{"id":21748,"date":"2026-01-22T17:29:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T21:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cqde.org\/news\/climate-record-coming-apart\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T17:26:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T21:26:47","slug":"climate-record-coming-apart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cqde.org\/en\/news\/climate-record-coming-apart\/","title":{"rendered":"The government’s climate record is coming apart, environmental organizations lament"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Montr\u00e9al, January 22, 2026 – A number of environmental organizations are criticizing the government’s backtracking on climate targets, which goes against both the consensus expressed during National Assembly consultations and scientific recommendations. The environmental community is calling on all political parties to recommit to climate responsibility and believes that a change of course is necessary to maintain Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s leadership in environmental matters. <\/p>

“The current government’s credibility on environmental issues is crumbling. Last spring, we applauded its defense of the carbon market, which is a pillar of our climate change policy. However, the retreat on the climate target weakens the very foundation of the carbon market and undermines the confidence of economic actors<\/a> in Qu\u00e9bec’s climate governance. This inconsistent and demobilizing signal must be corrected with the utmost urgency,” declare the environmental organizations as a united front. <\/p>

An irresponsible decision<\/h5>

The groups would like to point out that lowering our targets in the context of a climate crisis is not pragmatic. It is an irresponsible decision that increases the burden on future generations. Pitting the environment against the economy is a reflex from another era. <\/p>

The organizations point out that every fraction of a degree increase will lead to increasingly frequent and dangerous extreme weather events, posing serious risks to public health and safety and exorbitant costs for future generations. Like the Expert Panel on Adaptation to Climate Change<\/a> and the Advisory Committee on Climate Change<\/a>, the organizations point out that there can be no prosperous economy in a world where health and safety are compromised by an unpredictable climate. <\/p>

\u201cAll the warning lights are flashing red. While everything points to the urgent need to increase Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s climate ambition and adopt structural changes to achieve this, the government has chosen to back down. This is like adding fuel to the fire while the house is burning,\u201d the groups lament.<\/p>

A step backward that is incompatible with compliance with the Paris Agreement<\/h5>

It should be noted that the Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change held consultations on the climate target at the end of last fall, as required by Qu\u00e9bec’s Environment Quality Act. However, the Act stipulates that this target \u201ccannot be below 37.5%.\u201d <\/p>

“Pushing back this target by five years, even though we are already experiencing and paying for the consequences of climate change, constitutes a major setback and a renunciation of the Paris Agreement, to which Qu\u00e9bec has declared itself bound. In fact, just a few weeks ago, the National Assembly passed a cross-party motion<\/a> reaffirming Qu\u00e9bec’s commitment to this fundamental agreement,” the organizations point out. <\/p>

Call to political parties and aspiring premiers<\/h5>

The environmental community is calling on every political party and every person aspiring to become premier to reaffirm Qu\u00e9bec’s leadership on the environment.<\/p>

\u201cLet us remember that Quebecers overwhelmingly support responsible climate action. In survey after survey<\/a>, more than 80% of the population is calling for more ambitious climate action. In Qu\u00e9bec, you don\u2019t win elections by proposing environmental backtracking,\u201d the organizations conclude. <\/p>

Signatory organizations<\/strong><\/p>