Quebec: Heading toward carbon neutrality by 2045, according to the Advisory Committee on Climate Change!
The Advisory Committee on Climate Change submitted, on November 11, 2025, its report Defining Quebec’s Climate Ambition: Decarbonization Targets and Pathways, at the request of the government, in preparation for the five-year review of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target. Professor Evelyne Thiffault, from the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, is a co-author of this report.
Prepared at the request of the Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, the report provides a scientific framework to guide Quebec’s full decarbonization and puts forward 11 recommendations, grouped into five main areas:
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Strengthen Quebec’s resilience through decarbonization and adaptation.
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Revise the 2030 GHG reduction target.
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Achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, with intermediate milestones in 2035 and 2040.
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Integrate carbon sequestration, particularly in the land and forestry sector.
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Establish carbon budgets and sectoral roadmaps to plan the transition and mobilize stakeholders.
This report serves as a key tool to guide Quebec toward its climate goals and strengthen collective action.
A presentation followed by a discussion was organized to enable stakeholders, decision-makers, and sector actors to engage with the report, foster dialogue, and advance Quebec society’s climate ambition. The speakers: Alain Webster, Évelyne Thiffault, and Valériane Champagne-Saint-Arnaud, highlighted three key figures illustrating Quebec’s climate challenge.
1.5°C: the global limit not to exceed
According to the Paris Agreement, the global temperature increase must be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to reduce impacts on ecosystems and populations. By 2024, the global average temperature had already reached 1.55°C above these levels. In Quebec, the increase has been even more pronounced, reaching 3.9°C above the 20th-century average.
As Professor Thiffault points out: «  This is not a reason to give up, but an opportunity to redouble efforts for climate action ».  The Committee proposes a GHG emissions reduction target of 37.5 to 45% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels.
Net zero emissions by 2045: toward carbon neutrality
The Committee recommends that Quebec achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. This entails an 85% reduction in fossil fuel emissions relative to 1990 and the development of technologies to capture and store residual CO₂. This target aligns with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Integration of Carbon Sequestration
Professor Evelyne Thiffault emphasizes the importance of integrating the land and forest sector into Quebec’s climate strategy. « Today, this sector represents a net source of GHG emissions and does not yet have an official reduction target, which limits its role in the province’s decarbonization. It is therefore essential to establish clear objectives so that forests, agricultural lands, and wetlands can fully contribute to carbon neutrality.»
She also highlights the need to distinguish between different forms of carbon sequestration. «  Natural sequestration, for example through forest growth, is temporary, as carbon can be released during harvesting or decomposition. In contrast, geological sequestration, still under development, allows for the permanent storage of CO₂. For an effective climate strategy, these approaches must be combined and used complementarily.»
Between 1990 and 2022, the land-use, land-use change, and forestry sector (including agriculture and forests) emitted an average of 13.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year. Although Quebec’s forests capture carbon, certain sector activities offset this effect. The Committee recommends that this sector also achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, by improving forest growth and sustainably valorizing harvested wood.
About the Advisory Committee on Climate Change
The Committee is an independent, permanent government body composed of scientific experts. It advises the government on climate policies and promotes the integration of science into decisions and actions across Quebec society. It has 9 to 13 volunteer members, including three university professors: Valériane Champagne-Saint-Arnaud (Faculty of Business Administration), Lota Dabio Tamini (Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences), and Evelyne Thiffault (Faculty of Forestry, Geography, and Geomatics).