Quebec Premier Jean Charest unveiled an ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020, setting a target similar to what the European Union has adopted.

The stringent new goal would place Quebec among North American leaders with the lowest level of emissions per habitant on the continent.

Because of the province's reliance on hydro-electricity, Quebec already has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions in the country at 11 tons per habitant, about half the Canadian average. Charest made the announcement before the Montreal Council on Foreign relations as he prepares to attend next month's United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Quebec plans to reach its objective by investing in public transportation while adopting tougher regulations to reduce automobile emissions, similar to the strict standards set in California. The province is also relying on the rapid evolution of new technologies in electric cars. Charest explained that the new target was defined in co-operation with other members of the Western Climate Initiative. The plan would require Quebec to significantly reduce its dependency on fossil fuels.

Environmental groups applauded the initiative and said they would fully co-operate with the government in helping to achieve the goal, insisting that Quebec could go even further.