What are Canada’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol?

Canada must cut average greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to 6% (240 megatonnes) below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. The current federal plan only covers 180 MT of GHG reductions. Emissions in 2000 exceeded 1990 by 20% and continue to grow at an alarming rate. Above and beyond the question of meeting Kyoto is the larger issue of reducing GHG emissions to sustainable levels. A realistic target to prevent an increase in atmospheric GHGs would put Canada’s long-term reductions somewhere in the order of 50%.

How can Canada meet its targets and timetables?
Canada must shift from a fossil-fuel based economy to a green energy economy. To do this, Canada will need to move decisively to renewable forms of energy. Canada should aim at generating 50-80% of its energy from low-impact renewable sources. Today, exclusive of mega-hydro sources, just 1.2% of Canada’s electricity today comes from renewable sources.

What will it cost?
The 2003 Federal Budget announced $2 billion to meet Kyoto targets and for provisions dealing with lowering GHG emissions. This included targets for the Large Final Emitters Sector (LFEs) and Energy. $1 billion of this has been committed for specific items, including increased investment for renewable energy:

$25 million of federal funding to green heat technologies (eg. low-impact renewable non-fossil fuel based technologies such as geo-thermal technology) to reduce GHG emissions;

$142 million to green fuels (eg. hydrogen, ethanol);

$30 million to decentralized energy (eg. Electricity generated from small hydro installations, tidal and solar power);

$74 million program offering rebates of as much as $1,000 for Canadians who retrofit their homes to make them more energy-efficient;

$56.6-million to fund the energy-efficient retrofitting of existing commercial and religious buildings.

What would a national renewable energy program look like?
Governments have regularly intervened in energy markets to support oil, gas and nuclear power. An equal effort is required to create a long-term plan for renewable energy and to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

To level the playing field and to free up money to finance other priorities, the government should phase out all preferential tax treatment for fossil fuel exploration and production over the next four years. It should also phase out subsidies for nuclear energy generation, as well as create a package of preferential tax treatment for investment in energy efficiency, conservation, co-generation and non-thermal electricity generating renewable energy projects.

Canada needs a national transportation strategy
According to Environment Canada 12% of our GHG emissions come from cars and light trucks. Automakers have a voluntary agreement in the Climate Change Plan for Canada to produce 25% more fuel-efficient cars by 2010, but many are resisting.

Finally, we need a strategy for improving urban transit: for example, if just 150 buses on the road in Canada today were to be converted to hybrid and fuel cell engines, Canada would save as much fuel as all the hybrid passenger cars that have already been sold in Canada.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Will you support a National Renewable Energy Plan?

Will you create a National Transportation Strategy?