Two key members of the federal government’s Net-Zero Advisory Body have stepped down, citing lack of attention from Ottawa as it pivots away from previous climate commitments towards new oil and gas initiatives.
Simon Donner, a professor at the University of British Columbia, and climate advocate Catherine Abreu resigned from the group, reducing the advisory body to only four members.
In a LinkedIn post, Donner expressed gratitude for contributing to Canadian climate policy. Donner, a respected climate scientist and former co-chair of the body, highlighted that the advisory body’s structure and governance were not ideal and that challenges escalated with the government’s shifting priorities this year.
Donner stated, “I was content leading an appointed body whose advice may be disregarded, as we were not elected. However, I became uneasy with the neglect and performative nature of the process, which became apparent to me.”
Abreu, in a statement regarding her resignation, criticized the government’s recent agreement with Alberta to back a new oil pipeline and its legislation supporting major projects, potentially expediting environmental approvals for LNG and other fossil fuel ventures.
Expressing concern, Abreu noted, “The government’s ‘Climate Competitiveness Strategy’ jeopardizes the progress in reducing Canadian greenhouse gas emissions, undoing past efforts without alternative measures in place.”
Abreu also pointed out that the expert advice from the advisory body was disregarded in recent government decisions and that the obligations under Canada’s Net-Zero Accountability Act were being overlooked.
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The Net-Zero Accountability Act established the advisory body to ensure adherence to emission targets. Recent assessments indicate that Canada is off track to meet its 2030 goals.
The primary goal of the net-zero advisory body is to “outline strategies for Canada to achieve net-zero emissions by 205