Monday, March 01, 2004
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
P.O. Box 670
Lethbridge
AB, T1J 3Z7
Canada and the Kyoto Protocol – reading between the lines of the Speech from the Throne
Dear Editor:
We’ve heard very little on Kyoto over the past month. A very short article in the Herald did report on some aspects of Environment Minister Anderson’s speech to the University of Ottawa on Monday, February 23. (Anderson predicts U.S. to rejoin Kyoto, February 24, A5) That speech elaborated on Kyoto aspects of the Speech from the Throne.
Several reports in the media have reported that the Speech from the Throne indicates Canada aims to go “beyond Kyoto” with respect to climate change issues. Careful analysis of the Speech suggests our federal government actually intends to back away from strict adherence to Kyoto. Minister Anderson’s speech on February 23 did say Canada will “go beyond” Kyoto. He spoke again to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on February 27 on essentially the same issues. Even he, as the staunchest supporter of Kyoto, dropped the words “beyond Kyoto” in connection with the climate change issue. His second speech indicates existing technology can lead to “reductions for the 1st Kyoto period and further reductions in the periods after.”
Perhaps it is no coincidence that between February 23 and 27, Environment Canada visited my analysis and comments on Kyoto aspects of the Speech from the Throne. They were posted to the Internet on February 3. (www.computare.ca) Herald readers are invited to review my analysis there too. Computare is a small name think tank on energy and greenhouse gas management headquartered in Lethbridge.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast