Canada, the United States and Mexico broke new ground Friday, signing the first-ever climate change and clean energy agreement in North American history.
鈥淭his memorandum takes the important strides we鈥檝e made in recent years towards a continental approach to energy and expands our relationship in support of an even more ambitious clean-energy environmental agreement,鈥� Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jim Car said from Winnipeg, where Carr, along with is American and Mexican counterparts 鈥� had gathered and reached the historic agreement.
The agreement will pave the way for the three countries to pursue environmentally friendly measures, including low-carbon electricity, reduced oil and gas emissions and clean technologies.
It 鈥渟trengthens our collective energy security鈥� and represents 鈥渁 bold vision for our continent,鈥� Carr said at a press conference.
He was flanked by U.S. and Mexican energy secretaries Ernest Moniz and Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, respectively.
Moniz termed the agreement a 鈥渢remendous鈥� change that shows a 鈥渞evived relationship鈥� among the three countries.
He also credited a 鈥渃hange of government in Canada鈥� as a factor in reaching the agreement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau鈥檚 Liberals took power from the decade-long government of Stephen Harper鈥檚 Conservatives as a result of an election win last fall.
鈥淭he trilateral relationship is not missing a beat,鈥� Moniz said. 鈥淚f anything, I think it鈥檚 accelerating even more with the very strong Canadian commitment in the area of energy, environment and innovation.鈥�
Coldwell addressed reporters through a Spanish interpreter.
He mentioned that the three countries have 鈥渃ommon objectives鈥� to produce competitive electricity rates gleaned from clean-energy sources.
The hope is that the agreement will eventually produce a continent-wide agreement in which all three countries work together on clean energy and alternatives that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Keith Stewart, head of Greenpeace Canada鈥檚 climate andenergy campaign, lauded the agreement.
鈥淭his is the kind of thing that has been done on trade, it hasn鈥檛 been done on climate change, if this is a first step in that direction, it鈥檚 a good thing,鈥� Stewart told Canadian media.
By Barry Ellsworth
Anadolu Agency
enerji@aa.com.tr
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