NOW Toronto: Fossil fool on the Hill

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Fossil fool on the Hill
It’s sickening, but Canada’s only hope for climate win is shaming the feds on world stage

By Paul Terefenko


Unless you’re content to foam at the mouth and yell, "Climategate, Climategate" at anyone within earshot, there’s a good chance you’ll be glued to coverage from Copenhagen’s climate change conference over the next week, looking for positive signs that a decent deal’s in the making.

Will our government continue its sabotage – or get shamed and suddenly shape up? Here are three things to keep in mind as the wheeling and dealing gets crazy:

1. Canada’s a global deadbeat dad – which is why on day one of the conference, activists bestowed on us the Fossil Of The Day award. Environmentalist George Monbiot puts it this way: “Canada’s image lies in tatters. It is now to climate what Japan is to whaling.”

This has everything to do with the feds’ concept of what a clean target is. Ian Bruce, the David Suzuki Foundation climate change specialist, says Canada’s clearly “out of step at the international level because we have not committed to reducing emissions to levels that scientists say are required.” We’re talking a 25 to ?40 per cent reduction from 1990 levels by 2020.

Canada’s offer? Compared to the EU’s pledge of an unconditional reduction of 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020 (with 30 per cent possible if big players join them), the government is only putting a puny 3 per cent reduction from 1990 levels on the table. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=172812

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1. K & R