Canada’s position puts global greenhouse gas emission actions in peril, emerging nations say

MIKE DE SOUZA
Postmedia News

The Canadian government’s anti-Kyoto protocol views have angered emerging economies at international climate change negotiations that suggest that Environment Minister Peter Kent’s position is putting global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions “in peril” and out of reach.

Kent has mused about a formal withdrawal from the treaty that legally binds Canada and about three dozen other nations to reduce emissions, while requiring almost all other countries in the world, including China, to develop plans to reduce emissions and report on their progress. Kent has also warned that Canada will not take on new targets under the treaty when the current commitment period expires at the end of 2012.

China, the world’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, has also refused to take on new targets in the near future, arguing that it wants to see more developed countries act first and honour their commitments.

“If we cannot get a decision for the future of the second commitment period, the whole international system on climate change will be placed in peril,” China’s lead negotiator Su Wei told Bloomberg News and two other news agencies in an interview. “If the Kyoto Protocol is devoid of any further commitment period, the Kyoto Protocol itself will be dead.”

Su’s comments came as the Chinese government’s official news agency, Xinhua, slammed Canada for setting a “bad example” by musing about a potential withdrawal without confirming or denying what it would do after the conference.

“While delegations from every country attend the Durban climate conference to discuss a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, one can imagine the damage done by this ‘rumour,'” Xinhua said. “Some are angry and some are depressed, but whatever the expression made by each delegation, they are united in their criticism of Canada.”

The Kyoto Protocol not only set binding targets on its members, but it also established mechanisms for an international market promoting clean energy development and innovation.

But Kent has criticized it for treating emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil as poorer countries, suggesting they benefit from targets imposed on countries like Canada.