Canada will not meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2030 and 2035, Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted on Tuesday. He said current policies are insufficient to reach the goals set under former Prime Minister Trudeau. Carney emphasized the need for urgent policy changes to reverse the shortfall.
Trudeau’s government had aimed to cut carbon emissions by 40-45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve a net-zero power grid by 2035. However, emissions have only fallen 8.5 percent between 2005 and 2023. Experts warn that emissions could rise again under the current administration’s policies.
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Since taking office in March 2025, Carney has scrapped key environmental measures, including the individual carbon tax and oil and gas emission caps. His government has also launched energy projects aimed at turning Canada into an “energy superpower.” Critics warn these moves could undermine climate commitments.
Carney argued that recent energy sector investments will reduce emissions in the long term. The government is also seeking to diversify trade and reduce reliance on the United States amid ongoing trade tensions. Meanwhile, global rankings show Canada remains among the highest per capita greenhouse gas emitters.
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The climate policy shift sparked political fallout, including the resignation of former Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. Guilbeault criticized the dismantling of the Trudeau-era climate plan, calling it a setback for Canada’s environmental commitments.