News
Canada’s Environment Minister Welcomes IPCC Report

Nov. 19, 2007, Ottawa, Ont. – Canada's Environment Minister John Baird has
congratulated the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change on the release of its fourth and final report, covering key
aspects of global climate change.
       
"The science is clear and Canada, like the rest of the world needs to
take immediate action on climate change," said Minister Baird. "That is why we
announced our Turning the Corner plan, which sets tough and achievable
mandatory targets for all major industrial sectors which will cut greenhouse
gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and by 60-70% by 2050."
       
The Government of Canada is preparing for the Conference of Parties to
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Bali,
Indonesia, from December 3 to 14, 2007. The meeting will be a stepping stone
towards a new climate change agreement for post-2012.
       
"The timing of this report couldn't be better," added Minister Baird.
"The Prime Minister and I understand that climate change is a global problem,
requiring global solutions. Canada has been a leader in bringing the world
together at the G8, at APEC and at the United Nations, and we will continue
that work in Bali."
       
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its Fourth
Assessment Report in several volumes over the course of 2007. The first
volume, released in February, covered the physical science basis for climate
change. The second volume, released in March, covered climate change impacts,
adaptation and those aspects of our infrastructure, lifestyle and ecosystems
that will suffer as our climate changes. The third volume, released in April,
covered mitigation – those actions the world can take to reduce the severity
of our changing climate. The report released today was a synthesis of the
three previous volumes.