OFA president appointed to Ontario's Climate Action Group

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Don McCabe says he’s very honoured to be picked to sit on Ontario’s new Climate Action Group that’s advising the environment minister on climate change policy.

McCabe is one of 16 people included in the group headed up by John Godfrey, who was also appointed as a special adviser for climate change by the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The group also has top academics, climate scientists, business and civic leaders. The ministry announced the committee’s composition on Monday.

McCabe says in addition to providing climate change policy advice to the minister, the group will outline “how Ontario will be able to meet its obligations and commitments and establish a better economy for all. The bottom line is that can’t be done without including agriculture.”

Kate Jordan, Ontario environment and climate change ministry spokesperson, says by email the group was appointed for a one year term and it will meet quarterly.

“We are consulting with Ontarians now and asking them about the most effective ways to take action on climate change,” she says. “This feedback will help inform a strategy to be announced later this year.”

The Climate Action Group’s job is to advise Environment and Climate Change Minister Glen Murray on the most effective actions to help Ontario meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals. Jordan says in 2007, the ministry released a Climate Change Action Plan with these targets:

• By 2014 greenhouse gas emissions were to be six per cent below the 1990 level of 177 megatonnes.
• Emissions by 2020 are to be 15 per cent below the 1990 level.
• By 2050 emissions are targeted to be 80 per cent below the 1990 level.

Jordan says Ontario has already exceeded its 2014 target. In 2014, total emissions were 165 megatonnes, a reduction of 6.8 per cent. The reduction was achieved through various means including phasing out coal-fired power generation, using cleaner energy and making investments in public transit.

McCabe says agriculture has a massive role to play in providing climate change advice to Ontario’s government. The industry must ensure officials understand “food security comes first.”

Agriculture also has a large role to play in participating in carbon sequestration “but it will require proper policy to make that happen,” he says. BF