NYT calls out Trudeau's 'outsized reputation for being a warrior' against climate change

The New York Times called out Justin Trudeau for presenting himself as a climate hero, while achieving next to none of his targets.

Highlighting Trudeau's "outsized reputation for being a warrior in the global fight against climate change," Times journalists Ian Austen and Christopher Flavelle say that Canada's "insistence on expanding output from its oil sands" puts Trudeau behind every other G7 country.

"Between Mr. Trudeau’s election in 2015 and 2019, Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1 percent, despite decreases in other rich nations during the same period," they wrote. "Canada is the only Group of 7 country whose emissions have risen since the Paris climate agreement was signed six years ago."

This comes on the same day that Trudeau bragged to the Leader's climate summit that Canada would be reducing emissions by 40 to 45 percent from 2005's figures, rather than the initial goal of 30 percent.

The article goes on to credit Trudeau for his commitment to "stopping climate change," via measures such as the carbon tax and clean fuel standards.

Criticized at home and abroad

Conservative Party Leader Erin O'Toole also took time on Thursday to comment on Trudeau's undeserved status as a climate hero.

"Let's be clear; Mr. Trudeau has never met a climate target, he has never met a target he's promised Canadians on the economy, with deficits, or on Indigenous issues for boiled water advisories," said O'Toole. "Mr. Trudeau is the prime minister who is an expert in announcements, and gets a zero on delivery. He fails every single time."

Trudeau will speak in the Investing in Climate Solutions session of the Leaders Summit on Climate later on Thursday, alongside Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, and International Development Minister Karina Gould.