Last week, President Obama welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the Canadian delegation’s first official visit and state dinner in almost 20 years. During the visit, the two leaders released a U.S.-Canada Joint Statement on Climate, Energy, and Arctic Leadership. Among other things, this statement emphasizes the role that carbon markets can play in achieving climate-related targets and that the two countries commit to working together to “support robust implementation” of related provisions in the Paris Agreement.
President Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed this Statement at a press conference in the Rose Garden last Thursday (transcript available here). Prime Minister Trudeau highlighted the common goal of a clean growth economy. He announced joint efforts to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, reduce use and emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, and implement greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty vehicles, as well as a new economy in the Arctic, as detailed in the Joint Statement.
The Prime Minister’s visit also included a state dinner, at which Prime Minister Trudeau offered a toast, noting “we are all in this together” when it comes to climate change.