Canada's greenhouse gas emissions climbed in 2022, after pandemic slowdown

Canada's greenhouse gas emissions rose in 2022, as the economy rebounded from the pandemic slow‐ down, according to figures obtained by Radio-Canada ahead of today's govern‐ ment announcement.

The new National Inven‐ tory Report data shows emis‐ sions reached 708 mega‐ tonnes in that year, com‐ pared with 698 megatonnes in 2021.

But the office of Environ‐ ment Minister Stephen Guil‐ beault said the 2022 data are an encouraging sign, because they were lower than those of 2019, the last pre-pan‐ demic year when emissions were compiled.

That year, 752 mega‐ tonnes of emissions were produced in Canada - 44 more than in 2022.

Greenpeace spokesper‐ son Patrick Bonin told RadioCanada

an increase in emis‐ sions had been expected giv‐ en the economic upswing, and that "the good news is that the rebound is lower than expected."

WATCH | Canada's cli‐ mate policies are reducing emissions, report says:

Bonin said the figures show that regulations aimed at reducing emissions have been effective.

He said the missing link in the current climate plan is a cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Last Decem‐ ber, the Liberal government committed to capping emis‐ sions from the oil and gas in‐ dustry, but not before 2026.

Additional details of the plan, and its precise timetable, are expected in the coming months.

The oil and gas sector was once again the largest source of emissions in Canada in 2022, accounting for a little more than 30 per cent of the total. Emissions related to the transportation sector came second.

The Liberal government has committed to cutting emissions by 40 per cent be‐ low 2005 levels by 2030.

That plan calls for a 20 per cent reduction in emis‐ sions from 2005 levels by 2026 - to 586 megatonnes. Projections released by the federal government last year showed Canada was on track to reach that target.

Full details of the National Inventory Report will be re‐ leased later today.