MARRAKECH, Morocco, Nov. 14, 2016 /CNW/ - Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. Canada is committed to reducing climate-harming pollutants at home and around the world. Today, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced that Canada will contribute $14 million to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), like methane, through partnerships with Mexico and Chile. This collaborative work will create a cleaner environment for everyone, from Mexicans and Chileans to Canadians and their families, who share this global environment. 

This investment will help countries adopt clean technologies and employ Canadian expertise to reduce methane emissions. In Mexico's oil and gas sector, we will work towards reducing gas flaring from ‎plant operations, which is the burning of natural gas that cannot be processed. Gas flaring is responsible for harmful emissions causing climate change and air pollution. In Chile, we will capture methane that escapes decomposing garbage at landfill sites and divert organic matter from the waste through composting.

SLCPs do not last as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, but they are much more powerful and very harmful to the climate. Reducing SLCPs is essential to address climate change in the short term. These pollutants also cause respiratory problems and other negative health effects so, by reducing them, we are protecting the health of families and communities everywhere.

Canada's action on climate change helps communities in Canada and around the world in tangible and meaningful ways, like improving air quality and providing more access to economic opportunities. Addressing climate change is making the world a better place. This investment is part of Canada's commitment of $2.65 billion over the next five years to help countries and communities around the world pollute less, be better equipped to resist the effects of climate change, and make a positive contribution to a global clean economy.

Quotes

"Climate change is the challenge of our time, and we need to work in collaboration with other countries to rise to this challenge. Canada is proud to team up with Mexico and Chile to take action on short-lived climate pollutants by investing in clean technologies. These pollutants are powerful greenhouse gases that also have negative effects on people's health. This investment will help grow a global clean economy and will benefit Mexicans, Chileans, and Canadians as it will make the air cleaner, protect our health, and slow warming on the planet we all share and for which we all care."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"For Mexico, mitigation of SLCP is fundamental for reaching climate-change goals as well as the SDGs. In that endeavor, the collaboration with Canada to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector will promote clean technology deployment and MRV systems to track progress in reducing these emissions. Furthermore, the reduction of SLCP will bring health and ecosystem co-benefits for our communities and environment, while protecting the planet's climate."
– María Amparo Martínez Arroyo, Director General of the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change of Mexico

"The Paris Agreement is official and in force since November 4, much earlier than expected. It is certainly great news for the international climate-change agenda. It is the responsibility of the countries to now move forward towards its implementation, taking the necessary measures to fulfill their commitments.

"We are very pleased to continue our cooperation on the environmental agenda with the Government of Canada. In this opportunity, we are working together for reducing short-lived pollutants through waste management projects. Tackling this kind of pollutant is one of the elements in our international commitment under the Paris Agreement. In addition, waste management is one of the priorities of our local environmental agenda.

"We appreciate the interest and support of the Government of Canada for the development of waste-management projects in our country. As part of this joint effort, Chile also expects to share its experience with other countries that have high potential for mitigation in this area. This approach based on shared efforts is a useful and necessary mechanism for effective reduction of emissions globally."
– Pablo Badenier, Minister of the Environment, Chile

Quick facts

• Methane emitted through oil and gas operations is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, over a 20-year period, and black carbon from these activities accelerates warming in the Arctic.
• Landfills are estimated to be the third largest source of global methane emissions attributable to human activity.

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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada