Minister McKenna promotes ambitious action to fight climate change, protect nature, and address plastic pollution, and trade between Canada and France at the G7 Français
OTTAWA, May 6, 2019 /CNW/ - At the G7 environment ministers meeting in Metz, France, ministers agreed that protecting nature, addressing plastic pollution, and tackling climate change are critical to a healthy planet, while addressing inequality, promoting sustainable growth, and creating good jobs.
G7 environment ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring an equitable and inclusive transition to a clean economy for all citizens. Minister McKenna highlighted Canada's Task Force on Just Transition for coal workers and communities as well as Canada's approach to putting a price on carbon pollution and returning the revenues to families. G7 environment ministers also adopted the Metz Charter on Biodiversity, which recognizes the global movement to protect nature and builds on the Montréal Nature Champions Summit's call to action. Ministers, along with representatives from the private sector and civil society, also discussed concrete solutions and innovation to tackle plastic pollution. The Ocean Plastics Charter—an outcome of Canada's G7 presidency, supported by 21 countries—was cited as one example of leadership that contributes to growing momentum.
While in France, Minister McKenna also met with French parliamentarians to highlight the benefits of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which led to an 8 percent increase of commercial trade between both countries in the first year it was signed. The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement is the most advanced and inclusive trade agreement offering Canadian companies considerable opportunities to diversify their export markets and create more jobs to grow the middle class.
Quotes
"Canada is committed to protecting nature, tackling plastic pollution, advancing ambitious climate action, and helping adapt to a changing climate. The meeting of G7 environment ministers advanced these shared priorities and reinforced that a transition to a cleaner future must be inclusive and promote equality. This commitment is in line with Canada's Task Force on Just Transition for coal workers and communities, an approach to putting a price on pollution and returning the revenues to families. There is also huge economic opportunity with the transition to a cleaner future, and we're helping companies grow sustainably while creating new jobs."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Quick facts
- The G7 is a forum that brings together countries with similar values and whose functioning is based on consensus among the parties.
- The G7 is composed of Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The European Union has also been involved in the work of the G7 since 1977. G7 members and non-governmental representatives presented innovative and inspiring actions put forward in response to the G7 Innovation Challenge to Address Marine Plastic Litter launched at the G7 environment ministers meeting in Canada last year. This challenge promotes practical solutions to reduce marine plastic waste.
- Minister McKenna also welcomed all G7 members in joining the Canada-led Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, a public-private sector partnership that will support the resilience of coastal communities to extreme weather events.
Associated links
Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page
Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page
SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada
Sabrina Kim, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-743-7138, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]
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