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Good afternoon, and welcome to Globe Climate, a newsletter about climate change, environment and resources in Canada.
 
 

The Winter Olympics are in full swing, but as the International Olympic Committee looks into the future of the Games, its hard to ignore that a changing climate is a challenge for finding hosts and organizing competitions. Changing the dates to as early as January (and February for the Paralympic Winter Games) is a possibility, according to the ICO.

 
 

Now, let’s catch you up on other news.
 
 
 

 
 
 
  1. Oceans: Canada releases long-awaited strategy to protect endangered whales from fishing gear
  2. Mining: Glencore to suspend plan to upgrade Quebec copper smelter after emissions talks break down
  3. Land: Cowichan decision leads to another claim on private lands in B.C.
  4. Travel: Ice climbing offers an adventure into Canada’s frozen worlds
  5. Stewardship: This ski club has quietly maintained wilderness trails for 50 years
 
 

 
 
 
 
Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association president Flavio Volpe, right, shows Prime Minister Mark Carney the Project Arrow 2.0 prototype vehicle during a tour of an auto parts plant in Woodbridge, Ont., on Thursday. Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press
 
 
 
 

For this week’s deeper dive, a closer look at Carney’s new auto-industry policy.
 
 

Last Wednesday, a federal source and three industry sources told our reporters that part of a new national automotive strategy would be for the controversial Electric Vehicle Availability Standard – also commonly known as the zero-emissions vehicle mandate – to be replaced by a return to tailpipe-emissions regulations.
 
 

The next day, Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled Ottawa’s plan to bolster the automotive sector and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, announcing incentives to buy electric vehicles and a proposal to use credits to encourage domestic manufacturing.
 
 

The changes included the introduction of new investments in an EV charging network and the elimination of the EV sales mandate, which would have gradually phased out internal combustion engines.
 
 

That’s the big headline-grabber from the whole plan: ditching the requirements put in place under Justin Trudeau and introducing tougher tailpipe emissions standards, which the industry generally prefers because they’re more flexible.
 
 

The EV sales mandate joins a list of climate-related policies eliminated or scaled back by Carney, including a cap on oil and gas sector emissions and the consumer carbon price. But it’s also a big move in the federal government’s efforts to support Canada’s auto industry and spur electrification at a time of trade upheaval.
 
 

As Adam Radwanski put it: “It means more carrots and fewer sticks in the transition from gas-fuelled cars.”
 
 

For example, the plan will reinstate the EV subsidies for consumers of up to $5,000 for battery electric and fuel cell EVs, and up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids with a sales price of up to $50,000. However, the subsidies only apply to cars made in countries with which Canada has a free-trade deal. For Canadian-made cars, there is no price cap.
 
 

Still, the loss of the EV sales mandate was criticized by environmental groups as a step backward.
 
 

“While the rest of the world advances on EV manufacturing, affordability and availability, Canada continues to lag behind, dragged by big automakers that prioritize SUVs and other gas cars with big margins,” Environmental Defence said in a statement.
 
 

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