Canada to exit Kyoto accord, says Kent

 

Environment minister says Liberals 'incompetent' for signing agreement, failing to meet targets

 
 

Canada will formally withdraw from the Kyoto accord on climate change, Environment Minister Peter Kent said Monday.

"The Kyoto Protocol does not represent the path forward for Canada," Kent said at a news conference in the foyer of the House of Commons, after his return from an international climate-change summit in Durban, South Africa.

"It's now clear Kyoto is not the path forward for a global solution to climate change. If anything, it's an impediment. We are invoking Canada's legal right to formally withdraw."

The announcement marks the end of years of controversy, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government repeatedly made it clear it would not be tied to the international commitment made by the previous Liberal government.

The Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 and ratified by most major countries except the United States. It committed industrialized nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels and pro-vide financial help to developing countries to accomplish the task.

Although Canada had ratified the accord, it was not on track to meet its targets. Harper's Conservative government has opposed an extension of the Kyoto accord to future inter-national agreements, arguing other large emitting countries in the developing world, such as China and India, should be required to meet targets.

Kent blamed the former Liberal government for being "incompetent" by signing the accord and failing to meet its targets. As a result, he said, the current Conservative government, which took office in 2006, now faces "radical and irresponsible" choices if it is to avoid the $14 billion in international penalties he said it must pay for failing to meet those targets as a signatory to the accord.

Kent said to comply with Kyoto, dramatic action would need to be taken to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

"To meet the target under 2012 would be the equivalent of either removing every car, truck, ATV, tractor, ambulance, police car and vehicle of every kind from Canadian roads, or closing down the entire farming and agricultural sector and cut-ting heat to every home, office, hospital, factory and building in Canada."

Kent said this cannot happen, particularly since other major nations such as the U.S. aren't covered by Kyoto.

"Domestically, we will do our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Kent.

"Canada, though, cannot do it alone," he said, noting this country produces just two per cent of global emissions.

But the minister was immediately blasted by opposition critics for abandoning attempts to find a solution to global warming, and for using scare tactics to explain his rationale.

NDP environment critic Megan Leslie accused Kent of "fearmongering" and of spreading misinformation.

"It was unbelievable and reprehensible, what he was doing," she said. "It's not enough to be afraid of the criminals in our streets. We now need to be afraid of driving cars and afraid of the international community taking all our money away."

Leslie said Kent was not telling the truth when he warned of billions of dollars in international penalties.

"They are just trying to hide their failures here by constructing this scary story and then saying it wasn't us, it was the Liberals."

Greenpeace Canada representative Mike Hudema said in a written statement the Harper government "has imposed a death sentence on many of the world's most vulnerable populations by pulling out of Kyoto."

He said the move "destabilizes" the promise of future action on global warming.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Click here for the hottest stories being read by people in your neighbourhood and across the country.
Click here for the hottest stories being read by people in your neighbourhood and across the country.
 

STORY TOOLS

 
 
Font:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
[Visit Tiayanbao.com]
 
 
 
 
 

BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

 
Sign up to receive e-mail alerts on breaking news from The Vancouver Sun.
 
 
 

Household debt hits new high

Canadian households are still borrowing more than they can afford, despite continued warnings from the Bank of Canada, the latest data from Statistics...

22 MINUTES AGO
COMMENTS (0)
 
 
 
Save Money 
with a Better Rate

Find Your Rate 

  • ALL
  • MORTGAGES
  • CREDIT CARDS
  • SAVINGS

December 13, 2011
 
 
 



Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Canada+exit+Kyoto+accord+says+...

Views: 44

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

tjdavis favorited Sandy's photo
19 hours ago
tjdavis favorited cheeki kea's photo
19 hours ago
tjdavis favorited tjdavis's video
19 hours ago
tjdavis posted photos
19 hours ago
tjdavis posted blog posts
yesterday
cheeki kea favorited tjdavis's video
yesterday
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Thumbnail

Prime clown idiot of the year.

" Stay tuned this prime clown might just resign from his own circus as his Finance Minister…"
yesterday
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
yesterday
tjdavis posted a video

The Orb & David Gilmour - Metallic Spheres In Colour: Movement 1 - Excerpt (4K Official Music Video)

The 2010 album Metallic Spheres by The Orb and David Gilmour has been reimagined and remixed as Metallic Spheres In Colour. Out now: https://theorbdg.lnk.to/...
yesterday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Real Explanation of the Mystery Drones over New Jersey

 Keep in mind all of the possible implications around the drones reportedly as big as cars being…See More
Monday
Sandy posted photos
Monday
tjdavis posted a video

Capitol Punishment - The Movie (Updated Trailer)

Order on DVD or Stream it Now: https://givemelibertynow.org/product/capitol-punishment/Told through the eyes of the people who were there on the ground, Capi...
Sunday
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Sunday
cheeki kea posted a photo
Sunday
FREEDOMROX favorited Doc Vega's blog post Biggest Hoax and Hazard to Health in US History Busted Pt. 2
Saturday
FREEDOMROX posted a blog post
Saturday
Sandy posted videos
Saturday
Doc Vega replied to MAC's discussion Undertaker's Shocking Lockdown Discovery: John O'Looney
"The whole damn thing was a scam! "
Friday
Doc Vega favorited MAC's discussion Undertaker's Shocking Lockdown Discovery: John O'Looney
Friday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

One Step Beyond Visits Friday the 13th in 2024

It seems that there are those who prefer to create their own insane reality! They've taken that One…See More
Friday

© 2024   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted