News Release

For immediate release
November 17, 2008

ONTARIO TAKES PART IN GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS
McGuinty Government To Join International Leaders In California

NEWS

Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen will join leaders from North America, Europe and emerging and industrialized economies to discuss what could be the framework of a new global climate change agreement at a two-day Summit being held in California on November 18 and 19.

Organized by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Summit provides a forum for climate change leaders from around the world to discuss their experiences and challenges. Participants will be invited to pledge support for world-wide collaborative action in reducing greenhouse gases and developing the framework for a new global climate change treaty required after 2012.

Discussions about the agreement will occur at the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP 14) in Poland this December, and in Copenhagen in 2009.

Building partnerships and strengthening international economic ties for Ontario’s emerging green industrial sectors are also reasons Ontario is attending the conference. As well as representing Ontario as a “climate leader”, Minister Gerretsen will be chairing a panel of international experts on transportation and mobility.

QUOTES

“This summit represents an opportunity to be part of an unprecedented level of collaboration among governments around the world towards stabilizing the climate,” said Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen.  “I’m pleased to be sharing Ontario’s progress and participating in earnest discussions on how other climate change leaders are moving towards a low-carbon future,” he said.

QUICK FACTS

• The two-day international forum will cover greenhouse gas reporting, sectoral approaches to combating global warming, green technology, and the challenges of protecting the environment in developing economies
• Ontario has an aggressive climate change plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. It also includes incentives for creating jobs for Ontarians in clean technologies. Ontario’s greenhouse gas reduction targets are:
  • Six per cent below 1990 levels by 2014
  • 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020
  • 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050

LEARN MORE

• About the Summit at www.GovernorsGlobalClimateSummit.org
  About Ontario’s Five-Point Climate Change Action Plan at Ministry of the Environment - Air - Climate Change
  

-30-

Contacts:	Contact information for the general public:
John Karapita, Minister’s Office, 416-314-6736 Kate Jordan, Ministry of the Environment, 416-314-6666	416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ontario.ca/environment

 

Back to News Releases