Saturday, February 01, 2003
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
Lumbering Lumber Talks
The impasse on softwood lumber exports to the U.S. drags on and on. (Lumber talks "discouraging", Saturday, February 1). I'm amazed this issue has not yet been constructively connected to Canada's Kyoto commitment.
Canada exports about 20 billion board feet of softwood lumber annually to the U.S. One thousand board feet of softwood lumber contains about 1/2 tonne of carbon representing the absorption of nearly two tonnes of carbon dioxide from earth's atmosphere. Canada is thus freely giving away about 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide sink annually.
Our negotiators could offer to charge for this renewable carbon dioxide sink, as an alternative to the export tax proposed by politicians and unions in B.C.. This would be consistent with the U.S. request that we include costs of lumber production and would recognize the costs of Kyoto to Canada. U.S. duty charges could be reduced, and revenue would be raised in Canada to provide forest industry relief. The U.S. would be doing something noble on climate change as they plan. Canada could meet a significant part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases. Everybody wins. Why don't we get our heads together and develop a solution in step with the times?
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast
Sunday, February 02, 2003
The Editor
Calgary Herald
215 - 16 Street SE
Calgary, AB
T2P 0W8
Dear Sir:
Lumbering Lumber Talks
The impasse on softwood lumber exports to the U.S. drags on and on. (Few solutions found in softwood lumber talks, Friday, January 31, D8). I'm amazed this issue has not yet been constructively connected to Canada's Kyoto commitment.
Canada exports about 20 billion board feet of softwood lumber annually to the U.S. One thousand board feet of softwood lumber contains about 1/2 tonne of carbon representing the absorption of nearly two tonnes of carbon dioxide from earth's atmosphere. Canada is thus freely giving away about 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide sink annually.
Our negotiators could offer to charge for this renewable carbon dioxide sink, as an alternative to the export tax proposed by the U.S. and politicians and unions in B.C.. This would be consistent with the U.S. request that we include costs of lumber production and would recognize the costs of Kyoto to Canada. U.S. duty charges could be reduced, and revenue would be raised in Canada to provide forest industry relief. The U.S. would be doing something noble on climate change as they plan. Canada could meet a significant part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases. Everybody wins. Why don't we get our heads together and develop a solution in step with the times?
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast