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The International Actions Theme is one of eight themes under the CAA architecture, which includes 43 programs and eight federal departments and agencies. The other seven themes within the CAA are: Clean Air Regulations, Clean Energy, Clean Transportation, Indoor Air Quality, Adaptation, Partnerships, and Management and Accountability. Each lead department is responsible for conducting evaluations at the thematic level under the CAA. The evaluation results for all themes will be aggregated into a horizontal evaluation of the entire CAA. EC is the lead department on the overall CAA and is responsible for implementation of the horizontal evaluation.
This evaluation focuses only on the International Actions Theme. EC has the lead in coordinating program activities and the evaluation under this theme with the other involved departments: DFAIT, NRCan and IC. Program components under this theme involve activities intended to advance Canada’s international action, improve Canadian air quality and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Specific program outcomes of each of the four components captured under this theme collectively contribute to achieving the Theme’s broad results. In turn, the international theme contributes to achieving the ultimate objectives of the CAA by addressing air quality–related emissions whose sources originate from outside Canada and by ensuring that international actions on climate change and air pollutants are in line with Canada’s interests. The activities within the International Actions Theme have received funding for the period 2007–08 through 2010–11.
The purposes of the activities are to address the impacts of poor air quality and climate change, including respiratory-related hospital admissions and premature mortality due to particulate matter (PM); and climate change impacts on energy security, sustainable development, health, trade and industrial growth. These activities respond to the Speech from the Throne commitments in April 2006 related to “measures to achieve tangible improvements in our environment, including reductions in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.” These international activities reflect the fact that Canada’s domestic air quality goals are influenced by international activities and that, to achieve progress, Canada needs to be aligned with international actions.
The CAA International Actions Theme comprises four program components:
Activities within International Partnerships and Negotiations2 and International Financial and Other Obligations are related to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol,3 while the PM Annex and Asia–Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) are not. Specific program outcomes for each of these components collectively contribute to achieving the broad results of the International Actions Theme. The participating departments within this theme have varying levels of responsibility across these four components, as described below.
PM comprises air-bound, microscopic pollutants that have negative impacts on air quality, the environment and human health. Led by EC, this component of the CAA International Actions Theme strives to establish and maintain negotiated commitments between Canada and the United States to reduce PM emissions and their flow between the two countries.
Historically, Canada and the United States have had a solid history of cooperation on air quality, dating from the signature of the bilateral Air Quality Agreement in 1991. An Ozone Annex to address transboundary ozone formation was negotiated and signed in 2000. Since then, further technical and scientific analysis culminated in a joint Canada-U.S. science assessment of transboundary PM in 2004. This assessment demonstrated that further reductions in transboundary pollution, including PM, would help both countries make continued progress in protecting human health and the environment. Canada’s Clean Air Regulatory Agenda (CARA) and, more particularly, the proposal to have a national regulatory framework in Canada to address various pollutants, including PM and its precursors, was welcomed by the United States.
Canada and the United States are interested in pursuing negotiations for a PM Annex. Stemming from the 1991 Air Quality Agreement, such an annex would establish commitments by the United States and Canada to reduce emissions of PM and precursors, thereby helping Canada to secure substantial improvements in air quality and associated health and environmental benefits. From a Canadian perspective, a PM Annex should provide for:
In addition, it is anticipated that the PM Annex could provide an opportunity to obtain a U.S. commitment to pursue the development of a cross-border emissions trading regime for SO2 and NOX.
EC’s Air Emissions Priorities Division4 (under whose auspices the Air Quality Agreement is managed) provides day-to-day administrative and coordination support related to the PM Annex.
This component focuses on Canada’s international climate change activities completed in international fora. Given the growing awareness in Canada of the increasing impacts of climate change and the need for a strategic, global approach to effectively address this issue, Canadians are looking to the Government of Canada to advance international action on climate change. Canada’s engagement in international climate change discussions and negotiations is supported by substantive policy development, research and analysis (using in-house resources), and bilateral outreach and advocacy. These activities are imperative for developing and preparing Canada’s negotiating positions, and for consultations with relevant stakeholders, in advance of Canada’s participation in multiple fora where climate change issues are addressed both within and outside the UN.
