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Harper offers Canada's law as greenhouse template
BRIAN LAGHI

Globe and Mail Update
June 4, 2007 at 8:42 AM EDT

BERLIN — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says that Kyoto holdouts such as the United States and China should consider using Canada's new environmental legislation as a template in reducing their own greenhouse gas pollution.

Mr. Harper, who has made a pledge to try to bridge the gap between Europe's more aggressive efforts to reduce carbon emission with those of other nations – such as the United States – said the Canadian plan allows developing countries to cut carbon pollution without risking their economies. The prime minister has said he wants Canada to take a middle role in a meeting of the G8 industrial countries later this week. That meeting will also include other major developing countries, such as Brazil and China, which do not have targets under the Kyoto protocol.

“There are elements of our plan that we believe could work not just for Canada, but for many countries in the world – including some of the large emitters that did not accept targets under the Kyoto protocol,” Mr. Harper told a luncheon meeting of the German Canadian Business Club.

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Geldof slams Canada over aid pledges
TENILLE BONOGUORE

Globe and Mail Update and Reuters
June 4, 2007 at 2:14 PM EDT

High profile anti-poverty crusader Bob Geldof says Canada is “the blocker” that is preventing anti-poverty funding reaching some of the world's poorest people.

As Prime Minister Stephen Harper was speaking with European leaders before this week's G8 Summit on Monday, Mr. Geldof labelled Canada “the worst culprit” for blocking progress in Africa.

Mr. Geldof said Canada needed to contribute $623-million this year to fulfill a promise of doubling aid by 2010 compared with its plans of $160-million.

“This is one of the richest nations deliberately breaking their word and killing the poorest,” he told CTV.

“Canada's the blocker, and there's no need because you really are fantastically wealthy.
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Apparently Italy is dodging aid to Africa under our coat tails.

Although I am heartily sick of mega million wealthy rock stars telling countries what to do. Hey Geldof; how much did you pay in taxes last year?

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“We cannot crack it if we have some Canadians say ‘eh, we're not going to do it'.”

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“There are elements of our plan that we believe could work not just for Canada, but for many countries in the world – including some of the large emitters that did not accept targets under the Kyoto protocol,” Mr. Harper told...

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
Paul Dewar on Newman's 'Politics' show tonight said NOT ONE environmental organization in Canada supports the Conservative's plan.

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Oh, so after the Ambrose debacle on the world stage, Harper didn't learn?

Gah, he is so arrogent he really thinks he can pass off the crap to those around the world. He really needs to get outside the narrow circle of people he associates with.

Successful in getting absolutely nothing done I mean. Which is what their goal was.

[ 08 June 2007: Message edited by: sgauvreau ]

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The Canadian Government has proposed mandatory CO2 intensity targets for oil sands which consist of reducing emissions per unit of production by 15 per cent from a 2006 baseline to 2012. However there is no limit on the amount of production and the Tyndall analysis shows that if the projected expansion of production occurs, greenhouse gas emissions will more than double during this period. There will be no stabilisation of greenhouse gas emissions from oil sands.

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Additionally, the report calculates that oil companies could actually make money under the new target system. The inadequacy of the intensity targets creates a perverse subsidy, which means that industry could make between C$300-700 million from selling emissions credits, just by delivering efficiency improvements such as using co-generation plants which are already planned.

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He is adding confusion by setting the baseline at "2006 levels" instead of the baseline of 1990 levels [Kyoto asks for 6% reductions below 1990 levels].

He is using intensity targets, and the previous posts here showed what a farce that is.

Worst of all, the Harperites are talking about the year 2050 for achieving emissions reductions. 2050 is so far into the 'unforseeable climate future', so long after global warming will have wreaked it's havoc, as to be totally useless as a target date. What we get done by 2012 will have the greatest impact on reducing the severity of climate change... after that it is all big gamble. We should have got going in 1990, now we have to make up for time - another 43 years of waiting and we will be saying "if only we had done this in 2007".

The "Fossil Fools" like Harper will fight any changes that take away the energy monopoly of the oil and coal people. Those corporate humps are Harper's and Bush's biggest supporters - we should realise than no changes will happen until we get them out of power. They now represent an actual threat to the wellbeing and prosperity of the majority of people in our "democracy". They are the only ones who will lose anything at all by switching to renewable clean energy sources.

OUT with them all!!

[ 10 June 2007: Message edited by: Karlin ]

[ 10 June 2007: Message edited by: Karlin ]

Back to the environment, I just can't see any physical arguments why quick reductions by the few would be more effective than long-term deep reductions by the many. We need real restructuring of our environmental behavior, not bullshit carbon trading as demanded by Kyoto.

Carbon trading: The inevitable result of politicians tackling a scientific issue.

[ 10 June 2007: Message edited by: 500_Apples ]

[ 10 June 2007: Message edited by: 500_Apples ]

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Back to the environment, I just can't see any physical arguments why quick reductions by the few would be more effective than long-term deep reductions by the many. We need real restructuring of our environmental behavior, not bullshit carbon trading as demanded by Kyoto.

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