Canada at Copenhagen

From Dec, 7-18, 2009 Canada joined more than 190 countries in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's 15^th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15).

The UNFCCC is an international treaty that sets an overall plan for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenges posed by climate change.

Ever since the Convention entered into force almost 15 years ago, Canada has participated in its annual and biannual meetings to discuss global action on climate change and take stock of national and international progress to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

COP15 culminated in the Copenhagen Accord, a significant breakthrough in the global effort to address climate change. This Accord balances emissions reductions with economic imperatives today and into the future.

Canada will continue to work constructively in 2010 in the lead-up to COP16 in Cancun, Mexico to implement the Copenhagen Accord and to complete the negotiations under the UNFCCC for a comprehensive, legally binding post-2012 agreement that will:

• balance environmental protection and economic prosperity
• maintain a long-term focus
• stimulate the development and deployment of clean technologies
• engage all major economies
• support constructive and ambitious global action

Canada was represented at COP15 by the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment, and Michael Martin, Chief Negotiator and Ambassador for Climate Change.

For more information on the UNFCCC, please visit http://unfccc.int/2860.php.