Ottawa published its plan for eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies today — making Canada the first country among wealthy, heavy-emitting nations to do so, according to the federal government.
In 2009, the countries that make up the G20 publicly promised to “phase out and rationalize … inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” over the “medium term.”
Such subsidies “encourage wasteful consumption, reduce our energy security, impede investment in clean energy sources and undermine efforts to deal with the threat of climate change,” said the G20 communique.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault announced the plan in Montreal Monday as Canada continues to grapple with one of the worst wildfire seasons ever recorded
