What does it mean to abandon something? It means to “cease to support or look after (someone); desert,” to “give up completely (a course of action, a practice, or a way of thinking)” or to “discontinue (a scheduled event) before completion.”

Basic Facts

The Carney government is well aware of the global carbon budget. Mark Carney described the carbon budget well in his book, published in 2021: “The carbon budget to limit temperature rises to below catastrophic levels is rapidly being exhausted. If we had started in 2000, we could have hit the 1.5 C objective by halving emissions every 30 years. Now, we must halve emissions every 10 years. If we wait another four years, the challenge will be to halve emissions every year. If we wait another eight years, our 1.5 C carbon budget will be exhausted.” So, he knows that at this point we would have to halve emissions every year.

Canada ratified the Paris Accord on October 5^th, 2016, following a vote in Parliament. The commitment to 1.5 and 2 degrees is found in the Paris Accord, at Article 1(a), which reads:

“Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.“

Atmospheric CO2 is rising faster than ever. 2024 saw an increase in atmospheric CO2 of 3.5 ppm, the biggest annual increase since measurements began in 1957. We are currently at 422.33ppm.

Perhaps Canada would argue that we are only responsible for our emissions. This defence, or explanation, fails for two reasons. One, the most obvious – our emissions are barely coming down, largely due to increased emissions from the oil & gas sector.

Two – the ICJ demolished this argument by stating what makes basic sense, that states are responsible not just for their emissions, but for the oil and gas which they produce. The ICJ said:

Failure of the state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system from GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions including through fossil fuel production, fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel exploration licenses, or the provision of fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act which is attributable to that state.

And:

… the relevant conduct for the purposes of these advisory proceedings is not limited to conduct that, itself, directly results in GHG emissions, but rather comprises all actions or omissions of States which result in the climate system and other parts of the environment being adversely affected by anthropogenic GHG emissions.

Carney and Canada’s actions which show this abandonment

The first actions of a new government sets the tone, they are intended as a statement of the government’s priorities. Mark Carney’s very first act as PM was to cancel the consumer carbon tax. Carney then canceled the EV mandate, and signaled that more oil & gas projects would be approved, and funded as “Projects of National Interest” under Bill C5. LNG Canada Phase 2, Kitimat, British Columbia, was the first fossil fuel project to receive this distinction.

Then in the November 4^th budget (yesterday) the Liberal government announced they were weakening the relatively new greenwashing law, reducing industry oversight, and winding down two important climate programs, the Canada Greener Homes Grant and the 2 Billion Trees program. It also signaled there will be no oil & gas emissions cap.

The budget also contained billions for new projects, which will include oil and gas subsidies. It creates a program to reduce carbon intensity (to reduce the amount of emissions per barrel of oil) – geared to help the Carney government justify increasing production. And it created a youth climate corps, really the only good climate news to come from this government.

Canada is the fourth largest producer of oil and the fifth largest of gas in the world. We are practically at 1.5 degrees already, and rocketing towards 2.

Ergo

If the federal government has any hope of climate change getting under control they must be counting on other countries to do the heavy lifting. The Carney government has “ceased to support or look after” (our children), has deserted, and “given up completely” any attempt or thought of keeping global warming below 1.5 or 2 degrees, and has discontinued such attempt before completion.

PM Carney and his government have abandoned the 1.5 and 2 degree targets enshrined in the Paris Accord, as well as our children and their futures.