United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Canada recognizes that creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for a net zero future-ready sector, means empowering women to ensure they become active participants in the natural resource sectors.

To ensure that the low carbon energy transition is equitable and inclusive, NRCan jointly leads the Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) International Initiative, a joint effort between the Clean Energy Ministerial and the International Energy Agency, which works to advance gender equality in the energy sector.

NRCan also leads the Equal by 30 Campaign which encourages voluntary commitments by both public and private sector organizations to work towards equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women in the energy sector by 2030.

NRCan also leads the Awards & Recognition program under C3E International, which recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations contributing to a clean energy future while advancing the empowerment of women.

These efforts contribute to advancing:

Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) Target 5.2 - Greater representation of women in leadership roles

Global Target 5.5 - Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life

SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Canada will continue to engage with the global community, including through various international fora, to support access to, investment in, and use of clean energy and enabling technologies. For example, Canada has pledged financial support to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Clean Energy Transitions Programme, which aims to accelerate clean energy transitions and increase energy access in major emerging economies through collaborative analytical work, technical cooperation, training, and capacity building, as well as strategic dialogues.

Canada is also member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Through IRENA, Canada participates in efforts to share policy, technology, resource and financial insights, and promote international cooperation on renewable energy development, as well advance policy priorities such as universal energy access and gender equity. As well, on November 4, 2021, at COP26, Canada and IRENA launched a new global, multi-stakeholders platform to transition remote communities to renewable energy.

Canada actively engages in various international fora focusing on energy efficiency, including the UN Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, the International Energy Efficiency Hub, and related IEA Technical Collaboration Programs, such as the Energy Efficient End-Use Equipment (IEA-4E). Canada has also joined the Three Percent Club with international partners, including 15 other countries, committing to working toward a 3% improvement in global energy efficiency every year.

Similarly, Canada is working closely with international partners and like-minded countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom on the development and deployment of small modular reactors (SMR) that have the potential to provide a safe, secure and reliable non-emitting source of baseload energy in Canada (including in remote communities) and globally. In December 2020, the Government launched Canada’s SMR Action Plan, which outlines a series of concrete actions that over 100 partners are taking to advance the development of SMR technologies.

These efforts contribute to advancing:

Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) Target 7.1 - By 2030, 600 petajoules of total annual energy savings will be achieved as a result of the adoption of energy efficiency codes, standards and practices from a baseline savings of 20.0 petajoules in 2017 to 2018

Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) Target 7.3.1 - By 2030, 90%, and in the long term 100%, of Canada's electricity is generated from renewable and non-emitting sources.

Global Target 7.1 – By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services

Global Target 7.a - By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.

Global Target 7.3 – By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

Notably, Canada uses its advocacy to ensure efforts with respect to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) also support the achievement of SDG 13 (Climate Action) in order to ensure productive discussions and solutions.

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Canada will continue to engage with key bilateral partners and multilateral fora such as UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), G7/G20, CEM/MI (Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation), IEA (International Energy Agency), and IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) to advance international support for shared energy policy priorities related to climate change and, in particular, climate change mitigation.

As one example indicative of the ongoing work in this regard, Canada co-leads with the US and Japan on Clean Energy Future (NICE Future) an initiative under the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM). Participating countries and partner organizations under this initiative work together to advance the global conversation on the roles nuclear energy can play in clean energy systems of the future. In addition, Canada is co-leading Mission Innovation’s newly launched Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission and participating in the Clean Hydrogen, Green Powered Future, and Integrated Biorefineries Missions.

These efforts contribute to advancing:

Global Target 13.3 - Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

Global Target 13.b -Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities. Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

Notably, Canada uses its advocacy to ensure efforts with respect to SDG 13 (Climate Action) also support the achievement of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) in order to ensure productive discussions and solutions.

Canada will continue to support the international collaborative project “moja global” (which includes other countries and a variety of funding and scientific/technical organizations) to maintain and refine software and tools to measure, report, and verify (MRV) land-based greenhouse gas emissions and removals. By using “moja global” software, countries, particularly developing countries, can avoid a drain on their human resources, can embed the MRV system into their existing government systems, and can make advancements towards the Paris Accord commitment of net zero emissions in the second half of the century. Canada supports this initiative both technically through carbon modelling expertise, as well as through funding to broaden the uptake of the MRV approach in other countries.

These efforts contribute to advancing:

Global Target 13.2 - Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

The 2 Billion Trees program (2BT) will plant two billion incremental trees over the next 10 years to increase carbon sequestration. This will provide other co-benefits to communities and ecosystems such as contributing to the restoration of habitat for wildlife and biodiversity; increased health and well-being from cleaner air and water; storm surge management; and increased resilience to a changing climate.

This will be accomplished by funding tree planting projects with provinces and territories, tree planting organizations (both profit and non-profit), municipalities, and Indigenous organizations.

These efforts contribute to advancing:

Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) Ambition 13.2– Canadians are well-equipped and resilient to face the effects of climate change

Global Target 13.1 - Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

Global Target 13.2 - Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Canada will continue to advance the science and utility of climate-sensitive forest growth and yield models to prepare for the uncertainties associated with climate change in sustainable forest management. Collaboration with provinces, territories and others (e.g. academia) will be a key component of this initiative.

These efforts contribute to advancing:

Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) Ambition 15.4- Canada sustainably manages forests, lakes and rivers

Global Target 15.2.1 Progress towards sustainable forest management