KYOTOplus Pledge for Canadian Politicians

Global warming is an unequivocal threat to our environment, our economy and to peoples’ lives.

Nations must work together to limit global warming to as far below 2° Celsius (relative to the pre-industrial level) as possible, because scientists have shown that, otherwise, the consequences of global warming are likely to be catastrophic. This will require a 25 to 40 per cent reduction (from 1990 levels) of greenhouse gas emissions by the world’s developed countries by 2020.

Therefore, I believe that Canadians deserve a government that will take responsibility for our share of the international effort to limit global warming to less than 2° Celsius.

As an elected official, I will work to ensure that Canada honours its Kyoto commitment and sets a national target of cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 per cent, relative to the 1990 level, by 2020. I will also work to ensure that Canada has a credible plan to meet our 2020 target.

To achieve this end, I will support:

• a just price on greenhouse gas pollution
• world-leading regulations and effective investments to cut greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles, buildings and other sectors
• strong measures in support of energy conservation and renewable energy, and
• urgent measures to minimize climate change impacts on people and ecosystems here and abroad.

Canada must be a leader at the international negotiations on the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol. All countries in the world will discuss reductions of greenhouse gas emissions that must be achieved globally. These crucial negotiations will wrap up in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009. Canada cannot let the world down.