What laws apply indirectly to climate change?
Although neither Canada nor Ontario has specific legislation directed at climate change, there are federal and provincial laws that can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Federal legislation that applies to climate change includes: • Fuel Efficiency Standards The Canadian government passed legislation in 1981 to limit car emissions – the Motor Vehicle Consumption Standards Act . However, this Act was never proclaimed. The fuel efficiency standards for Canadian automobiles were effectively set by American regulations in the mid 1980s when the U.S. established the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. Canada currently has a voluntary agreement to meet U.S. fuel efficiency standards. These standards, however, have not been changed since the 1980s. The United States has not signed the Kyoto Protocol and has no obligation to improve their fuel efficiency standards. Canada, however, has voluntarily agreed to a new motor vehicle fuel efficiency initiative as part of the Canada Ac
