THE CANADIAN PRESS -- OTTAWA - A new federal government report shows that Ottawa's emissions-cutting efforts have barely made a dent to date.

The report says emissions policies led to a four-megatonne reduction in greenhouse gases in 2009, leaving total emissions at 694 megatonnes.

That means federal measures reduced emissions by a little more than one half of one per cent.

Federal policies are expected to be slightly more effective in the coming years, but emissions themselves are outpacing policy.

Environment Minister Peter Kent has said the big federal moves on greenhouse gases are still to come, with regulations for coal-fired electricity plants and the oilsands expected over the next couple of years.