Mike De Souza
“Conservatives deny diplomatic push to shield oilsands from U.S. environmental rules”
Postmedia News
29 November 2010
The Harper government dismissed accusations Monday that its environmental policies were focused on protecting the Alberta oilsands, in light of newly-released documents showing some oil-friendly Canadian diplomats attempting to undermine foreign environmental policies.
The documents were released as international negotiators from almost 200 countries gather in Cancun, Mexico, for the annual United Nations climate change summit. They also coincide with an acknowledgment from Environment Minister John Baird last weekend that Canada would not follow the lead of the Obama administration in its plans to set new limits on greenhouse gas pollution from new industrial facilities and major expansions to existing ones starting in the year 2011.
Baird said Monday that his government was still working “very closely” with the U.S. government and President Barack Obama.
“We will harmonize regulations in the transportation sector and we’ll find the equivalent in other cases,” Baird said in the House of Commons in response to questions from Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe. “It is absolutely essential that we work together with our partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have already made recommendations for large polluters that produce electricity from coal. Canada is the first country in the world to do this.”
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer interested in following the example set by the United States on climate change is very simple. It’s because the new regulations regarding clean energy would hurt the oilsands sector.” – Gilles Duceppe
But environmental groups say the lack of a detailed climate change plan in Canada, along with revelations from the documents, demonstrate that the Harper government is not making a strong effort to crack down on pollution linked to global warming.
“The fact is in barely a few weeks from now, the U.S. is going to have federal regulations in place for industrial greenhouse gas pollution,” said Matthew Bramley, director of climate change at the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based environmental research group. “Meantime, in Ottawa, there is no sign of Canadian federal regulations for industrial greenhouse gas pollution.”
The newly-released documents revealed that the Harper government was actually trying to weaken U.S. environmental policies behind the scenes. The documents include emails from diplomats at Canada’s embassy in Washington, D.C., who had contacted officials from companies such as ExxonMobil and BP, urging them to speak with U.S. politicians on the hill about policies that could harm Alberta’s oilsands industry, Postmedia News reported on Monday.
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer interested in following the example set by the United States on climate change is very simple,” said Duceppe in the Commons. “It’s because the new regulations regarding clean energy would hurt the oilsands sector. Will the prime minister admit that his priority is not to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but rather to protect the interests of the oil industry?”
Bramley said the new U.S. regulations, which consist of issuing permits that force polluters to pay, are not ideal and still do not address pollution from existing facilities, but he said that it could represent the start of a plan to address the rapidly-expanding oilsands sector in Canada that has seen its emissions triple since 1990.
There are virtually no expectations of reaching a binding deal on global warming in Cancun following the 2009 summit in Copenhagen that failed to produce such an agreement to succeed the current phase of the Kyoto Protocol which ends in 2012.
The Kyoto agreement was the first international deal that forces most developed countries to meet legally-binding targets to cap their industrial emissions of greenhouse gas emissions which trap heat in the atmosphere and can contribute to global warming. Scientists say the world must dramatically slash the emissions, primarily resulting from the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline or coal, within decades, if not years, to avoid irreversible damage to the planet’s ecosystems.
But many countries have refused to sign on to new legally-binding targets without guarantees that major polluting nations such as the U.S., China, and India would also accept mandatory caps on pollution. The Harper government and other countries have argued that they would be at an economic disadvantage if they are forced to crack down on fossil fuel companies without similar action abroad.
Countries at the Cancun summit believe they can make progress on some aspects of a final agreement such as sorting out details for funding from developed countries to help developing countries cope with the impacts of climate change. They are also hoping to make progress on stopping deforestation, one of the leading sources of global greenhouse gas emissions, as well negotiating the rules for reporting and measuring commitments made by all countries in the deal.
Mike De Souza
“Conservatives deny diplomatic push to shield oilsands
from U.S. environmental rules”
Postmedia News
29 November 2010
The Harper government dismissed accusations Monday that its
environmental policies were focused on protecting the Alberta oilsands,
in light of newly-released documents showing some oil-friendly Canadian
diplomats attempting to undermine foreign environmental policies.
The documents were released as international negotiators from almost 200
countries gather in Cancun, Mexico, for the annual United Nations
climate change summit. They also coincide with an acknowledgment from
Environment Minister John Baird last weekend that Canada would not
follow the lead of the Obama administration in its plans to set new
limits on greenhouse gas pollution from new industrial facilities and
major expansions to existing ones starting in the year 2011.
Baird said Monday that his government was still working “very closely”
with the U.S. government and President Barack Obama.
“We will harmonize regulations in the transportation sector and we’ll
find the equivalent in other cases,” Baird said in the House of Commons
in response to questions from Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe. “It
is absolutely essential that we work together with our partners to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have already made recommendations
for large polluters that produce electricity from coal. Canada is the
first country in the world to do this.”
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer
interested in following the example set by the United States on climate
change is very simple. It’s because the new regulations regarding clean
energy would hurt the oilsands sector.” – Gilles Duceppe
But environmental groups say the lack of a detailed climate change plan
in Canada, along with revelations from the documents, demonstrate that
the Harper government is not making a strong effort to crack down on
pollution linked to global warming.
