29 June 2016: The leaders of Canada, the US and Mexico have released a joint statement on a 'North American Climate, Clean
Energy and Environment Partnership,' which aims to ensure a “competitive, low-carbon and sustainable” North America and includes the goal of achieving 50% clean power generation by 2025. During the North American Leaders' Summit, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto agreed to align climate and energy policies in order to protect human health and help "level the playing field for our businesses, households, and workers."
On advancing clean and secure power, the leaders indicate in their joint statement that the 50% clean power generation by 2025 goal will be achieved through, inter alia: scaling up clean energy through aggressive domestic initiatives and policies; undertaking a joint study on the opportunities and impacts of adding more renewables to the power grid; enhancing trilateral collaboration on greening government initiatives; strengthening and aligning efficiency standards; and building on North American leadership in international fora such as Mission Innovation to accelerate clean energy innovation.
On short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), Mexico will join Canada and the US in committing to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40-45% by 2025. The three countries will also collaborate to reduce black carbon emissions, promote alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and commit to adopt a Montreal Protocol HFC phase-down amendment in 2016.
On promoting clean and efficient transportation, the joint statement indicates that the leaders commit to, inter alia: accelerate clean vehicle deployment in government fleets; work with industry to encourage the adoption of clean vehicles; convene industry leaders and others by spring 2017 to collaborate on a clean North American automotive sector; reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from light- and heavy-duty vehicles; and encourage greener freight transportation by expanding the SmartWay programme to Mexico.
The leaders further: urge the adoption in 2016 of the market-based measure proposed through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to allow for carbon-neutral growth from international civil aviation from 2020; commit to reduce emissions from maritime shipping; indicate they will continue working towards implementing a North American Emission Control Area that includes Mexico; agree to collaborate with indigenous communities to incorporate traditional knowledge in decision making; and recognize a gender-responsive approach to climate action and sustainable development.
The leaders commit to: join the Paris Agreement in 2016; support implementation of the Paris Agreement's transparency and carbon markets-related provisions; phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025; promote universal energy access; work together to address energy security and integration, clean energy investment, and regional energy cooperation in the Caribbean and Central America; and align approaches to account for the social cost of carbon and other GHG emissions when assessing benefits of emissions-reducing policies.
The three leaders met in Ottawa, Canada, on 29 June 2016. [US Government Statement] [US Government Blog on Summit] [Government of Canada Statement] [Government of Canada Press Release] More
