'Impossible' for Canada to reach Kyoto targets: Ambrose

'Impossible' for Canada to reach Kyoto targets: Ambrose
CBC News, 07-Apr-2006

Tories call for more realistic Kyoto targets, set stage for new negotiations
DENNIS BUECKERT, Macleans, 07-Apr-2006

COMMENT: The Conservative government's strategy is to criticize the Kyoto targets as "unrealistic" and to criticize the Liberal climate change programs as "ineffective" or whatever -- and to avoid as much as possible talking about global warming and climate change, which is the main context of these.

While the Liberal government did not propose effective plans to address climate change, the Conservatives intend to be even less effective than the Liberals, and they will simply avoid talking about the underlying issue as much as possible -- or perhaps they will start actively attacking the science and confusing the public, as the Bush administration is doing.

In any case, the real issue is whether we, as a society, should paint ourselves more deeply into the fossil fuel corner by committing ever more of our capital assets and planning to fossil fuel infrastructure and economics, which will narrow our options for any other strategy -- or should we start thinking about a world in which there is increasing political, economic and health pressure to avoid the main drivers of climate change, and start trying to develop alternatives.

Tom Hackney
Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter
thackney@island.net
(250) 381-4463

'Impossible' for Canada to reach Kyoto targets: Ambrose

CBC News
Fri, 07 Apr 2006

Canada has no chance of meeting its targets under the Kyoto accord and must set more realistic goals for cutting greenhouse gases, the federal environment minister says.

INDEPTH: Kyoto

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose says the government may set new greenhouse gas emission targets.

"My departmental officials and the department officials from natural resources have indicated that it is impossible, impossible for Canada to reach its Kyoto targets," Rona Ambrose said Friday.

"And let me be clear. I have been engaging with our international counterparts over the past month, and we are not the only country that is finding itself in this situation."

The international agreement requires Canada to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012

But since 1990, emissions have gone up, with the latest figures showing an increase of almost 30 per cent.

Ambrose said the government might consider setting new targets.

"We have to work with all of our industry sectors that are obviously the causes of emissions and pollution on ways to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases and they're willing, they're very willing to work with the government. So that's our next step."

Countries that fail to meet their emissions targets by the end of the first commitment period (2012) must make up the difference plus a penalty of 30 per cent in the second commitment period.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said part of the blame falls on the Liberals, who ratified Kyoto without a plan on how to meet the targets.

But Layton said the Conservatives are tossing in the towel too early, because there are still six years to meet the targets.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/04/07/kyoto060407.html

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DENNIS BUECKERT
Macleans
April 7, 2006

OTTAWA (CP) - Environment Minister Rona Ambrose says Canada must set more realistic targets for cutting greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol, but she didn't explain how that could be done without renegotiating the agreement.

Experts say it is impossible to reopen the existing deal, worked out in 1997, but it would be possible for Ambrose to press the new Conservative government's concerns when she presides over the next round of Kyoto talks which open in Bonn on April 15.

Speaking outside the Commons on Friday, Ambrose dismissed any remaining hopes that Canada can cut its emissions six per cent from 1990 levels by 2012, as required under the existing treaty.

"My departmental officials and the department officials from Natural Resources have indicated that it is impossible - impossible for Canada to reach its Kyoto target," she said.

Citing unpublished government figures, Ambrose said Canada's emissions are up by almost 30 per cent since 1990 and described the increase as "very disconcerting," but added that Canada is not alone in its plight.

"I have had consultations with member countries and our international partners, and they are all finding themselves in the same position we are."

Asked whether she might set new targets, Ambrose said: "Sure, that's something that we can consider and we have to."

"We have to work with all of our industry sectors that are obviously the causes of emissions and pollution on ways to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases and they're willing, they're very willing to work with the government. So that's our next step."

Ambrose referred several times to the coming talks in Bonn, suggesting she sees them as important, and hinting she will seek to avoid costly commitments.

"As president of the conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, I will be vigorously defending the taxpayers of Canada and Canada's position about approaching climate change with a realistic and effective plan," she said.

"The next step is to start to talk about action and solutions long term. We need solutions that are out by 50, 100 years - not two years, five years."

Under the treaty as it stands, a country which has missed its target would be formally named as non-compliant, a sort of public shaming in the international arena.

A non-compliant country would also have to make up 1.3 times its shortfall in the next phase or "commitment period." Parties to the agreement could retroactively change or cancel those penalties.

Ambrose did not comment on reports that the government is implementing a 40 per cent cut in funding for existing emissions-reduction programs. Ryan Sparrow, her press secretary, said final decisions have not been made.

Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn said that a number of climate initiatives have been deemed ineffective but didn't say which ones.

"We will, however, develop programs that will actually reduce greenhouse gases," he said.

http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/news/shownews.jsp?content=n040793A

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