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June 11, 2004 (Globe and Mail)
Harper plan to pull plug on Kyoto irrational

Is the Kyoto Protocol irrelevant? Is climate change an environmental scare that we should no longer be concerned about? Should Canada renege on its international commitment to reduce our emissions of the greenhouse gases that are disrupting the planet's climate system?

The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "No!" Yet the official position of Stephen Harper and the Conservatives is that Kyoto is "increasingly irrelevant" and funds earmarked for Canada's climate change plan should be redirected to other environmental priorities.

The Conservatives' position is ill-conceived, unscientific, and irresponsible. The Progressive Conservative government ratified the first U.N treaty on climate change in 1992. The Liberals ratified the follow-up agreement, Kyoto, in 2002. Despite these commitments, our record on climate change is among the worst in the industrialized world because of our increasing consumption and exports of oil, coal and natural gas.

Since Canadian greenhouse gas emissions have risen 20 per cent since 1990, and our Kyoto obligation is to reduce emissions to 6 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012, immediate action is required, not more obfuscation and delay.

Corporate leaders with the World Economic Forum recognize climate change as one of the world's greatest challenges. Oil companies such as Shell now acknowledge the reality and importance of climate change. Even Alberta recently signed contracts that will enable it to purchase more than 90 per cent of its electricity from new low-impact renewable energy sources, including wind and biomass, by 2005.

For Canada to reverse its position on Kyoto would be irrational, in light of the compelling scientific evidence of climate change. As a northern nation, we will bear a disproportionate share of the negative impacts, from droughts to worsening air pollution.

Scientists predict that average temperatures in Canada's Arctic will increase at least 8 degrees Celsius by 2100. Indeed, the Inuit can already attest to the fact that their ecosystems are changing —melting ice is having a negative effect on the health of polar bears and other animals.

For Canada to reverse its position on Kyoto would also be irresponsible. More than 100 nations have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently pledged that Russia would ratify Kyoto, making the accord legally binding. A Canadian flip-flop, promoted by the Conservatives, could have the effect of making Russia reconsider, thereby undermining the entire global effort to address climate change.

Although far from perfect, Kyoto represents a first step toward addressing the problem.

Scientists agree that more dramatic emission cuts are needed, but Kyoto's modest reductions will provide an important learning experience.

European nations, spurred on by Kyoto, are moving quickly toward a clean energy future by investing in wind, solar, and other forms of renewable energy. Britain, Sweden, and Germany have already reduced their greenhouse gas emissions substantially.

Intelligent actions to address climate change can produce solutions that create jobs, save money and protect the environment. A classic example is energy efficiency retrofit programs for residential, government, and commercial buildings.

Toronto's Better Building Partnership has retrofitted more than 450 buildings, reduced operating costs by $19 million, eliminated 132,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and created about 3,800 construction jobs. Companies like Interface, Dupont, and British Petroleum have achieved significant reductions in their emissions by using energy more efficiently, boosting profits at the same time.

Canada has extraordinary potential to become a world leader in clean energy industries like wind, solar, and biomass. We are already recognized as pioneers in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology, but will have to work hard to maintain our advantage in this hyper-competitive field. By turning our back on climate change, we are likely to lose out in all of these promising areas.

The Conservatives have their heads buried in Alberta's tar sands.

They are the only Canadian political party refusing to recognize the profound problem that climate change poses for humankind. A party that deliberately ignores the most important environmental issue of the 21st century should not be trusted to govern this country

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