban and phase out coal-fired electricity generation. “So look, I think we have a good story to tell, but we recognize, as obviously does France, that there’s a lot of work to be done at the international level to get what all of us want, which is a global agreement that will create binding obligations on all major emitters.”
Mr. Hollande also urged developed countries to contribute to the Green Climate Fund, adding that France will be providing $1-billion toward the fund. “And I call upon all the countries that can contribute to do so as well,” he said.
The French President is on a multi-day visit to Canada, which began with a trip to Banff, Alta., a sign he is interested in boosting his country’s relationship with Canada’s western provinces. He spoke in Parliament on Monday and will travel to Quebec.
During his visit to Ottawa, Mr. Hollande laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, where Corporal Nathan Cirillo was gunned down in an attack on Oct. 22. Cpl. Cirillo had been guarding the memorial when he was shot. His attacker then went to Parliament Hill and forced his way into Centre Block. He was shot dead by security officers.
Mr. Hollande expressed sympathy for the attack, which he referred to as “terrorist-inspired.”
Follow Kim Mackrael on Twitter: @kimmackrael
Hollande in Canada: Desmarais on why we should ratify CETA
French president making historical trip to western Canada
The next climate deal is doomed. But our planet isn’t doomed yet
Canada committed to reaching climate-change deal, French President says - The Globe and Mail
