Jalisco (Mexico), September 1, 2016 – Meeting at the Climate Summit of the Americas in the State of Jalisco, Mexico, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico (SEMARNAT) Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change of Ontario Glen R. Murray and the Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change of Québec David Heurtel yesterday signed a joint statement that bears witness to their cooperative spirit in implementing the December 2015 Paris Agreement.

In their statement, the three partners affirm their desire to widen their collaboration on cap-and-trade systems and share winning practices for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Québec, Mexico and Ontario also agreed to jointly promote carbon markets in North America.

Secretary Pacchiano Alamán stressed the urgency of acting collectively to address the harmful effects of climate change. He also underlined the importance of the participation of sub-national governments in the worldwide climate agenda, “because the most important opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are at the local level.”

“Québec is a very active player in the field of fighting climate change and adapting to its impacts and believes in concerted, consistent action by a maximum number of partners in order to successfully tackle this worldwide challenge,” affirmed Minister David Heurtel during the signing ceremony. “On behalf of the Government of Québec, I would like to assure Ontario and Mexico that Québec will fully cooperate with them in the implementation of efficient carbon markets. Together, let us work towards a more prosperous and responsible low-carbon world for our children and the generations of the future,” he added.

“Ontario is excited to be participating in the second Climate Summit of the Americas in Jalisco, Mexico and encouraged by Mexico’s steps toward a pilot project to establish a carbon market,” stated Minister Murray. We recognize that there is a global movement, especially across jurisdictions in North America, towards adopting a carbon price and we are confident that the implementation of carbon market instruments is the most effective way to guarantee emission reductions while simultaneously growing the economy."

It is worth recalling that Québec linked its carbon market to California’s on January 1, 2014, and that a bilateral agreement has been signed between the Government of Québec and SEMARNAT aiming to strengthen environmental and climate change cooperation. Also, Ontario adopted a law and regulation in May 2016 that enabled it to set up its own carbon market by January 1, 2017, while Mexico already had the legislative powers it needs to implement a cap-and-trade system on its own territory and is aiming to set up just such a pilot project this fall.

In making this joint statement, Secretary Pacchiano Alamán and Ministers Glen Murray and David Heurtel reaffirm the need to work in concert with other partners to fight climate change, particularly through the use of carbon markets, in order to reduce GHG emissions while maintaining an economy that is both competitive and fair.

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Emilie Simard
Press Officer
Cabinet of the Québec Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change
Tel.: 418 521-3911

Media Relations
Ministère du Développement durable,
de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques
Tel.: 418 521-3991