Dabrusin defends Canada’s climate record before COP31

Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin defended Canada’s climate record on Monday, pointing to methane and climate finance commitments as she prepared to attend the first week of the COP31 UN climate conference in Turkey, where activists expect Ottawa to face criticism.

Dabrusin told The Canadian Press she disagreed with critics who say the federal government has rolled back its climate commitments. “When it comes to international climate finance, we’re one of only two countries that’s recommitted our international climate finance,” she said. “When it comes to methane, we’re co-conveners of the global methane pledge.”

She will convene a ministerial meeting with the European Union of the Global Methane Pledge, a group of 159 countries that has committed to cutting methane emissions 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030. Dabrusin said Canada has also been asked to lead consultations with Palau on oceans at the conference, and that Canada will host the 12th Our Ocean conference in May. Canada and the United Kingdom co-lead the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

That last role is where the sharpest criticism has landed. Canada’s environment commissioner reported last month that Ottawa abandoned work in 2024 on a 2021 pledge to ban thermal coal exports, with no record of a directive to do so. As we reported earlier, the government says the work is only paused, though the report said it was formally ended in August 2025 as part of budget cuts.

Asked whether Canada told its international partners the work had stopped, Dabrusin said the decision was made by the previous environment minister, Steven Guilbeault. She was minister when the work formally ended, but she rejected the suggestion that she bore responsibility. “This is a new government, new minister, and we’re open to next steps,” she said.

Julia Levin, associate director of national climate at Environmental Defence, said Ottawa’s reputation is vulnerable. “Ideally, Canada should reaffirm the commitment to banning the export of thermal coal,” she said, adding that if the government refuses, “they have no business chairing the (Powering Past Coal) Alliance.”

Bloc Quebecois climate critic Patrick Bonin, who is also part of the Canadian delegation, said Canada should step away from the alliance. Bonin acknowledged Canada has done work on reducing methane emissions, but noted Ottawa has delayed implementing its methane regulations.

Dabrusin said other countries are still keen to work with Canada and that many have turned to it as a reliable energy partner.

The conference opened Nov. 9 in Antalya and runs until Nov. 20. Our report on the opening covers the dispute over climate finance on the agenda. Canada’s carbon pricing, including a new carbon market linking group, and the EU carbon tariff’s exposure for Canadian metals are likely to come up in the talks.

Via The Canadian Press.

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