Wade MacLauchlan, P.E.I.'s premier, to attend UN climate summit in Paris
Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau invited premiers to Paris conference
Premier Wade MacLauchlan has been invited to attend the United Nations climate change summit, or COP21, in Paris next month.
Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau extended the invitation to Canada's premiers during the election campaign, saying provinces have been taking the lead on climate change in Canada.
During a conference call Thursday, the premiers agreed those not facing an election would make the trip to Paris.
Premier MacLauchlan's attendance was confirmed by his office on Friday morning.
The international community is struggling to negotiate post 2020 targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, following the last major summit that resulted in 2009's Copenhagen Accord.
Canada is currently not close to meeting its previous Copenhagen commitment of slashing emissions 17 per cent by 2020, and most of the reductions that have occurred came about either as a result of provincial measures or the global economic downturn of 2008-09.
The summit opens on Nov. 30.
With files from The Canadian Press