Trudeau Meets World Leaders At Climate Change Summit

“At previous climate negotiations, I remember being hated because I was Canadian even though I was not part of the Conservative government”, she said in an interview.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government and its provincial partners have “a lot of work to do” in the fight against climate change, but has remained mum on when a formal national strategy might be unveiled. On the ground in Paris for Climate Summit #COP21. “There can be no laggards in this”.

Mr. Trudeau noted he has outlined “elements” of a plan, including a pledge to spend $20-billion on green infrastructure over five years, and to create a $2-billion “low-carbon economy trust” to fund projects that reduce carbon emissions. And in his speech Monday, he said the policies to come include carbon pricing, which he has promised on a national scale, as well as “support for energy efficiency, clean electricity and transport, and sustainable buildings and infrastructure”.

Heads of government from the Commonwealth family, which represents around a third of the world’s population, on Saturday pledged to demand an “ambitious” and legally-binding outcome from the world climate change summit in Paris, which officially starts on Monday.

The 21st United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP21) provides an opportunity for leaders “to overcome old divisions and forge an ambitious, meaningful agreement, and an effective path forward”, he said.

“We are the story that (Trudeau) is telling while he’s here (in Paris)”, she said.

The Queen replied to Mr Trudeau’s toast by saying: “Thank you, Mr Prime Minister of Canada, for making me feel so old”, causing gales of laughter among the assembled guests. We’re here to help. “We’re here to help, to build an agreement that will do our children and grand-children proud”.

“The western Canadian economy is under significant stress”. It set targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 37% below 1990 levels by 2030 – and by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

“As an opposition party leader, I’m invited; so is [the Conservatives’] Rona Ambrose and [NDP leader] Tom Mulcair, as are all the premiers”. It was a moment the Prime Minister clearly savoured – he was interrupted by applause when he said: “We’re here to help”. Secretary of State John Kerry said this month that there were “not going to be legally binding reduction targets” agreed at the meeting.

That’s a lot of security-related diplomacy on a day supposed to be dedicated to climate change. “Get it done. Enough talk”.

It was the last of Trudeau’s frenetic networking, which included sitting down with the presidents of the European Union and European Commission, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – where he accepted an invitation to visit Israel – and a brief address to an event hosted by the World Bank.

The goal is to limit average global warming to two degrees Celsius over pre-Industrial Revolution levels by curbing fossil fuel emissions blamed for climate change.