OTTAWA— The Liberal government’s signature climate change plan — which imposes carbon pricing across the country and has been used to justify the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion — isn’t enough to ensure Canada meets its emissions target under the Paris Agreement, according to a new report tabled Tuesday in the House of Commons.

The report, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the auditors general of nine provinces and the federal environment commissioner, highlights “common shortcomings” in how different levels of government are combatting greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the effects of climate change. The authors conclude that Canada is on pace to overshoot its emissions target for 2020 by nearly 20 per cent, and that more action is needed to meet the Paris Agreement target by 2030.

“Meeting Canada’s 2030 target will require substantial effort and actions beyond those currently planned or in place,” the report says. “It is unclear how Canada will meet this target.”

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna welcomed the report, and told reporters that the government remains “100 per cent committed” to attaining the Paris Agreement target of reducing emissions to 30 per cent lower than their 2005 level by 2030.

“We have been firm as a government. We’re not stepping back on climate action and I’m going to continue working here with Canadians who expect serious climate action,” McKenna said.

Opposition MPs, however, said the report shows the government is failing to meaningfully address one of the biggest public policy issues of the 21st century. NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said further erodes his confidence in the government’s climate change plan, which his party has long criticized for sticking with the reduction targets of the previous Conservative government under Stephen Harper.

Boulerice pointed out that previous reports have indicated the government is on track to fall short of that target, including a recent submission to the United Nations that predicted Canada — even if it fulfills all the measures of the framework — would still need to cut 66 megatonnes of emissions to meet its Paris Agreement commitment by 2030. “We need to do our part, and ultimately, the person who is responsible… it’s the prime minister,” he said.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth said in a statement that the report shows the “wholly unacceptable” state of climate change action by the government. “I hope this report serves as a wake-up call for all levels of government in this country,” she said.

In December 2016, the Liberal government announced a “Pan-Canadian Framework” on climate change, which includes investments in clean technology, new regulations on methane emissions, the phase-out of coal-fired energy and a plan to impose a minimum price on carbon that kicks in next year. As the centrepiece of the government’s climate change plan, the framework is often cited by McKenna, Trudeau and others when asked about the government’s decision to approve the $7.4 billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which would triple the capacity to transport oilsands bitumen from Alberta to the coast of British Columbia.

Provincial buy-in to the plan has never been universal, with Saskatchewan’s government firmly opposed to any carbon pricing imposed by Ottawa. And while Ontario and Alberta — the country’s largest greenhouse gas emitters — have signed on, upcoming elections in those provinces could see Conservative politicians take power who are staunch opponents of carbon pricing.

Asked Tuesday whether she’s worried about that, McKenna said “it is disappointing when you have politicians pretending that there is no cost to climate change,” and that there is economic opportunity in addressing greenhouse gas emissions. “If you believe that climate change is real, you should be taking serious action,” she said.

Tuesday’s report, meanwhile, outlines Canada’s history of failing to meet its emissions reduction targets under international agreements, including when Canada dropped out of the 1997 Kyoto Accord. The report says only two provinces — Nova Scotia and New Brunswick — are on track to meet their targets for 2020, while the federal government has “shifted its focus” to the 2030 target under the Paris Agreement. Ontario, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories are the only other governments with their own targets for 2030.

The report also underscores how some governments have failed to show how they’ll fulfill certain policies to reduce emissions, with auditors in eight jurisdictions highlighting certain announced actions don’t include details on cost or timelines for implementation. For example, New Brunswick plans to have 20,000 electric cars on the road by 2030, but does not explain how this will happen, the report says.

The report paints a similar picture of inconsistency when it comes to preparation for the effects of climate change, which are expected to include melting permafrost and more severe flooding and wildfires. Only Nova Scotia was found to have performed a government-wide assessment of climate change risks, while other provinces and territories have piecemeal assessments for communities, sectors or government departments. “This means that governments may not know if resources are being directed to the most important risks,” the report says.

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Catherine Abreu, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada, said she hopes the report will spur the government to pursue stricter emissions regulations on heavy emitters like the oil and gas sector.

“We keep hearing we’re going to miss all these targets, the provinces don’t have 2020 targets of their own, they’re not prepared to adapt to climate change. We are running out of time, and there’s no more time to lose,” she said.

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