Canada PM and provinces to hash out climate strategy

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet leaders of Canada's provinces and territories to hash out a cohesive climate strategy a week before key international talks in Paris, AFP reports.

Many of them will also accompany Trudeau to the UN Conference of Parties, which opens with more than 115 heads of state and government in the French capital on November 30, aiming to secure a deal to stave off catastrophic climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

"I'll meet with the premiers... on November 23 and we are having a climate briefing by top climate scientists for the first ministers and for my own cabinet, to be followed by a working dinner with the premiers to discuss the kind of strong and cohesive message that we will be delivering as Canadians in Paris at the very important COP21 conference," Trudeau said.

His Liberals pledged during the recent election campaign that swept them to power last month strong measures to curb greenhouse gases linked to global warming, after nearly two decades of foot-dragging on carbon emissions.

But they have not yet announced a target.

Setting one is complicated by the fact that Ottawa shares responsibility for the environment with 13 provinces and territories that have varying goals.

The previous Tory administration had said it would seek to reduce Canada's carbon emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, after admitting it would miss an earlier, less ambitious goal. 

It was panned by environmental activists as the weakest of any industrialized nation.