“The fact is in barely a few weeks from now, the U.S. is going to have
federal regulations in place for industrial greenhouse gas pollution,”
said Matthew Bramley, director of climate change at the Pembina
Institute, an Alberta-based environmental research group. “Meantime, in
Ottawa, there is no sign of Canadian federal regulations for industrial
greenhouse gas pollution.”
The newly-released documents revealed that the Harper government was
actually trying to weaken U.S. environmental policies behind the scenes.
The documents include emails from diplomats at Canada’s embassy in
Washington, D.C., who had contacted officials from companies such as
ExxonMobil and BP, urging them to speak with U.S. politicians on the
hill about policies that could harm Alberta’s oilsands industry,
Postmedia News reported on Monday.
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer interested in
following the example set by the United States on climate change is very
simple,” said Duceppe in the Commons. “It’s because the new regulations
regarding clean energy would hurt the oilsands sector. Will the prime
minister admit that his priority is not to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, but rather to protect the interests of the oil industry?”
Bramley said the new U.S. regulations, which consist of issuing permits
that force polluters to pay, are not ideal and still do not address
pollution from existing facilities, but he said that it could represent
the start of a plan to address the rapidly-expanding oilsands sector in
Canada that has seen its emissions triple since 1990.
There are virtually no expectations of reaching a binding deal on global
warming in Cancun following the 2009 summit in Copenhagen that failed to
produce such an agreement to succeed the current phase of the Kyoto
Protocol which ends in 2012.
The Kyoto agreement was the first international deal that forces most
developed countries to meet legally-binding targets to cap their
industrial emissions of greenhouse gas emissions which trap heat in the
atmosphere and can contribute to global warming. Scientists say the
world must dramatically slash the emissions, primarily resulting from
the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline or coal, within decades, if
not years, to avoid irreversible damage to the planet’s ecosystems.
But many countries have refused to sign on to new legally-binding
targets without guarantees that major polluting nations such as the
U.S., China, and India would also accept mandatory caps on pollution.
The Harper government and other countries have argued that they would be
at an economic disadvantage if they are forced to crack down on fossil
fuel companies without similar action abroad.
Countries at the Cancun summit believe they can make progress on some
aspects of a final agreement such as sorting out details for funding
from developed countries to help developing countries cope with the
impacts of climate change. They are also hoping to make progress on
stopping deforestation, one of the leading sources of global greenhouse
gas emissions, as well negotiating the rules for reporting and measuring
commitments made by all countries in the deal.
Mike De de Souza
“Conservatives deny diplomatic push Gov’t
denies bid to shield oilsands from U.S. environmental
rules”
Postmedia News
Edmonton Journal
29
30
November 2010
A5
The Harper government dismissed accusations Monday that its
environmental policies were focused on protecting the Alberta oilsands,
in light of newly- newly released documents showing
some oil-friendly Canadian diplomats attempting to undermine foreign
environmental policies.
The documents were released as international negotiators from almost
200 countries gather in Cancun, Mexico, for the annual United Nations
climate change summit. They also coincide with an acknowledgment from
Environment Minister John Baird last weekend that Canada would not
follow the lead of the Obama administration in its plans to set new
limits on greenhouse greenhouse-gas pollution from
new industrial facilities and major expansions to existing ones starting
in the year 2011.
Baird said Monday that his government was still working “very closely” with the U.S. government and President Barack Obama.
“We will harmonize regulations in the transportation sector and we’ll
find the equivalent in other cases,” Baird said in the House of Commons
in response to questions from Bloc Quebecois
leader Leader Gilles Duceppe. “It is absolutely
essential that we work together with our partners to reduce
greenhouse greenhouse-gas emissions. We have
already made recommendations for large polluters that produce
electricity from coal. Canada is the first country in the world to do
this.”
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer
interested in following the example set by the United States on climate
change is very simple. It’s because the new regulations regarding clean
energy would hurt the oilsands sector.” – Gilles Duceppe
But environmental groups say the lack of a detailed climate change plan in Canada, along with revelations from the documents, demonstrate that the Harper government is not making a strong effort to crack down on pollution linked to global warming.
“The fact is in barely a few weeks from now, the U.S. is going to
have federal regulations in place for industrial greenhouse
greenhouse-gas pollution,” said Matthew Bramley,
director of climate change at the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based
environmental research group. “Meantime, in Ottawa, there is no sign of
Canadian federal regulations for industrial greenhouse
greenhouse-gas pollution.”
The newly- newly released documents revealed
that the Harper government was actually trying to weaken U.S.
environmental policies behind the scenes. The documents include
emails e-mails from diplomats at Canada’s embassy
in Washington, D.C., who had contacted officials from
companies such as ExxonMobil and BP, urging them to speak with U.S.
politicians on the hill about policies that could harm Alberta’s
oilsands industry, Postmedia News reported on Monday.
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer interested
in following the example set by the United States on climate change is
very simple,” said Duceppe in the Commons. “It’s because the new
regulations regarding clean energy would hurt the oilsands sector.
