Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Report, 2020
Goal 13, Climate Action
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Description: Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 13, Climate Action
In 2017, Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions were 716 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MT CO2 EQ)
| Sector | Percent |
|---|---|
| Oil and gas | 27 |
| Transportation | 24 |
| Buildings | 12 |
| Heavy industry | 10 |
| Agriculture | 10 |
| Electricity | 10 |
| Waste and others | 6 |
Canada was among the top countries for GHG emissions intensity at 19.5 tonnes per capita in 2017
- This is enough to power 13 homes with electricity for one year
- This is the same as consuming 8,307 litres of gasoline in one year
Note: This measure of emissions per capita includes total GHG emissions in Canada, including GHG emissions related to the production of energy (such as oil) that is exported.
Sources: Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Inventory Report 1990-2017: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada, Executive Summary 2019 and Environmental Indicators; Natural Resources Canada, Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
Community Spotlight
Tree Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees. Through their programs, research and educational efforts, they have helped restore tree cover in areas hit by natural disasters, guided communities in managing their urban forests, helped green 660 schoolyards and organized urban forest conferences. To date, with the community partners and sponsors, they have planted more than 82 million trees.
Source: Tree Canada
Effects of climate change in Canada
- Temperature: Seven of Canada’s top ten warmest years have occurred since 2000
- Precipitation: Annual rainfall has increased with 2005 being Canada’s wettest year on record
- Sea ice area: Summer sea ice is decreasing by nearly 7.0% per decade since 1968
- Snow cover: Snow cover extent decreased at a rate of 5% to 10% per decade since 1981
- Health: Annual Lyme disease cases increased by more than ten-fold from 114 in 2009 to 1,638 in 2017
Sources: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Environmental Indicators and Canada’s Changing Climate Report; Public Health Agency of Canada, Notifiable Disease Charts – Notifiable Diseases On-Line.
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