-
Home
- What we do
- About Greenpeace
- Take action
- Volunteer
- Donate
- Photos and video
- Documents and links
- Fun and games
- email newsletter
- Recent developments
- Job opportunities
- Greenpeace Living Guide
- Press centre
Pages above:
Canada and climate change
Under Kyoto, different countries have different targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Canada has agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels.
The federal government, however, has failed to make a substantial dent in our emissions. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions in Canada have risen by 20 per cent since 1990. Emissions have increased due to a number of factors: approximately 28 per cent from vehicles, 28 per cent from electricity and heat generation and 22 per cent from the oil and gas industry.
Greenpeace is lobbying the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 30 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020. We have also set a future target of 70 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.
In the short term, we are asking the federal government to focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the Kyoto commitment period of 2008 to 2012.
Greenpeace has advanced a number of strategies for Canada to meet our Kyoto commitment including:
The federal government, however, has failed to make a substantial dent in our emissions. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions in Canada have risen by 20 per cent since 1990. Emissions have increased due to a number of factors: approximately 28 per cent from vehicles, 28 per cent from electricity and heat generation and 22 per cent from the oil and gas industry.
Greenpeace is lobbying the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 30 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020. We have also set a future target of 70 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.
In the short term, we are asking the federal government to focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the Kyoto commitment period of 2008 to 2012.
Greenpeace has advanced a number of strategies for Canada to meet our Kyoto commitment including:
- Enforce real rules and give incentives for reductions. Up to now, the government has been relying primarily on voluntary measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To really reduce Canada's climate impact, we need mandatory regulatory measures and powerful incentive programs.
- Force polluters to take responsibility. Tough mandatory caps must be placed on all large industrial polluters including the electricity sector. In addition, an effective emissions trading system should be put in place. Today, large industrial polluters are responsible for half of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace believes they should be responsible for half the reductions.
- Don't trade away the problem. Under the Kyoto Protocol, polluters can purchase emissions credits from other countries. That means we can trade our pollution for another country's reductions (or the low emissions rate they already have). Greenpeace believes that Canada should not place too much emphasis on Kyoto's 'flexibility mechanisms.' We should work to solve the problem, not to trade it away.
- Stop subsidies for dirty power. Canada should not provide support for fossil fuels or nuclear power. These subsidies should be transferred to green energy and energy efficiency.
