Emissions count shows Canada at half way mark to meeting 2020 target

OTTAWA – The Harper government says it has reached the half way mark toward meeting its target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Environment Minister Peter Kent says the reductions in emissions are largely a result of regulations imposed on Canada’s transportation and electricity industries.

Under the Copenhagen Accord, Canada had committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.

Much of the reductions to date are a result of adding land-use changes and forestry operations into the calculations.

Previously those projections were excluded.

The rest of the cuts come from advances in new building construction and more efficient new vehicles.