The Canadian government has set what it calls a ‘fair and ambitious’ goal of reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from the oil-and-gas, natural gas-fired electricity, chemicals and nitrogen fertiliser sectors by 30% from 2005 levels by 2030. Meanwhile, the EU has committed to reducing overall GHG emissions by at least 40% compared to 1990 levels by 2030, and the US has set a target to cut net GHG emissions 26–28% below 2005 levels by 2025.

Although environmental groups expressed disappointment at the new climate target, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) is supportive. The group’s president and chief executive, Richard Paton, said the proposed standards will help to provide chemical companies with ‘a measure of regulatory certainty’, and offer a ‘good benchmark’ for provincial GHG regulations.