National carbon budget law
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to legally require halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 and reaching near-zero by 2040, create a national carbon budget, and report annually on compliance.
Why we would sign this petition
- Locks in ambitious, time-bound targets to halve emissions by 2035 and reach near-zero by 2040, matching petitioners' 1.5°C objective.
- A legislated national carbon budget would provide a clear planning framework for coordinating emissions reductions across policies and investments.
- Annual reporting would increase transparency and accountability and, per petitioners, help drive growth in low‑carbon industries and jobs.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- The targets are ambitious and may be technically or economically challenging to meet, risking high costs or disruption.
- A rigid, legislated carbon budget could reduce government flexibility to adjust policy in response to new information or events.
- Annual compliance reporting and strict timelines could impose administrative burdens and divert resources from other climate actions or priorities.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada We want our children and grandchildren to have a safe and healthy world; Canada needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2035 and be near zero by 2040 to keep global warming to 1.5°C; We already have affordable clean technologies to help us do this; Canada is one of the world’s top emitters and we want to do our fair share; and We will create many new jobs in low carbon industries. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Set a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2035 and reach near zero by 2040; 2. Establish through legislation, a national carbon budget to plan Canada’s emissions; and 3. Report each year on whether Canada is meeting this carbon budget. 1. Set a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2035 and reach near zero by 2040; 2. Establish through legislation, a national carbon budget to plan Canada’s emissions; and 3. Report each year on whether Canada is meeting this carbon budget.
Government response
No government response is available yet.