130 Albert Street, Suite 1610, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G4 Tel: (613) 237-4262 Fax: (613) 237-0989
October 16, 2002
The Honourable Ralph Klein, M.L.A.
Premier of the Province of Alberta
Legislature Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2B6
Dear Sir:
Thank you for your letter dated September 18 on the issue of the Kyoto Protocol. It provided information on the Alberta plan and included a copy of "Why Alberta Opposes the Kyoto Protocol". It was sent to me as the representative of the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) to the federal Government's Integrative Group on climate change.
I participated in the National Stakeholder Workshop in Calgary on June 14 on behalf of the CNA. The Honorable Lorne Taylor and John Donner made presentations on the Alberta plan at the Workshop. It was apparent then that many aspects of the draft Alberta plan are well thought out. In particular, we agree with the emphasis on technology development in the Alberta plan. This is an element that received insufficient attention in the four options of the federal discussion paper. We provided written comments on the federal options and the Alberta plan which have been posted on the National Climate Change Process website. We highlighted our support for this important aspect of the Alberta plan.
We also appreciate Alberta's position that a longer time period - beyond 2012 - is needed to fully realize the benefits of new technology. The Kyoto Protocol might provide more timing flexibility than is commonly appreciated. Its penalty clause allows for making up commitments missed in the first period during the second and possibly, by extension, subsequent commitment periods. Perhaps new technology development and deployment could accommodate the penalty without incurring excessive future costs. The flexibility implications of the penalty clause warrant further close attention by the federal government as international negotiations progress.
In summary, we sense the proposed plan from Alberta is broadly consistent with federal government goals enumerated in the federal discussion paper. We support Alberta's input to Canada's plan to manage greenhouse gases. Hopefully, there will be opportunities to address the differences between the federal and Alberta government's positions and develop strategy broadly supported across Canada. We would like to see the measured development of a national plan, which will appropriately address the risks posed by climate change in the context of a strong, and expanded, international effort in the longer term.
The Canadian nuclear industry - essentially a non-emitter of greenhouse gases and pollutant gases and particulates - can make a valuable contribution both nationally and internationally. We suggest you visit our web site at www.cna.ca for more information on its potential role. In the meantime, if the Canadian nuclear energy sector can assist you or your officials with information, or possibly by participation in development plans, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast, Ph. D., P. Eng., Principal Engineer
Computare, 30 Fairmont Park Lane S, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 7H7
Cc: The Right Honorable Jean Chretien, P.C., M.P., Prime
Minister of Canada
William Clarke, President and CEO,
Canadian Nuclear Association
David Oulton, Head, Climate Change
Secretariat, Co-Chair, Integrative Group