Canada
Overall NDC Equity Score
Insufficient
Emissions Reductions
Insufficient
The NDC’s emission reduction goal lacks ambition. However, the country provides pathways to lower emissions.
Gender Justice
Insufficient
The NDC made an effort to acknowledge the disproportionate impacts of climate on women and gender, but it sufficiently addresses long-term solutions or inclusion.
Youth Inclusion
Insufficient
The NDC made an effort to include young people in the NDC development process but doesn’t provide measures for sustained inclusion.
Summary
Canada is a settler-colonial state and one of the richest countries in the world with diverse landscapes, regions, and cultures. It is one of the richest countries in the world and one of the Top 20 Global Emitters of GHG emissions, being responsible for 20.62 tonnes of GHG emissions per capita. Because of climate change, Canada is facing vulnerability to more frequent and volatile weather extremes across the country, particularly floods and wildfires.
As a member of the Paris Agreement and an advanced economy belonging to the G7, Canada should be leading the way in international climate ambition. Canada’s 2025 NDC commits to reduce emissions by 45-50% below 2005 levels by 2035 which builds on its 2030 target of reducing emissions by 40-45% below 2005 levels.
Canada’s NDC also provides each province, territory, and Indigenous group the opportunity to share their own emission targets, goals, and initiatives. This speaks to the unique federalism in Canada in which the federal and subnational governments share jurisdiction over climate and the environment. Although the 2025 NDC represents a 5% increase to 2030, Canada’s NDC and overall climate action is not ambitious enough based on Canada’s historic emissions and position within the international community.
On Gender Mainstreaming: Based on a Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+), Canada’s NDC acknowledges the impacts of climate ambition on diverse groups including women. The NDC claims that Canada’s latest climate plan, the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, was also informed by a GBA+ assessment and assessed how climate change overlaps with a range of social issues including gendered discrimination. The province of British Columbia, the Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation group (located in the Yukon), and the Manitoba Metis Nation also explicitly mentioned women as vulnerable to the climate crisis. Although women are identified as important stakeholders, they are not seen as true (meaningful) decision makers.
On Youth Inclusion: Canada’s NDC vaguely identifies youth as a group that will disproportionately benefit from more ambitious climate action, recognising them as important stakeholders. This identification was the result of a Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) analysis. However, outside of Indigenous youth, they were not consulted or involved in the development process of the NDC, thus making the NDC process non inclusive of young people.
Highlights
- 5% increased emissions reduction targets from 2021 NDC.
- Successfully decouples economic growth from emissions.
- Performed significant quantitative and qualitative analysis to inform the updated target.
- Acknowledges the importance of climate action for different equity-seeking groups, including women and youth.
Lowlights
- Emissions target ambitions, including climate financing, does not represent Canada’s fair share based on current and historical GHG emissions.
- Overemphasis on technological fixes rather than phasing out fossil fuels and direct emissions reductions.
- Insufficient engagement with recommendations from equity-seeking groups including women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples.
- Lack of sectoral targets for accountability across all sectors of the Canadian economy.
Key Recommendations
Although Canada has increased its emissions reduction target by 5%, there is significant opportunity for the country to increase climate finance and technology and improve accountability. While Canada’s NDC makes mention of gender and youth,
they need to be more meaningfully engaged in the decision-making process through more intersectional approaches such as increased engagement, resources, and funding. Overall, Canada has the opportunity to improve the equity of its NDC.
For Gender Justice
- Strengthen the connection between climate justice and gender equality because one cannot be achieved without the other.
- Address the intersections between gender, race, socioeconomic status, and place (ex. Rural, remote, urban).
- Ensure that gender-responsive measures are integrated at the subnational level and included in provincial and territorial climate plans.
- Increase engagement and funding/resources to women-led climate action projects and organizations and ensure they have a seat at all climate related decision making tables.
For Youth Inclusion
- Engage the technical, academic, and experiential expertise of youth in the development and implementation of ALL climate policies,ensuring their perspectives are considered.
- Invest in training programs to build the capacity of youth in climate action.
- Implement a federal jobs guarantee for youth to pursue green jobs.
- Explicitly include recommendations from the Environment and Climate Change Youth Council, the Natural Resources Canada Youth Council, and the Youth Secretariat in climate policies including the NDC.
- Increase financial support and opportunities for youth to attend climate conferences and be members of the official negotiating team.
- Acknowledge that the climate crisis is a mental health crisis and fund supports for youth mental health and climate anxiety.
NDC Ambassador - Author
