Canada's pollution record still one of the worst

Catholic New Times, Dec 18, 2005

The pollution behind climate change has increased substantially in Canada and in the rest of the world, warns the UN.

Canada has one of the worst records among industrialized countries, according to the UN's first official emissions report in a decade (Their findings were published by the Canadian Press). The country's emission figures indicate it will be difficult for it to reach reduction goals set out in the Kyoto Protocol.

"Ensuring sustained and deeper emission reductions remains a challenge for developed countries," said Richard Kinley, acting head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

John Bennett, senior policy adviser at the Sierra Club of Canada, said "we have a really big job to do. It's not something that can be done with wishful thinking."

Countries that ratified the protocol are required to cut carbon dioxide emissions and other "greenhouse" gases by an average of 5 per cent below 1990 levels, between 2008 and 2012. Canada's target is a six per cent cut. However, its emissions in 2003 were 24 per cent above 1990's.

Still, Montreal recently played host to about 10,000 scientists, environmentalists and politicians from 180 countries, during the UN conference on climate change.