Greenpeace pressures Ottawa on Tar Sands emissions at UN Climate Conference

LEARN MORE

• Canada's Tar Sands and environmental destruction
• Greenpeace outlines positive role for Canada
• Documents about the Poznan talks

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• Greenpeace Canada's voice: The KYOTOplus Weblog
• Greenpeace International's voice: The Climate Rescue Weblog

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• Tell the leaders that The World is watching
• Sign on to KYOTOplus to ask for action on Global Warming

 

Canada, and especially the Harper government, has done nothing to fight global warming. The enormous emissions from the tar sands are making Canada’s problems of reducing greenhouse gas emissions much worse.

In Poznan, Greenpeace has one of the most influential and largest non-government delegations. Greenpeace climate and energy coordinator Dave Martin, from Toronto, is a key part of the delegation.

Martin, a respected energy researcher with 30 years experience as an activist, is tracking Canada’s participation in Poznan. He will promote the “Stop the Tar Sands” campaign to international groups and delegations. Martin will also highlight Canada’s poor record on global warming. (Read Martin’s blogs from Poznan (link).

In addition, Martin will ensure that reporters and delegates are aware of the failure of the Alberta government to reduce the environmental destruction and the greenhouse gas emissions of the tar sands. Alberta has announced that its environment minister will attend the conference as part of the Canadian delegation.

Greenpeace has targeted Canada as one of the worst developed countries that must be turned around if the world is to prevent catastrophic climate change. This Canadian turnaround starts with stopping the tar sands.

Greenpeace will work in Poznan with international delegations and other environmental organizations to help convince the Harper government to commit to a science-based target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions at least 25 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.

Greenpeace has scheduled meetings on its energy revolution plan and on forest protection and other issues at the conference. Staff will also hold frequent briefings with the media to respond to talks. Greenpeace has also released briefing documents for Poznan on climate issues.

The UN conference in Poznan, from December 1 to 12, marks the crucial halfway point in international discussions to develop an agreement to strengthen and extend the Kyoto Protocol at the historic Copenhagen conference in December 2009.

Canada must also be convinced to strongly support efforts in Poznan to develop a work plan that will lead to an agreement at the Copenhagen conference.

Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2002 and committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. Since signing, Canadian governments have collectively:

• Had no intention of implementing the reductions of the Kyoto Protocol,
• Allowed emissions to increase almost 30 per cent over the Kyoto Protocol target
• Allowed the tar sands to become the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada
• Failed to implement science-based targets for reductions to prevent catastrophic climate change
• Blocked progress on climate change at the Bali climate conference in 2007 and not participated positively in subsequent climate meetings

A poll commissioned by Greenpeace and three other groups, and released December 2, and the results of the October federal election show that a majority of Canadians want their government to fight global warming, the most serious environmental problem facing the world.

Greenpeace and 30 other environmental groups are mobilizing Canadians through KYOTOplus to demand real action on global warming.

KYOTOplus is a campaign through which Canadians can apply pressure on the Harper government for action. Thousands have already signed the KYOTOplus petition, which is an important first step in supporting the campaign. The KYOTOplus website has ideas on how you can get more active in the campaign.

Strong support from the international community in Poznan to turnaround Canada will put added pressure on the Harper government to fight global warming.