The Harper government's new target
for greenhouse gas reductions, announced on January 30, 2010, is 17
per cent below 2005 levels by 2020
The government's previous target
(adopted in 2006 as part of the government's "Turning the Corner"
climate change plan) was a 20 per cent reduction below 2006 levels
by 2020.
Greenhouse gas emissions are
typically referenced to 1990, which is the emissions base year used
by the Kyoto Protocol.
A 17 per cent reduction from the 2005
level by 2020 would actually mean that Canada's emissions target
would increase to 2.5 per cent above 1990 levels.
The government's previous target (a
20 per cent reduction from the 2006 level by 2020) would have
reduced emissions to 3 per cent below 1990
levels.
Canadian greenhouse gas emissions
were 731 million tonnes in 2005; 718 million tonnes in 2006; and
747 million tonnes in 2007 (the most recent year for which data is
available). Reference: Environment Canada, National Inventory
Report 1990-2007
Greenpeace and other environmental
groups have called on Canada to adopt a science-based emissions
reduction target of at least 25 per cent below 1990 levels by the
year 2020.
The Harper government says it changed
its target as part of a submission requested under the Copenhagen
Accord by January 31, 2010 (see paragraph 4 of the Accord).
Greenpeace and other environmental
organizations have denounced the Copenhagen Accord as a totally
inadequate document that undermines the United Nations negotiating
process.
The Accord is not legally binding;
its fails to provide an aggregate science-based reduction target
for industrialized nations; and has no firm financial commitments
to support emission reductions and adaptation to the impacts of
climate change in the world's poorest and most vulnerable
countries.
The Harper government target is even
inconsistent with the Accord, which calls on parties to the Kyoto
Protocol to "further strengthen" their commitments under the
Protocol (see paragraph 4 of the Accord). Canada's binding
commitment under the Kyoto Protocol was to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions 6 per cent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.
Far from strengthening Canada's Kyoto
commitment, the Harper government's new greenhouse gas target of
606.7 million tonnes in 2020, is actually 9 per cent
above Canada's legally binding Kyoto target of 558.4
million tonnes, which was supposed to have been achieved by the end
of 2012.
Environment Minister Prentice's
rationale for the new target is "harmonization" with the same
target adopted by the American Congress in the American Clean
Energy and Security Act (the Waxman - Markey bill).
Canada should provide leadership on
climate change, not follow a bad lead from Washington.
It is worth noting that the impact of
the U.S. and Canadian targets is different. In the U.S., emissions
are expected to be 3 to 4 per cent below 1990 levels
in 2020. The Harper government target (if achieved) would result in
Canadian emissions about 2.5 per cent above 1990
levels in 2020.
Environment Canada, National Inventory Report
1990-2007
http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_e.cfm
Copenhagen Accord (draft version December 18, 2009)
http://unfccc.int/files/meetings/cop_15/application/pdf/cop15_cph_auv.pdf