Perspectives on Climate Change Action in Canada

Today, acting on behalf of auditors general of most provinces and the Auditor General of Canada, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Julie Gelfand provided the House of Commons with a report titled “Perspectives on Climate Change Action in Canada: A Collaborative Report from Auditors General“. The report provides an overview of important questions raised in the audit work released over the last 18 months by the auditors general of most provinces, as well as in the three northern territories and at the federal level, to provide an overall and independent assessment of the state of climate change action in Canada.

“The findings from the federal, provincial and territorial climate change audits confirm that Canada’s governments are working on climate change, but that the work is far from being done”, stated Ms. Gelfand.

The collaborative report points to a number of common shortcomings across governments which are hindering Canada’s overall efforts to address and adapt to climate change and which, as a result, are preventing Canadians from preparing themselves to deal with current and future climate impacts.

In their examination of how their governments were planning to adapt to the impacts of climate change, auditors general found that most governments either had an adaptation plan that lacked basic details, such as timelines, or that they had no plan at all.

Most auditors across the country found that there was limited coordination on climate change among government departments and agencies, and that monitoring progress and regular public reporting were also limited.

The collaborative report also sets out a number of questions for elected officials and Canadians to consider asking of governments, as they continue their efforts to reduce emissions and address climate change impacts.

The collaborative report and territorial climate change reports are available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website. Provincial reports are available on provincial audit offices’ websites.

For more information, please contact:

Val Mellesmoen, Executive Director, Stakeholder Engagement

Telephone: 780.644.4806 | Mobile: 780.909.5841
Email: vmellesmoen@oag.ab.ca