OTTAWA, November 9, 2022: Today, the Canadian Climate Institute launches a new online data project, 440 Megatonnes, which tracks Canada’s progress on implementing climate policy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 440 Megatonnes refers to Canada’s commitment to reduce emissions by at least 40 per cent below 2005 levels by the end of the decade—or no more than 440 Mt a year in 2030—en route to net zero by 2050.
The website features expert insights, one-of-a-kind searchable databases, and downloadable open-source data showing where Canada is on track to meet its 2030 target and where there are opportunities to correct course. It tracks information about national, regional, and sectoral emissions, government policies and spending, and corporate emissions-reduction commitments.
At launch, the website includes:
- An interactive dashboard mapping historical emissions trends to projections under the Emissions Reduction Plan and Canada’s net zero pathways. This one-of-a-kind tool helps users understand whether current policies put Canada on track to achieve its emissions reduction goals and what the plan means for key sectors.
- A comprehensive database of over 400 federal, provincial, and territorial policies, to help users understand what government actions and spending have been introduced to reach 440 Mt.
- An extensive database tracking climate commitments for the top 60 companies on the TSX. The database goes beyond tracking targets and plans, and includes details about risk disclosure, scenario analysis, and governance.
- Calculations of carbon intensities for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions for 60 economic sectors and 51 consumption categories to help companies, governments, and even households better estimate their emissions.
- Exclusive modelling data and scenario analysis from our 2021 report, Canada’s Net Zero Future, to add clarity about Canada’s potential pathways to net zero by 2050.
A guided tour of the site’s functionality, data sets, and other features is available to the media upon request. Media are welcome to join a public webinar on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at 1 pm ET for an in-depth look at 440 Megatonnes.
QUOTATIONS
“Tracking Canada’s progress in reducing emissions is absolutely necessary to support an informed public conversation on climate action and effective policy implementation. But good data on Canada’s progress has been extremely hard to come by—until now. 440 Megatonnes will make exclusive data and expert insight freely available to spotlight what’s working, and to promote a cycle of continuous improvement, as Canada works to meet its climate targets.”
— Dave Sawyer, Principal Economist, Canadian Climate Institute
“What gets measured gets managed. This decade is a pivotal time for climate action in Canada and around the world, and reducing emissions must be top-of-mind for government and corporate leaders. That’s why we’re launching 440 Megatonnes—to provide regular, independent assessment of Canada’s progress toward its 2030 and 2050 climate goals.”
— Anna Kanduth, Project Lead, 440 Megatonnes, Canadian Climate Institute
CONTACT
Catharine Tunnacliffe
Director of Communications, Canadian Climate Institute
ctunnacliffe@climateinstitute.ca