Wednesday, June 25, 2003
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
Dear Editor:
Re: Kyoto too much, too soon
The Herald anticipates the early establishment of the federal government’s plan for Kyoto will be helpful in meeting the Kyoto pledge (Kyoto details must be prompt, Friday, June 20, 2003, Editorial, A10). We should not wish for too much, too soon.
Aside from the mad rush to ratify Kyoto last fall, the federal government has proceeded relatively prudently and incrementally with the development of actions on Kyoto. The National Climate Change Process was established in late 1997. The goal was to involve industry, the provinces and the public in evaluating means of reducing greenhouse gases. Some 450 “experts” were engaged. The result of their work is comprehensive, well documented, and presented to Canadians at an easily accessed government website. The process resulted in a series of stakeholder meetings across Canada in the early summer of 2002. At that point, perhaps partly as a result of Alberta’s withdrawal, the process collapsed and our federal government unilaterally proceeded to establish a vague plan and ratify Kyoto.
The Herald has reported a common notion that the Kyoto objective is to bring Canadian emissions to 6% below 1990 levels by 2012. Actually we are expected to average 6% below 1990 levels from 2008 to 2012. It is thus more accurate to say 6% below 1990 levels by 2008. The Kyoto target is much closer than we think.
That goal is impossible to meet even with the development and deployment of new technology. The timeline is just too tight. Frankly, we could breathe more easily if Russia does not ratify Kyoto so that Canada’s commitment falls by the wayside. That would allow time for rational consideration of the climate change issue itself, and to continue measured and timely development of technology to manage greenhouse gases should that actually be needed.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast