Interim report to the Minister of the Environment : Rapport intérimaire présenté au ministre de l'Environnement

Interim Report to the Minister of the Environment Executive Summary This Interim Report to the Minister of the Environment presents preliminary findings of research and analysis conducted by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE). [...] In the results of the modeling undertaken for the NRTEE, the price of many of these goods and services has increased to pay for the cost of reducing their GHG intensity, and overall physical consumption of these goods and services has fallen in response to the price increase. [...] As a result, even though the “fast” and “slow” pathways can be designed to reach the same target for annual GHG emissions in 2050, the overall environmental improvement from the “fast” pathways will be greater than for the “slow” pathways for the same target. [...] The question of Canada’s contribution (burden) to this global GHG emissions reduction effort involves consideration of the following factors: • the choice of stabilization level (between 450 and 550 ppmv); • the choice of burden-sharing approach; • the starting point of emissions in 2008-2012 which is used as a basis for emission allowances afterwards; and • Canada’s national circumstances. [...] In the summer of 2007, the NRTEE will conduct a limited number of meetings with stakeholders and experts, to discuss the draft findings and recommendations, before submitting a draft final report to the government in September.