Canadian Carbon Emission Cuts Seen Better Managed by Provinces

Canada’s efforts to cut greenhouse gases would benefit more from provinces moving ahead on pricing carbon emissions independently than from attempts to set a nationwide system, a study found.

Most benefits from limiting emissions would come from levies or caps set by provinces, while linking policies across the country would account for just 10 percent of the advantages, according to a report by the Ecofiscal Commission, an economic research group that counts former Prime Minister Paul Martin among its backers. A national system would be too complex to implement, and waiting to agree on one could extend delays that have already begun to deepen Canada’s image as a laggard in global efforts to address climate change.