Recommendation 001/2018 of 26 September 2018 of the CETA Joint Committee on trade, climate action and the Paris Agreement

THE CETA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement ('CETA') between Canada, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part ('the Parties'), and in particular Article 26.1(5)(f) thereof,

Whereas:

• (1) The Parties have signed CETA on 26 October 2016.
• (2) The Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ('UNFCCC') entered into force on 4 November 2016.
• (3) The Parties recognise the urgent need to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by taking immediate and further action to cut emissions as part of the global response to the threat of climate change.
• (4) The Parties further recognise that the environment and the economy go hand-in-hand and that ambitious climate action will protect the environment, spur clean growth and sustainable development, create jobs, and improve human health.
• (5) Paragraph 9 b) of the Joint Interpretative Instrument on CETA notes that CETA explicitly recognises the right of the Parties to set their own environmental priorities, to establish their own levels of environment protection and to adopt or modify their relevant laws and policies accordingly, mindful of their international obligations, including those set by multilateral environmental agreements.
• (6) The Parties share a common ambition and commitment to find innovative solutions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, including by working together on the effective and ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement.
• (7) Paragraph 9 c) of the Joint Interpretative Instrument on CETA clarifies that CETA includes commitments to cooperate on trade-related environmental issues of common interest such as climate change where the implementation of the Paris Agreement is an important shared responsibility for the EU and its Member States and Canada.
• (8) In Article 24.4(2) of CETA the Parties reaffirm their commitment to effectively implement the multilateral environmental agreements to which they are party; these include the Paris Agreement.
• (9) In Article 24.12(1)(e) of CETA the Parties commit to cooperate among others in such areas as the trade-related aspects of the current and future international climate change regime, as well as domestic climate policies and programmes relating to mitigation and adaptation, including issues relating to carbon markets, ways to address adverse effects of trade on climate, as well as means to promote energy efficiency and the development and deployment of low-carbon and other climate-friendly technologies.
• (10) The Parties recognise that it is now important to further step up the role of the Paris Agreement in their bilateral cooperation with a view to promoting mutually supportive trade and climate change policies.

HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

1. The CETA Joint Committee recognises the importance of achieving the purpose and goals of the Paris Agreement adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC at its 21st session, in order to address the urgent threat of climate change, and the role of trade to this end.
2. The CETA Joint Committee affirms the Parties' commitment to effectively implement the Paris Agreement, as a multilateral environmental agreement within the meaning of Article 24.4 of CETA, with the aim of strengthening the global response to climate change and holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In this regard, the Parties are committed to progressively increase their efforts to mitigate climate change.
3. In light of the above, the CETA Joint Committee recommends that the Parties cooperate, work together and take joint actions as relevant to address climate change and promote the mutual supportiveness of trade and climate policies, rules and measures thereby contributing to the purpose and goals of the Paris Agreement and the transition to low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.

For the CETA Joint Committee

On behalf of the EU

On behalf of Canada