Minister Wilkinson Advances Energy Security and the Global Transition to Net Zero at the International Energy Agency Ministerial

PARIS, March 24, 2022 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, joined his international counterparts at the International Energy Agency (IEA) Ministerial in Paris, France, this week to help ensure international collaboration on global energy security and the transition to a net-zero emissions economy.

Since President Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Government of Canada has taken strong action, banning imports of Russian oil, gas and petroleum products and imposing sanctions on the Russian regime.

Canada's European friends and allies are experiencing an energy security crisis due to this illegal invasion — and this must be addressed.

European leaders have been clear: their short-term focus is on eliminating their reliance on Russian oil and gas, while they shift as rapidly as possible to renewables and clean hydrogen. The Government of Canada is working with its international partners in Europe and around the world to assist with both objectives. To this end, this week, Minister Wilkinson:

• met with European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson to discuss a joint Canada-EU working group to deepen our cooperation on energy security toward a net-zero energy transition, as announced yesterday by Prime Minister Trudeau;
• held multilateral and bilateral meetings with energy ministers and private sector partners to discuss energy security and to advance the energy transition in line with global climate commitments;
• announced that in response to requests for assistance from allies to address supply shortages due to the conflict in Ukraine, Canadian industry has the capacity to incrementally increase its oil and gas exports in 2022 by up to 300,000 barrels per day (200,000 bbl/d of oil and up to 100,000 BOE/d of natural gas), with the intention of displacing Russian oil and gas while not increasing global emissions;
• attended a meeting with his IEA counterparts to discuss how IEA member countries can work together to ensure availability of critical minerals required for the energy transition;
• announced $8 million for the IEA's Clean Energy Transition Programme (CETP), to help emerging economies accelerate their energy transitions while meeting their energy needs; and
• announced a joint collaboration between the Clean Energy Ministerial's Empowering People Initiative (EPI) and the IEA to develop in-depth analysis and guidance on actions aimed at ensuring all people benefit from new job opportunities in the clean energy transition.

The Government of Canada will continue to work actively and collaboratively with our international partners to promote energy security while advancing the transition to a net-zero future.

"Our European friends and allies need Canada and others to step up. They're telling us they need our help in getting off Russian oil and gas in the short term, while speeding up the energy transition across the continent. Canada is uniquely positioned to help with both. We will continue working with our international partners to support international energy markets and accelerate the energy transition."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources Canada

"The world needs a massive surge in clean energy investment, especially in emerging economies, to put emissions on a rapid downward trajectory while ensuring energy security. The Clean Energy Transitions Programme is a critical part of the IEA's work to help emerging economies strengthen policy making and ramp up clean energy investment. We're grateful to Canada and the other supporting governments for their strong backing of this vital initiative."

Dr. Fatih Birol
Executive Director, International Energy Agency

• Launched in November 2017, the IEA's CETP is an ambitious effort to accelerate global clean energy transitions. The program provides independent, cutting-edge support to governments whose energy policies will significantly influence the prospects for — and the speed of — the global transition toward more sustainable energy production and use.
• The IEA's CETP plays a unique role in accelerating the shift from climate ambition to implementation by working with major emerging markets to build capacity for clean energy transitions. The CETP leverages IEA members' clean energy commitments and expertise to support and help accelerate global clean energy transitions. Key countries of focus include Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa. The CETP also provides technical support to governments whose energy policies are expected to significantly impact the global transition toward a more sustainable energy future, including reductions in GHG emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

IEA Ministerial Meeting - Livestream
Clean Energy Transitions Programme
Canada's climate finance for developing countries
Clean Energy Ministerial's Empowering People Initiative

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada