Abraham Lake Ice breaks at dawn at Abraham Lake in Alberta, Canada. This photo was entered into The Nature Conservancy’s 2018 Photo Contest. © Ying Han

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Canada Sees Natural Climate Solutions as Critical to Exceeding 2030 Climate Targets and Tackling Climate Change

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The following is a statement from Amanda Reed, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Nature United:

“Today’s announcement by the Government of Canada recognizes that committing to an ambitious action plan to reduce Canada’s own greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) is fundamental to tackling the threat of climate change. The Healthy Environment, Healthy Economy action plan commits the Government to prioritizing fossil fuel reduction while investing in Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas as part of a just and equitable economic recovery strategy.

In the five years since COP21, Canada and other global climate leaders have recognized the important role nature plays in reducing GHG emissions. NCS are critical pathways that protect, manage and restore Canada’s diverse ecosystems from coast to coast to coast. With its recently introduced net-zero legislation, $3.9 billion Fall Economic Statement investment in NCS, and now this detailed climate action plan with 64 measures, Canada is accelerating action in order to exceed its 2030 Paris Agreement commitment.

Even though Canada is in the middle of a pandemic, we observe the momentum from politicians and the corporate sector to make real progress on climate change. But there is more to do. Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is a critically important goal that needs to be accompanied by ambitious actions in the interim. This includes identifying a 2025 target, exceeding the current 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitment and continued investments for protected areas and other NCS pathways. Nature United looks forward to sharing our expertise and working in partnership with Indigenous leaders, governments and industry actors to enable adoption, implementation and funding of Natural Climate Solutions.”

Nature United was founded as a Canadian charity in 2014, building on decades of conservation in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, our organization has field staff located across the country. Nature United supports Indigenous leadership, sustainable economic development and science and large-scale conservation, primarily in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba. Our organization is also working to accelerate Natural Climate Solutions at national and regional scales. To learn more, visit natureunited.ca or follow @natureunited_ca.

We are the Canadian affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization with more than a million members and a diverse team that includes more than 400 scientists. Our global organization works in 79 countries — either directly or through partnerships — to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press.