Now Canada Wants To Play In Chimpy's Kyoto-Lite Sandbox - AFP

[hatrack]

No mandatory reductions, of course - that would be rude!

Canada wants to join the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, a senior official said Friday ahead of APEC talks in Hanoi, Vietnam next week.

"We're looking very carefully at that as an interesting and innovative example of a region moving forward in a direction that we support," the official said during an APEC briefing. "We're discussing with all the members of the grouping. We're interested (in joining), but we want to know a little bit more about what our participation would entail," he said, asking not to be named.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in May during an official visit by Australia's Prime Minister John Howard that Canada wanted to participate in the non-binding alternative to the Kyoto Protocol. Howard urged Canada to join.

EDIT

Environmentalists lament the Asia-Pacific pact relies only on voluntary measures and contains no targets, timetables or financial mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Australia is a key member of the treaty, along with the United States, Japan, Indonesia, China and South Korea.

EDIT/END

http://www.terradaily.com/2006/061110172421.zaql2nxc.html

[w4rma]

1. It's all about trying to be able to *say* they are doing something, while they are really

grabbing up all the big energy lobbyist money that they can.