Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions edge down in 2023, among lowest totals since 1990s

A national tally of Canada’s climate progress indicates greenhouse gas emissions fell slightly in 2023 and are now about eight per cent lower than they were in 2005. 

Canada’s official greenhouse gas inventory indicates emissions dropped by one per cent from 2022 to 2023, with emissions largely flat across major industrial sectors. 

Excluding 2020, when emissions dropped drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s tied with 2021 as the lowest annual total since 1996 but still well below where Canada is aiming to be by the end of this decade. 

Buildings saw the largest drop in year-over-year emissions among major sectors, which experts had expected primarily due to a drop in heating demand during a record warm winter. 

The annual report, which Canada submits to the United Nations as part of its international climate commitments, shows the electricity sector has been driving emission reductions since 2005, thanks in part to the phaseout of coal and increased renewable power. 

While oil and gas sector emissions are down from their 2014 peak, consistent with efforts to cut methane emissions from flaring and venting, the report says they are still about seven per cent higher than 2005.

Canada has a 2030 target to cut emissions by 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels. 

The Canadian Climate Institute, which in September put out an interim estimate of the country’s 2023 emissions largely consistent with this month’s inventory report, said Canada would have to speed up its progress if it hopes to meet that goal. 

The inventory report released this month indicated the emissions intensity of Canada’s economic growth, a way to measure how much CO2 is emitted for every dollar of economic activity, has come down by 34 per cent since 2005. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2025.