Canada's Climate-Change Carrot: Federal Government Launches Net-Zero Challenge

Choosing the proverbial carrot over the stick, a new initiative launched by the federal government aims to encourage private sector companies across Canada to develop credible – and accountable – net-zero plans.

On August 26, the Government of Canada announced the launch of the Net-Zero Challenge, a voluntary initiative for Canadian businesses to commit to developing and implementing effective plans to achieve net-zero emissions by the year 2050.

So far, 12 organizations across Canada – including companies in the construction, energy, transportation and financial services sectors – have joined the challenge, which complements the federal government's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.