Conservatives looking at non-binding U.S.-led rival to Kyoto
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OTTAWA (CP) - Environment Minister Rona Ambrose says Canada is considering joining a U.S.-led effort to curb greenhouse emissions outside the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.
The Asia-Pacific Partnership is a loose agreement involving the United States, Australia, India, Japan, China and South Korea. It is not legally binding and does not set caps on carbon emissions.
"The key principles of the Asia Pacific Partnership are very much in line with where our government wants to go," Ambrose said at a briefing Tuesday. "The Asia Pacific Partnership is something we're looking at.
"They're making strides in engaging those particular countries like China and India who are huge global players but who are also the largest emitters of pollution greenhouse gases."
But Ambrose said Canada will not join the partnership or enter other international negotiations until it has cleaned up its own air and water with a "made-in-Canada" solution.
"We have to clean up our own back yard before we're going to start engaging on the international stage on some of the international agreements that are post-2012," Ambrose said after meeting U.S. environment officials.
The Kyoto protocol calls on signatory countries to reduce pollution that causes climate change. Most of the countries have failed to meet those targets.
Canada's greenhouse gas emissions have increased significantly since Kyoto was signed. The United States, which refused to join the Kyoto protocol, has done a better job of controlling the growth of their greenhouse gases.
At the Montreal climate conference in December, Canada joined about 160 other countries in agreeing to negotiate a new, long-range plan to combat global warming beyond 2012 when the current Kyoto treaty expires.
Former environment minister Stephane Dion presided over those talks but given the change in government, Ambrose will lead the talks in Bonn.
Asked how she can play this role if Canada is not ready for international negotiations, she said the question will be dealt with in technical briefings.
The Conservatives have called the Kyoto Protocol unworkable and are cobbling together an alternative. Ambrose was particularly critical Tuesday of several of its features.
Ambrose met Tuesday with Paula Dobriansky, under secretary of state for democracy, who said the United States remains opposed to the Kyoto Protocol.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe asked in the Commons when the "made-in-Canada" plan will be revealed but Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave no timeline.
"The previous government left us with billions of dollars of programs that didn't provide any results," he said. "We'll need to review these programs . . . but we intend to have a Canadian plan to ensure progress on this matter."
Ambrose promised close co-operation with the Americans, and said officials have been instructed to draw up a working plan.
"By industry sector, they (the Americans) are beating us in every industry in pollution control. We don't want to just catch up, we want to compete, we want to outperform."
James Connaughton, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said Canada will benefit from U.S. efforts to curb emissions from diesel engines and coal-fired power plants.
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?&src=n042587A.xml
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OTTAWA (CP) - Environment Minister Rona Ambrose says Canada is considering joining a U.S.-led effort to curb greenhouse emissions outside the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.
The Asia-Pacific Partnership is a loose agreement involving the United States, Australia, India, Japan, China and South Korea. It is not legally binding and does not set caps on carbon emissions.
"The key principles of the Asia Pacific Partnership are very much in line with where our government wants to go," Ambrose said at a briefing Tuesday. "The Asia Pacific Partnership is something we're looking at.
"They're making strides in engaging those particular countries like China and India who are huge global players but who are also the largest emitters of pollution greenhouse gases."
But Ambrose said Canada will not join the partnership or enter other international negotiations until it has cleaned up its own air and water with a "made-in-Canada" solution.
"We have to clean up our own back yard before we're going to start engaging on the international stage on some of the international agreements that are post-2012," Ambrose said after meeting U.S. environment officials.
The Kyoto protocol calls on signatory countries to reduce pollution that causes climate change. Most of the countries have failed to meet those targets.
Canada's greenhouse gas emissions have increased significantly since Kyoto was signed. The United States, which refused to join the Kyoto protocol, has done a better job of controlling the growth of their greenhouse gases.
At the Montreal climate conference in December, Canada joined about 160 other countries in agreeing to negotiate a new, long-range plan to combat global warming beyond 2012 when the current Kyoto treaty expires.
Former environment minister Stephane Dion presided over those talks but given the change in government, Ambrose will lead the talks in Bonn.
Asked how she can play this role if Canada is not ready for international negotiations, she said the question will be dealt with in technical briefings.
The Conservatives have called the Kyoto Protocol unworkable and are cobbling together an alternative. Ambrose was particularly critical Tuesday of several of its features.
Ambrose met Tuesday with Paula Dobriansky, under secretary of state for democracy, who said the United States remains opposed to the Kyoto Protocol.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe asked in the Commons when the "made-in-Canada" plan will be revealed but Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave no timeline.
"The previous government left us with billions of dollars of programs that didn't provide any results," he said. "We'll need to review these programs . . . but we intend to have a Canadian plan to ensure progress on this matter."
Ambrose promised close co-operation with the Americans, and said officials have been instructed to draw up a working plan.
"By industry sector, they (the Americans) are beating us in every industry in pollution control. We don't want to just catch up, we want to compete, we want to outperform."
James Connaughton, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said Canada will benefit from U.S. efforts to curb emissions from diesel engines and coal-fired power plants.
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?&src=n042587A.xml