Kyoto Protocol Canada Thumbs Nose at the World. Canada has formally pulled out of Kyoto Protocol just in time for Christmas. This did not come as a surprise to most people as Canada as been steadily increasing it Greenhouse gas omissions almost from the day it signed the accord.
Thirty-nine of the forty countries have ratified the Protocol. Of these, thirty-four have committed themselves to a reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by them to targets that are set in relation to their 1990 emission levels, in accordance with the Protocol. Canada’s reputation in the international community will forever remained “tarnished” after the selfish lack of concern they have shown towards fighting this global problem.
While Europe has actually reduced its Greenhouse emissions by 17%, Canada, a developed country, has actually managed to increase its Greenhouse emissions by 17%, not a record to be proud of. Canada has been a member of Kyoto Protocol since 1998 but has done little to reduce emissions since then.
Canada has shown the world that it lacks the political will to take an active part in fighting global warming. As Alberta oil sands development steps up, Canada’s emission numbers will only get worse, as separating the oil from the sands requires tremendous amounts of energy. Big business controls what and how the government does business and the Canadian government has turned its back on global cooperation.
The current government has done little to reduce emissions, in fact they have shelved programs like the EnerGuide retrofitting program which had its unfortunate beginning as a Liberal program. The conservatives Clean Air Act had no merit and as some like to say, was “Dead on Arrival”.
Last year, a record 30.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide poured into the atmosphere, mainly from burning fossil fuel – a rise of 1.6Gt on 2009, according to estimates from the IEA regarded as the gold standard for emissions data. This is the legacy we will be passing on to our children. A temperature rise of more than 2 degrees Celsius – which scientists say is the threshold for potentially “dangerous climate change” maybe just a pipe dream as we blow by that bench mark following our Governments failure to act and the ability of big business to prevent any significant reductions. The Alberta Tar Sands will probably end up being the future generations “Poster Child” as the symbol of greed of a few, overcoming the “needs of the many.”