Navigating Climate Change in Canada

A Comprehensive Study on Securitization, Policy Dynamics, and Future Strategies

Abstract

Worldwide, countries continue to grapple with the devastating consequences of climate change. Canada emits a large amount of greenhouse gases each year, worsening global climate conditions. While the state has sought to lower its emissions in the last decade, it has consistently failed to reach its targets. This essay examines the history of Canadian climate policy since 2006, evaluating whether climate change should be regarded as a security issue, how it has been securitized in Canada, and why the federal government repeatedly falls short of its climate pledges. Using both quantitative and qualitative data from secondary sources, the author argues that climate change should be regarded as a security issue because it threatens human security, and that Canada’s national-federal structure and its trade relationship with the US hinder its efforts to address climate change. The paper concludes with a series of policy recommendations.