ADVISORY WORKING GROUP ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
The Senate of Canada committed to reduce its carbon footprint to net-zero by 2030
Senator Deacon has chaired the Advisory Working Group (AWG) on Environment and Sustainability since it was first authorized by the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) in May 2021. The primary objective of the AWG is to identify short, medium and long-term actions that could be taken in the operations of the Senate to contribute to its commitment to sustainability and net-zero target by 2030.
Background
In May 2021, the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) adopted a motion to create the Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability (AWG).
With the support of employees at the Senate Administration and the Library of Parliament, the AWG first sought to catalogue and discuss the actions taken by the Senate since the 1993 Environmental Policy, determine the current environmental initiatives and attempt to assess the carbon footprint of the Senate, and review policies adopted by other legislatures and private enterprises which would be relevant as comparators to the Senate of Canada.
This resulted in the "Final Report" of the AWG which outlined 11 recommendations, including the adoption of a new Senate of Canada Environmental and Sustainability Policy Statement with the objective of "reducing the Senate’s carbon footprint to net zero by 2030 and to implement sustainable practices in its operations." This statement was unanimously adopted by the Senate in April 2022.
Since then, the AWG has been mandated to oversee the implementation of the 11 recommendations from the report, including securing external expertise through a competitive RFP process to help the Senate of Canada benchmark, track and create a roadmap to net-zero by 2030.
Key Resources
Click below to access key information related to this initiative, including the final report and Senator Deacon's speech in the Chamber.
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September 28th, 2023
The Senate of Canada Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration approved the public release of the Senate of Canada’s Net Zero 2030 Project Phase 1 Report, produced by Lemay and Groupe AGECO.
The Phase 1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report contains a thorough inventory and benchmarking exercises of Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions of the Senate of Canada activities, as well as a preliminary forecast of emissions to 2030.
To read an article in The Hill Times on the Phase 1 report, please click here.
For more information about the project and its progress to date, please click here.
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Senator Colin Deacon spoke in favour of the motion on March 3rd, 2022. To read the speech, please click here.
Senator Diane Griffin, a lifelong conservationist and a past member of the Senate Advisory Working Group on Environment & Sustainability, spoke in favour of the motion on March 1st, 2022. To read the speech, please click here.