In Paris in 2015, the world agreed to limit global warming to well below 2°C and aspired to keep it to 1.5°C.

Canada was a champion of this ambitious outcome and now faces the task of both meeting existing targets and increasing ambition.

As a wealthy, major fossil fuel producer, Canada has the opportunity to be among the leaders in charting abpathway away from fossil fuel production toward a low-carbon future.

Movement to end the expansion of oil, gas and coal production is quickly becoming a hallmark of climate leadership, as are calls to begin a managed phase-out and just transition in line with the Paris goals. Canada has taken important steps with its Just Transition Task Force and the phase-out of coal, but this work should inform a near-term parallel process for oil and gas.

A dialogue to define how to manage this transition such that it protects workers, communities, economies and the climate is a critical one that can only benefit from starting sooner rather than later. To this end, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Oil Change International (OCI) hosted a Chatham House Rule round table discussion on the topic in May 2018.

This discussion paper highlights key outcomes from this round table for the purposes of informing continuing
conversation.