{"id":184136,"date":"2016-08-03T10:30:22","date_gmt":"2016-08-03T14:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irpp-policy-options.local\/issues\/steering-toward-a-north-american-electric-auto-pact\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T04:22:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T08:22:11","slug":"steering-toward-a-north-american-electric-auto-pact","status":"publish","type":"issues","link":"https:\/\/potestlaunch.irpp.org\/fr\/2016\/08\/steering-toward-a-north-american-electric-auto-pact\/","title":{"rendered":"Steering toward a North American electric auto pact"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada got together in Ottawa in June, it was Barack Obama\u2019s speech<\/a> to Parliament<\/a> \u2014 and the running attire<\/a> of the other two \u2014 that grabbed the headlines<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The leaders\u2019 commitments on clean transportation generated far less attention. But over time, we may look back on the outcome from the Ottawa summit as the starting point for a new era in our continent\u2019s energy production and, in turn, our automotive sector.<\/p>\n

First, the context: all three North American leaders have made climate action a priority at home and abroad and, in light of the international climate agreement reached in Paris last year, it makes sense for them to work together on this crucial issue.<\/p>\n

The three countries are also globally significant auto manufacturers; in fact, we have the world\u2019s most integrated automotive supply chains.<\/p>\n

We think the time is right to weave those two strands together and craft a bold new formal agreement: a North American electric auto pact. Clean cars plus clean power is quite simply a win for the Three Amigos.<\/p>\n

Electric cars are poised for significant growth<\/a> (admittedly coming from a fairly low baseline: they represent less than 1 percent of global light-duty vehicle sales today). The reason is the batteries that power them are becoming cheaper all the time, and more and more automakers are producing attractive electric vehicles, generating jobs and growth in the process.<\/p>\n

For example, Chrysler confirmed in June that its plug-in Pacifica \u2014 the first electric minivan \u2014 will be built in Windsor<\/a>, Ontario. It is estimated to produce 1,200 local jobs.<\/p>\n

In all three North American countries, the transportation sector is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas pollution. Electric cars are a key part of the solution for the sector\u2019s emissions.<\/p>\n

Indeed, analysis<\/a> of what it will take to make deep cuts in carbon pollution in Canada suggests that virtually the entire personal transportation sector will have to be powered by electricity by 2050. And the more clean power we generate, the greater the environmental benefits of driving electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why the trilateral commitment<\/a> to achieve 50 percent clean power across the continent by 2025 is a big deal<\/a>. Across North America<\/a> \u2014 and around the world \u2014 one of the most important ingredients for successful climate action is clean electricity. We simply won\u2019t be able to avoid dangerous climate change \u2014 which all our countries have pledged to do \u2014 unless we switch over time to using clean power for activities like driving our cars and heating our homes.<\/p>\n

We won\u2019t be able to avoid dangerous climate change unless we switch over to clean power for driving our cars and heating our homes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Of course, Canada has a huge head start: we have one of the cleanest grids in the world today, with nearly two-thirds of our power generated from renewable energy sources. Taken together with nuclear power, which is currently 17 percent of Canada\u2019s supply mix, our electricity system is over 80 percent greenhouse-gas-emission free.<\/p>\n

But clean energy is big business<\/a> for our North American partners too. Last year, the US was the world\u2019s second largest clean energy investor \u2014 after China \u2014 with over US$56 billion invested. And sunny Mexico saw its clean energy spending more than double in 2015. (While Canada\u2019s clean energy investment ranked 8th<\/sup> in the world<\/a> last year, it saw a 15 percent drop<\/a> from 2014 to 2015 \u2014 a trend that puts us out of step with our North American neighbours.)<\/p>\n

A big part of President Obama\u2019s climate legacy will be the US Clean Power Plan<\/a>, which will cut pollution from US coal plants \u2014 and, importantly, allows imports of new Canadian clean power to help states meet their targets. Meanwhile, Mexico is engaged in far-reaching energy sector reform.<\/p>\n

All three leaders are taking essential steps to clean up their power supply and grow their clean energy potential. Marry that with an increased commitment to electric cars, and you\u2019re on the way to continent-wide success in cutting emissions!<\/p>\n

The Ottawa meeting saw North America\u2019s leaders take the first steps toward a continental approach to electric vehicles. In their communiqu\u00e9<\/a> they made a trilateral commitment to invest in charging infrastructure for clean cars across the continent, a necessary step to give electric vehicle drivers confidence that they\u2019ll find the power they need wherever their routes take them.<\/p>\n

The three governments also committed to including a growing percentage of clean vehicles in their fleets and coordinating on standards and regulations. Perhaps most importantly, they\u2019ve promised to keep the conversation going. Their agreement included a plan to bring together the continent\u2019s auto industry leaders by next spring to discuss \u201ca shared vision for a competitive and clean North American automotive sector.\u201d<\/p>\n

With political commitment, this kind of cooperation could become the foundation for a clean auto pact. The original Canada-US auto pact, reached in 1965, helped build a strong and smart vehicle-manufacturing sector in Canada, one that takes advantage of the massive market next door. Incorporating electric vehicles and infrastructure is the logical next step.<\/p>\n

It is time Canada, the US and Mexico teamed up to roll a trilateral electric vehicle pact off the assembly line, and help ensure a cleaner and more prosperous future for all our citizens.<\/p>\n

Photo:\u00a0Matej Kastelic\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

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When the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada got together in Ottawa in June, it was Barack Obama\u2019s speech to Parliament \u2014 and the running attire of the other two \u2014 that grabbed the headlines. The leaders\u2019 commitments on clean transportation generated far less attention. But over time, we may look back on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":33164,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[9361,9360,9372],"tags":[8516],"article-status":[],"irpp-category":[4260,4292,4224,4223],"section":[],"irpp-tag":[6987,7109],"class_list":["post-184136","issues","type-issues","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environnement","category-international","category-recent-stories-fr","tag-electric-vehicles-fr","irpp-category-environment","irpp-category-global-affairs","irpp-category-transport","irpp-category-transportation","irpp-tag-electric-vehicles","irpp-tag-vehicules-electriques"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSteering toward a North American electric auto pact<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A North American electric auto pact \u2014 clean cars plus clean power \u2014 is quite simply a win for the Three Amigos.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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