Canada and Europe Forge Closer Ties on Climate Change

Canada and Europe are natural partners in addressing climate change, according to environmental group Citizens' Climate Lobby. The European Union's proposal to make Canada an associate member is a logical step towards building a resilient economy, as Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for. In his Davos speech, Carney argued that Canada should focus on building new institutions and partnerships rather than waiting for the old world order to return.

The alignment between Canada and European countries is evident in international climate negotiations, particularly compared to the obstruction of the United States under the Trump administration. Citizens' Climate Lobby notes that Canada and Europe have complementary economic strengths, with Canada having critical minerals, clean electricity, and opportunities for wind-hydrogen projects, while Europe brings major markets, advanced manufacturing, and research capacity.

The organization is also cautioning against investing in new fossil-fuel infrastructure, citing recent analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) that finds Alberta's proposed West Coast oil pipeline is unlikely to be needed under most scenarios and could impose higher costs on producers through high tolls. A recent poll commissioned by Environmental Defence found that 50-59% of respondents, including Liberal voters, said they would be less likely to support an MP who backed taxpayer funding for another oil pipeline.