so like a truculent child its going to take its toys and go home…
Canada condemned at home and abroad for pulling out of Kyoto treaty
China calls Canada’s decision ‘preposterous’, while Greenpeace says the country is protecting polluters instead of people
The Canadian environment minister, Peter Kent, said meeting the country's Kyoto treaty obligations would cost each family $1,600. Photograph: Fred Chartrand/AP
Canada has been condemned at home and abroad as “irresponsible” and “reckless” for pulling out of the Kyoto climate treaty, just a day after committing to a future legally binding deal at a major UN climate summit.
“I regret Canada’s withdrawal and am surprised over its timing,” said the UN climate chief Christiana Figueres. “Canada has a moral obligation to itself and future generations to lead in the global effort.” China, which agreed for the first time to legal limits on its emissions at the summit in Durban, denounced Canada’s decision as “preposterous” in its state media and called it “an excuse to shirk responsibility” in tackling global warming.
The domestic reaction was equally fierce with the announcement by Canada’s environment minister, Peter Kent, described as “shameful” and “a total abdication of our responsibilities”. Under the Kyoto protocol, Canada was committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by 2012, compared to its 1990 levels. But its actual emissions have risen by over 30%, making failure inevitable. Canada’s inaction was blamed by some on its desire to protect the lucrative but highly polluting exploitation of tar sands, the second biggest oil reserve in the world.
Kent claimed that Canada would have to pay billions to meet its Kyoto target in 2012: “To meet the targets would be the equivalent of … the transfer of CAN$14bn [£8.7bn] from Canadian taxpayers to other countries – the equivalent of $1,600 from every Canadian family – with no impact on emissions or the environment.” He was referring to the cost of buying carbon emission permits (AAUs) from other countries to compensate for Canada’s huge overshooting of its target.
Source: The Guardian Read more
Opinion:
Canada simply wants to have its cake and eat it too. It doesn’t matter whose toes you tread on in business.
Canada made a promise, signed the Kyoto agreement, it should be held binding.
Eco-Crap 