In order to deliver on expected results, EC, DFAIT and NRCan work together to provide analysis and policy input for the development and articulation of Canada’s positions and policies on international climate change. EC coordinates the Government of Canada’s participation within and outside the UN negotiation process, in close collaboration with DFAIT, NRCan and other interested departments, and leads and coordinates Canada’s efforts to shape and develop a future global approach to international climate change (post-2012). The Minister of the Environment is the Cabinet Minister responsible for the international climate change file, a role carried out in close collaboration with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
A number of activities aim to ensure that Canadian environmental and economic interests are advanced through international negotiations and discussions. These include:
Additionally, DFAIT is responsible for the disbursement of additional grants and contributions (G&C) funds under the International Actions Theme. Projects funded under this program help Canada fulfill its international climate change commitments and further its international negotiating position. The contributions made under this program consist of those that are supplementary both to assessed contributions5 and non-assessed contributions.6
This component of the CAA International Actions Theme ensures that Canada meets its financial obligations under the UNFCCC7 and its Kyoto Protocol,8 and funds its share of the UN Climate Change Secretariat’s Program Budget. The UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol are legally binding international treaties that serve as an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by international climate change. Under these agreements, Canada is required to contribute its share of an assessed contribution to the UN Climate Change Secretariat’s Program Budget, which consists of a core operating budget (assessed) and supplementary budget for both the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. Most recently, the assessed funding for the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol for 2008–09 was approximately $954,000, of which CAA funding covers half.9
This component also includes Canada’s commitments to establish a National Registry for Kyoto-recognized emission credits, a condition for Canada’s participation in the flexibility mechanisms of the Protocol (i.e., the Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, and the ability to trade national emissions allowances). National registries are required of all Annex 1–country signatories to the Kyoto Protocol, and are linked to an international, United Nations–based interactive database (the International Transaction Log [ITL]) that is used to monitor each country’s holdings and transfers of Kyoto-recognized emissions credits.
Within this component, Canada makes voluntary contributions to support initiatives in which Canada has a specific interest. These include the ITL, and funding to enable Canada to participate in and contribute to international technology initiatives outside the UNFCCC, such as Methane to Markets (M2M) and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). The M2M partnership is an international initiative that advances cost‑effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a clean energy source. REEEP is a capacity‑building initiative that has completed over 130 renewable energy projects since 2004.
DFAIT acts as the focal point for overseeing financial contributions to the UNFCCC in order to ensure that assessed funding requirements are met, through providing administrative support and management coordination for the provision of assessed funding on behalf of Canada. EC serves as technical lead on developing the National Registry for emission credits, managing the connection to the interactive ITL, participating on behalf of Canada in technology partnerships (e.g., REEEP), and leading Canada’s technology trade initiatives through M2M.10
Led by EC, with input from NRCan and IC,11 the APP is a public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development, deployment and diffusion of clean energy technologies to address climate change. This partnership brings together seven countries (Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States) in a voluntary initiative to address the issues of sustainable development, clean energy and climate change. These countries collectively represent approximately 50% of the world’s economy, population and energy use, and over 50% of the world’s GHG emissions. From a strategic perspective, the APP provides a collaborative forum for the engagement of major emitting sectors and countries that will need to realize significant reductions in business-as-usual emissions in order to stabilize global GHG concentrations at a level that will not dangerously interfere with the global climate system.
The APP is organized around eight task forces that address five energy-intensive sectors (aluminum, buildings and appliances, cement, coal mining, and steel) as well as three energy supply sectors (renewable energy and distributed generation, power generation and transmission, and cleaner fossil energy). Each task force is chaired and co-chaired by participating countries12 and oversees public sector–private sector collaborations for developing and implementing projects on climate-friendly technologies related to its particular sector. Project proposals are intended to be selected through a transparent, merit‑based process.
The Policy and Implementation Committee (PIC) is an Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM)–level decision-making body within the APP that, in overseeing task force activities, has mandated responsibilities for policies, frameworks, technical advice, financing, public‑private partnerships and procedures. PIC meetings are hosted annually by one of the participating countries. Canada hosted the October 2008 meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. An Administrative Support Group currently hosted by the United States supports the PIC and APP more broadly.
Membership in the APP allows Canada to engage in joint public sector–private sector and bilateral or multilateral partnerships, and in projects related to climate-friendly technologies. Canadian delegations consisting of public and private sector representatives have been participants in the APP’s international activities through their involvement on various task forces and leadership and subject-matter expertise in the development of various clean technology projects.
Canada became the seventh member of the APP on October 15, 2007 at the 2nd Ministerial meeting in New Delhi. In June 2008, Canada made an initial commitment of C$20 million to fund Partnership activities and initiatives. $15.48 million of this contribution, managed by EC, allows Canada to partner with the Canadian private sector on strategic international clean technology projects in APP member countries. Given the amount of money available for these grants and contributions (approximately $3.8 million per year), it is anticipated that Canada’s funding may be focused on deployment and commercialization projects. It is expected that the shorter time-frame and tangible results of these types of projects should create the greatest and most immediate benefit for Canadian developers and exporters of clean technologies.
The governance of the International Actions Theme relies on existing structures within the CAA Horizontal Management and Accountability Reporting Framework (HMARF) structure that has been established to govern the CAA process. Four interdepartmental committees under the CAA HMARF accountability structure are responsible for providing strategic direction, coordination and managerial oversight of the CAA:
A DGMC governing body was established for the International Actions Theme. It includes the DGs from the Climate Change International Directorate at EC, the Environment, Energy and Sustainable Development Bureau at DFAIT, the Energy Policy Branch at NRCan, and the Service Industries and Consumer Products Branch at IC. The Committee convenes on an as-needed basis to discuss issues and activities of concern to the International Actions Theme.
The chair of the International Actions DGMC, the DG of the Climate Change International Directorate at EC, also sits on the DGTLCC of the CAA HMARF to represent the International Actions Theme. The DGTLCC is the primary operational committee responsible for implementing the elements of the CAA across all themes and for ensuring that participating departments provide a systematic review of the relevance and funding of programs—a review that is aligned with Canadians’ priorities and that effectively and efficiently delivers on the Government’s CAA responsibilities.
To support governance of the CAA, the Clean Air Agenda–Results Management Secretariat (CAA–RMS) was established to ensure that information is available to the DGTLCC, the ADM Steering Committee and the DM Committee within the CAA HMARF accountability structure. The CAA–RMS supports the oversight and monitoring of results, performance, resources and risks across the CAA themes, initiatives and programs.
Funding of $50 million13 was allocated across four years from 2007–08 to 2010–11 for the International Actions Theme under the CAA. Table 1 describes the resource allocations for each program component by department by fiscal year.
EC’s G&C budget in the amount of $16.872 million is managed under the Department’s Terms and Conditions for the Class Contributions to Support Environmental Research and Development, Environmental and Sustainable Development Initiatives and Canada’s International Commitments. These Class Terms and Conditions address the range of funding activities, including research related to transboundary emissions sources (under the PM Annex), participation in environmental initiatives (under International Financial and Other Obligations), and supporting clean technology development and deployment (for the APP). As these were valid to March 31, 2010, new Terms and Conditions have been developed.
DFAIT’s $840,000 G&C program supports organizations in staging meetings and conferences, conducting studies, and undertaking activities related to climate change (under International Partnerships and Negotiations). This contribution is managed through DFAIT’s Terms and Conditions for a Class of Contributions in Support of International Environmental Programs, which was submitted to Treasury Board for approval in the fall of 2007. Evaluation of this contribution program has been incorporated into the evaluation of the International Actions Theme.
Grants and contributions of $1.908 million are realigned from EC to DFAIT to cover EC’s share of Canada’s assessed contribution to the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol (under International Financial and Other Obligations). This contribution is managed under DFAIT’s Terms and Conditions for Assessed Contributions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. International agreements such as the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol have governance mechanisms that include oversight services. DFAIT relies on oversight regimes to assist in monitoring the international organization’s accountability for achieving those objectives agreed to by its members for stewardship of its funds, contributed by member states including Canada.
NRCan’s $425,000 class contribution agreement supports key activities to help advance Canada’s objectives within the international climate change negotiations. Activities include support to the Climate Technology Initiative, the multilateral International Energy Agency (IEA), and the Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT) under the UNFCCC.
The following Logic Model provides a visual representation of the CAA International Actions Theme,14 identifying the linkages between the activities and the achievement of its outcomes. Consistency has been maintained at the level of the intermediate and long-term outcomes of the International Actions Theme Logic Model and the higher-level outcomes of the CAA’s overarching Logic Model.
2 Some activities under International Partnerships and Negotiations are not United Nations (UN)–related (e.g., participation at international fora such as the G8 and G12).
3 Activities within the International Actions Theme that are related to Canada’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol involve the development of climate change policy, participation in negotiations at international fora, and meeting Canada’s financial obligations as a member of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Other activities related to the Kyoto Protocol are funded under other sources and are not part of this evaluation.
4 Formerly the North American Smog Program.
5 Assessed contributions refer to Canada’s assessed share of the costs of operating an international organization of which Canada is a member as a result of an act of Parliament, a Cabinet decision, an Order in Council or an international treaty.
6 Non-assessed contributions refer to Canada’s voluntary contributions.
7 The UNFCCC is an international treaty that sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change. The Convention, which entered into force on March 21, 1994, has near‑universal membership with 191 countries and one regional organization (the European Economic Community) having ratified. Under the Convention, governments gather and share information on GHG emissions, national policies and best practices; launch national strategies for addressing GHG emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries; and cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change.
8 The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the UNFCCC. The defining feature of the Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing GHG emissions. The Protocol was adopted on December 11, 1997, and entered into force on February 16, 2005. A total of 184 parties to the Convention have ratified the Protocol.
9 The other half of assessed funding for the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol is covered by DFAIT through other funding sources, and is not part of this evaluation.
10 Theme goals to advance the uptake of technologies and reduce GHG emissions are also pursued outside of formal UN negotiations through other fora such as the Expert Group on Technology Transfer, Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, and International Energy Agency.
11 Industry Canada’s participation in the APP will be addressed through Environment Canada’s program evaluation activities.
12 Canada was selected to the Co-Chair position on the Cement Task Force in May 2008.
13 Resource allocation figures presented in this report may differ from those published on the CAA horizontal initiative in Environment Canada’s Departmental Performance Reports due to differences in reporting periods.
14 The key milestones in the development of this International Actions Theme Logic Model is presented under separate cover in a technical appendix.