To fight the worst impacts of climate change and thrive in a net-zero future, there is an urgent need to reduce methane emissions and an enormous opportunity for Canada to lead. Methane, which has at least 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, accounts for 14 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions on a CO2-equivalent basis. Cutting methane emissions is widely recognized as one of the fastest, cheapest and most effective ways to fight climate change.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, officially launched Canada's Methane Centre of Excellence and an associated call for proposals for methane emissions measurement and mitigation projects.
Spurred by an initial investment of $30 million, work associated with the Methane Centre of Excellence will aim to improve the accuracy, understanding, reporting and mitigation of methane emissions by focusing on key data, measurement techniques and technology development. The Centre will also improve knowledge sharing between Canadian industry leaders, emitting sectors, provincial and territorial governments, and international partners. Taken together, these activities will promote projects and technologies that lower emissions to fight climate change, create good jobs and new market opportunities, and support a clean and competitive economy.
The Centre will also convene a community of practice of experts and stakeholders to collaborate on efforts that will help drive the development, deployment and growth of methane measurement and mitigation solutions in Canada. This will include a dedicated online collaboration community
