Canada at Cancun

From November 29 to December 10, Canada is joining more than 190 counties in Cancun, Mexico, for the 16th session of the Conference of Parties (COP16) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

What are the climate change negotiations?

In 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted as the basis for a global response to climate change in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since then, parties have met annually at the COP meetings to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and to build consensus on some of the key issues that countries are facing around the world in dealing with climate change.

Canada recognizes that climate change is a global challenge requiring a global solution, and that is why we have played a constructive role in these negotiations since the UNFCCC entered into force almost 16 years ago.

The Copenhagen Accord

Late last year, over 120 world leaders agreed on a path forward in the global effort to address climate change which culminated in the Copenhagen Accord, a significant breakthrough in the global effort to address climate change. 

The Accord successfully balances emissions reductions with economic imperatives today and into the future. Under the Copenhagen Accord, Canada has inscribed a 2020 economy-wide target of a 17 per cent reduction from 2005 levels – this is aligned with the target inscribed by the United States.

Under the Accord, developed countries committed to provide fast-start financing approaching US $30 billion for 2010-2012 to support climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. As part of our fair share of this commitment, Canada is contributing $400 million in new and additional funds for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.  This represents a major investment towards addressing international climate change and Canada’s largest ever contribution.

Building on the momentum of last year's climate conference in Copenhagen, Canada will continue to work with international partners to develop a fair and effective international climate change agreement that includes commitments from all major economies.  Such an agreement will need to balance environmental protection and economic prosperity while maintaining a long-term focus, promoting the development and deployment of clean technologies, and facilitating constructive and ambitious global action.