Last November, the federal government tabled the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12). The bill in its current form is a good first step in giving a level of detail and accountability to our country’s stated commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But it needs a few improvements before becoming the law of the land.

First, the bill omits an emissions target for 2025, instead making the first target a full 9 years away in 2030. Given that 2030 is approximately the deadline by which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has declared that action is necessary to prevent disaster, why not take a look at the halfway point, and course correct if we need to?

Second, Bill C-12 doesn’t adequately address how the federal government and the provinces will share the effort required to achieve emissions reductions. Different provinces have different emissions profiles (based on, for example, population and industry). The federal government must help each province develop and implement their respective plans, so that the parts will add up to the desired whole.

Bill C-12 also needs to place greater emphasis on the oversight role of independent scientific experts, and less on politicians. In the bill’s current form, there is indeed a new “Advisory” body, but how much authority this group will really have is unclear.

The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act is close, but not quite ready for prime-time. With a few small adjustments, it can be a law we’ll be proud to compare with similar successful laws in the UK and New Zealand.