MÉRIDA, Mexico, May 25, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Greg
Rickford, Canada's Minister of
Natural Resources; Ernest J. Moniz,
United States Secretary of Energy;
and Pedro Joaquín-Coldwell, Mexico
Secretary of Energy, today announced the creation of the North
American Energy Ministers' Working Group on Climate Change and
Energy.
Today's announcement took place during the third official
meeting of North American energy leaders in Mérida,
Mexico. With today's milestone, Canada, the United
States and Mexico will
prioritize collaboration in the following areas:
- reliable, resilient and low-carbon electricity grids;
- the modelling and deployment of clean energy technologies,
including renewables;
- energy efficiency for equipment, appliances, industries and
buildings, including energy management systems;
- carbon capture, use and storage;
- climate change adaptation and resilience; and
- emissions from the oil and gas sector, including methane and
black carbon.
Today's milestone builds on previous enhanced continental
cooperation on energy and the environment announced in December 2014:
- developing North American energy public data, statistics and
the continental mapping of commodities and infrastructure;
- responsible and sustainable best practices for the development
of unconventional oil and natural gas; and
- modern, resilient energy infrastructure for North America in all aspects — physical
infrastructure as well as institutional infrastructure such as
policies, regulations, workforce, innovation, practices to promote
energy-efficient goods and services, and sustainable
technologies.
Work in these areas is now in the advanced stages. In
discussions with his counterparts, Minister Rickford highlighted
Canada's growing contribution to
global energy security and its commitment to pursuing a continental
approach on energy security and climate change.
North America is seizing every
opportunity to harmonize efforts and policies toward common climate
goals while protecting jobs and the economy.
Quick Facts
- Last December, during their first meeting in Washington, D.C., the ministers signed a
Memorandum of Understanding formalizing trilateral cooperation for
greater cooperation and integration with the goal of attaining
North American energy security.
- Canada and the U.S. have
already harmonized environmental standards ranging from vehicle
emissions to home energy efficiency.
- In 2013, Canada's GHG
emissions were 3.1 percent lower than 2005 levels while the economy
grew by 12.9 percent over the same time period.
- Between 2005 and 2014, Canadian crude exports increased by 81
percent, and Canada has begun
supplying oil to eight new markets including Italy, the United
Kingdom, Norway,
France, Spain and Ireland.
- Canada is the fifth-largest
natural gas producer in the world, with marketable resources of up
to 44 trillion cubic metres. Canada has the third-largest reserves of crude
oil in the world, including 167 billion barrels in Canada's oil sands alone, and is the
fifth-largest producer.
Quotes
"Canada is a secure, reliable
and responsible producer and supplier of energy to the world and is
firmly committed to a continental approach on energy and the
environment. North America has
deeply integrated economies, abundant reserves, shared critical
infrastructure and common values that underpin our long, productive
history of collaboration. The North American Free Trade Agreement
is a good example of the integrated nature of our economy. By
cooperating with our North American partners, we are enhancing
energy security and the environment while strengthening jobs and
the economy."
The Honourable Greg Rickford
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources
Associated Links
Joint News Release on New Continental Climate Change and Energy
Collaboration
SOURCE Natural Resources Canada