New ambition for climate targets from Canada a welcome signal

Katowice, POLAND, Dec. 5, 2018 – Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna signalled Canada will set more ambitious goals to tackle climate change.
   
Mary MacDonald, senior vice president and chief conservation officer for WWF-Canada, is at the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) climate-change meetings in Poland:
   
“This fall we learned how badly the world is failing to meet goals to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius warming. Missing that target will be devastating, not just to wildlife, but to vulnerable communities as well. We are already witnessing the impacts of rapid climate change in Canada – from melting sea ice in the Arctic, to catastrophic floods on the Saint John River, to devastating forest fires. Already every one of the 167 freshwater sub-watersheds in this country has been affected by climate change. 
    
“With these changes and challenges in mind, we are pleased to see Canada has signalled its intent to increase its ambition to tackle climate change. Canada is the first G7 country to do so.
  
“As governments across Canada try to drive down emissions, we urge them to include measurable, nature-based climate solutions for greenhouse gas reductions among the actions they take. Examples include restoring and maintaining carbon-rich features such as forests, coastal zone seagrass, freshwater basins, peatlands and wetlands‎. Not only do these help remove and store carbon, but they also provide vital habitat for wildlife – doing double-duty for wildlife and climate goals.”
    
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.

For further information
Rebecca Spring, senior communications specialist, [email protected], +1 647-338-6274