To combat climate change, Canada will need to produce twice as much renewable electricity across the country and use that energy efficiently to power its buildings, vehicles and industries, according to Powering Climate Prosperity: Canada's Renewable Electricity Advantage, a report from the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity.
The report, which debuts as Canada's prime minister and premiers prepare to meet next week in advance of the global climate talks, outlines Canada's current renewable electricity production and explores how the nation can dramatically reduce carbon emissions by 2050.
The report argues that three significant changes to Canada's energy production and consumption are required by 2050 to prevent average global temperatures from rising to dangerous levels. Specifically, Canada must do the following:
- Intensify efforts to cut energy waste across the economy;
- More than double renewable electricity generation capacity; and
- Increase use of electricity as the "clean fuel of choice" to power the economy.
The report draws on data and modeling conducted by the Low Carbon Pathways group at Carbon Management Canada and is published in Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in Canada. This report was released in conjunction with the 16-country report in Paris by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations. The international study will be tabled by the French presidency at the United Nations' 21st Conference of the Parties in December.
