December 15, 2009
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Premier Greg Selinger today committed the
provincial government to moving forward with legislation enabling
the creation of a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse-gas
emissions in Manitoba. He said the system will be subject to
public consultations in 2010.
“Manitoba is playing a constructive role in focusing on
commitments, goals and targets that we and other leading
sub-national governments can take,” Selinger said. “Market
mechanisms like cap-and-trade will play a large role in the
global effort to address climate change in a cost-effective
manner. Cap-and-trade legislation will complement Manitoba’s
participation in regional climate-change strategies like the
Western Climate Initiative and Midwestern Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Accord.”
Selinger made the announcement at the Climate Leaders Summit
2009, sponsored by The Climate Group, being held in Copenhagen
today as a side-event to the UN Conference on Climate
Change. Selinger was invited to participate along with 60 other
climate-change leaders from sub-national and local governments,
and innovative climate-solution businesses from around the world.
“The Climate Leaders Summit provides an opportunity to share
practical strategies related to clean-energy development,
low-carbon technology and regional co-operation on climate
change,” said Selinger. “These are areas where Manitoba has
taken an early leadership role and they are vitally important for
creating new green economic opportunities for the future.”
As part of the Climate Leaders Summit, Selinger is also hosting a
round-table discussion titled Power to the People: Our Clean
Energy Future. The session involves close to 20 government and
business participants, speaking on the policies that promote
renewable energy development and expand clean-energy technology
solutions.
“This panel discussion between business and government leaders
will demonstrate how government and industry can work together to
build a low-carbon economy of the future,” said Selinger. “These
discussions will help to create momentum at the UN Conference and
motivation for committed long-term actions to reduce emissions.”
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