Minister to Attend Climate Change Summit in Germany

Environment Minister Iain Rankin will attend the 23rd annual Council of the Parties conference in Bonn, Germany.

“Nova Scotia is a Canadian leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. We have already reached the federal government’s 2030 greenhouse gas emission target and we recently passed legislation to create our provincial cap and trade program,” said Mr. Rankin.

“I’m looking forward to hearing more about the innovative actions being taken around the world and to consider how we can take further action here at home.”

Mr. Rankin will attend sessions on carbon pricing at the state and provincial level, sustainable innovation, the impact of climate change to our oceans and new approaches to climate change education. He will also meet representatives from the public and private sector to promote action here in Nova Scotia and to learn about work underway in other jurisdictions.

Nova Scotia’s cap and trade program will set declining caps over time, along with a provincewide greenhouse gas target for 2030. It will allow Nova Scotian companies to trade emission allowances, encouraging them to reduce their emissions. It will create a Green Fund to support climate change initiatives and require companies to monitor and report information related to climate change.

Minister Rankin leaves for Bonn on Saturday, Nov. 11.