Posted on 02/24/2006 7:41:00 PM PST by Frank T
Environment Minister Rona Ambrose is jetting to Bonn this weekend to prepare for talks on extending the Kyoto Protocol, and will soon unveil an ambitious new plan for cutting Canada's greenhouse emissions.
Although the Conservatives opposed ratification of the climate treaty while in opposition, they appear to have undergone a conversion, promising to do a better job of cutting emissions than the Liberals ever did.
"There's an action plan that we are going to move on very quickly," Ambrose said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Friday. "I'm very committed. The prime minister has given me a very strong mandate."
She suggested the action plan would include regulations on large industrial emitters and referred to an emissions-trading system for large polluters.
"I think we not only have the political will from the prime minister, and from myself and my colleagues, on this issue, we also have the public will on our side."
In general, an emissions-trading system allows polluters to buy and sell emissions permits either domestically or internationally, so that cuts can be implemented at lower cost.
Canadians can also expect early tabling of a Clean Air Act, as promised during the election campaign, but it will be aimed at other types of air pollution, not greenhouse emissions, she said.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Canada is committed to cutting greenhouse emissions six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. Despite promises from the Liberal government, emissions rose 24 per cent since 1990.
"We're at a crucial turning point in Canada to address this issue," said Ambrose. "There hasn't been a lot of action on the file and for that reason we haven't seen the results.
"We feel very strongly that we need to engage the public both in terms of our strategy and outreach but also in creating incentives and programs that reach the individual level in Canada."
She said she's looking forward to her role as president of the Conference of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, a rotating position held by Canada this year.
In May, member countries will begin negotiations aimed at deeper cuts in emissions, beyond those in the current protocol, and extending further into the future. Ambrose will meet with key officials involved in those talks, and with one or two European environment ministers, when she goes to Bonn.
"It gives us an opportunity to talk about where Canada wants to go. There's a very strong openness now within this organization to start talking about greenhouse gas reduction and where were going to go globally."
Kyoto signatories are required to submit reports in March showing they have made substantial progress toward their targets. Ambrose said Canada will submit a report. The new plan will likely be a major component in it.
"We're making a lot of progress. I can speak about it only in vague terms only out of respect for my colleagues in caucus and around the cabinet table.
"As well, I'm meeting with a lot of ministers of the environment at the provincial level and territorial level and a lot of these initiatives involve the provinces and the municipalities."
Matthew Bramley of the Pembina Institute said he was delighted by the tone of Ambrose's remarks. He said it is not uncommon for opposition parties to change their views on entering government.
But he added a note of caution, saying that the real proof of the government's commitment will be in its policies.
This is an example of quote unquote moderate conservatism.
ping
When I read the quotes alone, without the editorializing descriptions by the article writer, it reads differently. I am not sure I trust this description of what is going on, and will wait for a few more articles on the subject before jumping to conclusions. Australia and the USA are pushing climate action as well, just in a very different way than kyoto... voluntary, research oriented, etc..
ping
I'm with you.
The job of the Environmental Minister is to protect the environment, but she says she needs to talk with her colleagues before making any commitments.
Also, she seems to say that she will concentrate not on "greenhouse gasses" but on other pollutants. That actually makes sense. Only the global warming freaks worry about greenhouse gasses, i.e. CO2. But there is good reason to try to cut real pollutants, such as sulfur for instance.
I'd say that the reporter is distorting the picture, hoping to make trouble.
Politicians are universally the same.
I'm glad that I'm no longer a member of that Liberal party in a drag.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Pres Bushs' people had their foot on the neck of Kyoto in Dec in Montreal and they let up.
I think maybe this emissions trading concept has caught the interest of some greedy Bay St and Wall St types .
Also Toronto needs to clean up their air.
Flying into the city on a hot humid day, one can see the air pollution is pretty bad.
Folks in Calgary would not want to see such levels of pollution as it ruins the long view of the Rockies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rona_Ambrose
"Ambrose is considered a strong representative of contemporary Canadian Conservatism under current leader Stephen Harper: young, female, and not uncomfortable with Big Government bureaucracy, a topic often railed against by her party's predecessors in the Reform Party and Canadian Alliance."
I agree ... the article doesn't read right to me.
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