Canada’s Pembina Institute, a non-profit think-tank focused on energy and energy policy, has published an Op-ed calling for Canada to break its current linkage with the US on vehicle emissions regulations.

Since 2012, Canada has incorporated the greenhouse gas standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its own rules by reference; if the EPA relaxes its standards, Canadaa’s are also weakened.

In the wake of the Trump Administration’s reconsideration of the existing standards, suggest Isabelle Turcott and Annie Berube, the oped authors:

To keep our own regulations strong and achieve our 2030 emissions targets, Canada needs to split from the US federal regulations or consider cozying up to California, to maintain the current stringency of the standards to 2025.

… It’s time for Canada to start drafting the divorce papers and establish our own, Canada-specific regulations to maintain the current schedule of emissions targets. These regulations are essential for responding to the urgent climate crisis, ensuring that Canadian car manufacturers can compete in the global low-carbon economy and saving consumers money.

And we see potential for Canada and California to tie the knot, as California has clearly stated its intention to keep pushing further on climate policy and has no interest in weakening its existing regulation. Together, Canada, California and the other 15 states represent close to half of the North American car market. Our next great relationship may be just around the corner.