It is "crucial" the federal government does more to help Canadians cope with climate change, the federal environment commissioner says.

"Canadians are facing risks such as the spread of disease, more drought in the Prairies, melting permafrost in the North, longer and more intense heat waves and smog, and rising coastal waters," Johanne Gélinas said as she released a report Thursday criticizing Ottawa's efforts to combat climate change.

"The government urgently needs a believable, clear and realistic plan to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions," the report said, adding that the government "must establish and commit to short- and long-term national goals."

Developing the capacity to adapt is crucial and Kyoto goals should be supported rather than abandoned, Gélinas said.

"Something drastic has to happen if we want to get on the right track."

Gélinas, who is part of the Office of the Auditor General, devoted this year's annual report to measuring the country's progress in dealing with global climate change linked to emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

The report found the former Liberal government announced $6.3 billion in climate change funding since it signed the international Kyoto Accord and agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 1997. But it led Canada away rather than toward its targets.

For example, Canada had agreed to reduce emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by sometime between 2008 and 2012. But Gélinas's report found that in 2004, emissions were 26.6 per cent above 1990 levels.

Must target oil and gas industries

The federal government has done too little too slowly to meet that goal, said the report, concluding that Ottawa has:

• Not adequately targeted the oil and gas industries — even though fossil fuel production and consumption accounts for 80 per cent of the country's emissions. As well, those emissions have been growing rapidly as Alberta increases production from its oil sands.
• Done little to help Canadians cope with the consequences of climate change, such as damage to northern infrastructure as permafrost melts or increased droughts in the Prairies 
• Did not set clear goals for its climate-change-related programs.
• Did a poor job of measuring those goals.
• Did not sufficiently report whether those goals were effective or how money was being spent.

Harper's Tories must scale up efforts

The report said Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives should not continue to use the lack of progress on the country's Kyoto commitments as an excuse to abandon the international pact.

"The current government has announced that Canada cannot realistically meet its Kyoto target," the report said. "If so, then new targets should take its place."

The report urges Ottawa to instead scale up its efforts to curb emissions and adapt to climate change, by:

• Working on ways to help Canadians adapt to climate change.
• Integrating its energy and climate strategies, which Gélinas points out are closely linked.
• Providing strong leadership in combatting climate change.
• Ensuring it co-ordinates federal efforts and measures their success.

The government departments involved have accepted the recommendations. However, they have not committed to doing anything to implement those recommendations, the report notes.

Canada made some progress: report

But Gélinas's report was not entirely critical.

She said the government addressed some issues raised by Canadians who wrote them letters, though not always effectively.

For example, the government took on a 2002 suggestion to purchase 20 per cent of its electricity from green-power sources such as wind by 2006 — although it only met a third of its commitment.

Gélinas found some government departments such as Indian and Northern Affairs have made progress, crediting good management with their success.

And the large federal programs to make houses more efficient, increase the use of ethanol fuel and step up wind-power production have yielded some emission reductions.

"There is a foundation to build on," Gélinas said.