OTTAWA - Canada's new Conservative government, which says the Kyoto protocol is too onerous, is suggesting the accord be softened and wants Canada to be given a break because it is a major energy producer.
Ottawa's position was laid out in documents it submitted ahead of an international conference in Bonn next week on how to extend the protocol, the first stage of which expires in 2012. Canadian Environment Minister Rona Ambrose will chair the meeting of the working group.
Ambrose says Canada has no chance of meeting its Kyoto targets, which call for a 6 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2012. Canada's emissions are now 35 percent above the 1990 levels.
"The protocol must be more effective if it is to continue as a key instrument to address global climate change ... different types of commitments and longer term horizons should be considered," read Canada's submission to the conference. Ottawa released the paper late on Thursday.
A coalition of environmental groups this week demanded Ambrose resign as the chairwoman of the talks, saying her opposition to Kyoto meant she could do great damage to the process of working out what to do after 2012.
The Conservatives' main power base is in the western, energy-rich province of Alberta, as is Ambrose's political district. Canadian emissions are set to soar further as Alberta's oil sands are exploited.
The submission paper said "any future approaches to commitments" under the next stage of Kyoto should reflect a specific national circumstances.
"Considerations such as the nature of a country's economy (eg. resource-based and/or energy intensive), temperature and distance between urban centers are important," it said.
"Some countries are also net energy exporters whose exports provide other countries with opportunities to switch to cleaner sources of fuel," it continued.
The paper was clearly referring to Canada, which is the largest exporter of energy to the United States. Canada, which has a northerly climate, is also the world's second largest country and has a resource- and energy-based economy.
The submission said Kyoto signatories should "recognize a broad range of approaches to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions". The paper also said voluntary approaches should be considered.
Ambrose says Canada backed a breakaway group of six nations that favors a voluntary approach to cutting emissions. The group includes the United States, which abandoned Kyoto in 2001 on the grounds it would cause economic damage.
Ambrose says the government is working on a made-in-Canada plan to tackle climate change and will not try to meet its Kyoto target by buying emissions credits abroad.
She told the National Post newspaper on Friday that the government could regulate large emitters of greenhouse gases such as oil companies and power generators. These facilities would be allowed to buy emissions credits under a trading system which has yet to be created, she added.
Story by David Ljunggren
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
