LASER TALKS: Pan-Canadian Expert Collaboration

The climate crisis is a non-partisan issue. To help reflect that, we can use the UK’s Climate Change Act (2008) as a model.^[1] This was a recommendation of Ontario’s Environment Commissioner in “Climate Action in Ontario: What’s Next?”^[2]

As part of the act, an arms-length agency to advise the UK on climate policy was established. In April 2019, Canada initiated a similar process and established a research team designed to give Canadians and their government’s credible, authoritative advice on climate change and clean energy development.^[3]

The Pan-Canadian Expert Collaboration includes more than 20 post-secondary institutions and research groups from across the country. It was established to provide independent research and advice in three areas — carbon pricing, clean energy development, and strategies for climate-change adaptation.^[4] It was also established to “fill existing information gaps and help translate research into useful information for policy decision-making.”

The collaboration will receive up to $20 million from the federal government over the next five years (funding first announced in the 2018 budget) and has a stated purpose to act as “an independent, standalone organization” that will have the power to “set its own agenda and operate independently from government.”^[5]

The climate emergency is complex and a non-partisan issue. Incorporating independent and evidence-based policy advice from a broad range of credible sources is critical to ensuring the health and safety of all.

The federal government can build on the Pan-Canadian Expert Collaboration by establishing legally binding science-based targets.

^[1] “LASER TALK: The UK Climate Change Act | Citizens’ Climate Lobby ….” 7 Jun. 2019, https://cclca.wpengine.com/laser-talk-the-uk-climate-change-act/. Accessed Nov. 1 2020.

^[2] “Climate Action in Ontario: What’s Next? 2018 Greenhouse Gas ….” https://docs.assets.eco.on.ca/reports/climate-change/2018/Climate-Action-in-Ontario-Summary.pdf. Accessed 13 Aug. 2019.

^[3] “The Pan-Canadian Expert Collaboration – Canada.ca.” 9 Apr. 2019, https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2019/04/the-pan-canadian-expert-collaboration.html. Accessed 13 Aug. 2019.

^[4] “University of Waterloo is part of a new Canadian climate change ….” https://www.therecord.com/news-story/9283341-university-of-waterloo-is-part-of-a-new-canadian-climate-change-research-group/. Accessed 11 Aug. 2019.

^[5] “The Pan-Canadian Expert Collaboration – Canada.ca.” https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2019/04/the-pan-canadian-expert-collaboration.html. Accessed 11 Aug. 2019.

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