Will the prime minister admit that his priority is not to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, but rather to protect the interests of the oil
industry?”
Bramley said the new U.S. regulations, which consist of issuing
permits that force polluters to pay, are not ideal and still do not
address pollution from existing facilities, but he said that it
could represent the start of a plan to address the
rapidly- rapidly expanding oilsands sector in
Canada that has seen its emissions triple since
1990. sector.
There are virtually no expectations of reaching a binding deal on global
warming in Cancun following the 2009 summit in Copenhagen that failed to
produce such an agreement to succeed the current phase of the Kyoto
Protocol which ends in 2012.
The Kyoto agreement was the first international deal that forces most
developed countries to meet legally-binding targets to cap their
industrial emissions of greenhouse gas emissions which trap heat in the
atmosphere and can contribute to global warming. Scientists say the
world must dramatically slash the emissions, primarily resulting from
the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline or coal, within decades, if
not years, to avoid irreversible damage to the planet’s ecosystems.
But many countries have refused to sign on to new legally-binding
targets without guarantees that major polluting nations such as the
U.S., China, and India would also accept mandatory caps on pollution.
The Harper government and other countries have argued that they would be
at an economic disadvantage if they are forced to crack down on fossil
fuel companies without similar action abroad.
Countries at the Cancun summit believe they can make progress on some
aspects of a final agreement such as sorting out details for funding
from developed countries to help developing countries cope with the
impacts of climate change. They are also hoping to make progress on
stopping deforestation, one of the leading sources of global greenhouse
gas emissions, as well negotiating the rules for reporting and measuring
commitments made by all countries in the deal.
Mike De Souza
“Conservatives deny diplomatic push Ottawa
waves off claim it lobbied for oilsands: Documents show diplomats
trying to shield oilsands from weaken U.S.
environmental rules policy”
Postmedia News
Calgary Herald
29
30
November 2010
A7
The Harper government dismissed accusations Monday that its
environmental policies were focused on protecting the Alberta oilsands,
in light of newly- newly released documents showing
some oil-friendly Canadian diplomats attempting to undermine foreign
environmental policies.
The documents were released as international negotiators from almost
200 countries gather in Cancun, Mexico, for the annual United Nations
climate change summit. They also coincide with an acknowledgment from
Environment Minister John Baird last weekend that Canada would not
follow the lead of the Obama administration in its plans to set new
limits on greenhouse gas pollution emissions from
new industrial facilities and major expansions to existing ones starting
in the year 2011. next year.
Baird said Monday that his government was still working
“very closely” with the U.S. government and President Barack Obama.
“We will harmonize regulations in the transportation sector and we’ll
find the equivalent in other cases,” Baird said in the House of Commons
in response to questions from Bloc Quebecois
leader Leader Gilles Duceppe. “It is absolutely
essential that we work together with our partners to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. We have already made recommendations for large polluters
that produce electricity from coal. Canada is the first country in the
world to do this.”
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer
interested in following the example set by the United States on climate
change is very simple. It’s because the new regulations regarding clean
energy would hurt the oilsands sector.” – Gilles Duceppe
But environmental groups say the lack of a detailed climate change
plan in Canada, along with revelations from the documents, demonstrate
that the Harper government is not making a strong effort to
crack down on pollution emissions linked to global
warming.
“The fact is in barely a few weeks from now, the U.S. is going to
have federal regulations in place for industrial greenhouse gas
pollution, emissions,” said Matthew Bramley,
director of climate change at the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based
environmental research group. “Meantime, in Ottawa, there is no sign of
Canadian federal regulations for industrial greenhouse gas
pollution. emissions.”
The newly- newly released documents
revealed that the Harper government was actually
trying to weaken U.S. environmental policies behind the scenes. The
documents include emails e-mails from diplomats at
Canada’s embassy in Washington, D.C., who had contacted officials from
companies such as ExxonMobil and BP, urging them to speak with U.S.
politicians on the hill about policies that could harm Alberta’s
oilsands industry, Postmedia News reported on Monday.
“The reason why the Conservative government is no longer interested in following the example set by the United States on climate change is very simple,” said Duceppe in the Commons. “It’s because the new regulations regarding clean energy would hurt the oilsands sector. Will the prime minister admit that his priority is not to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but rather to protect the interests of the oil industry?”
Bramley said the new U.S. regulations, which consist of issuing
permits that force polluters emitters to pay, are
not ideal and still do not address
pollution emissions from existing facilities, but
he said that it could represent the start of a plan to
address the rapidly- rapidly expanding oilsands
sector in Canada that has seen its emissions triple since 1990.
There are virtually no expectations of reaching a binding deal on
global warming in Cancun following the 2009 summit in Copenhagen that
failed to produce such an agreement to succeed the current phase of the
Kyoto Protocol Protocol, which ends in 2012.
The Kyoto agreement was the first international deal that forces most
developed countries to meet legally-binding targets to cap their
industrial emissions of greenhouse gas emissions which trap heat in the
atmosphere and can contribute to global warming. Scientists say the
world must dramatically slash the emissions, primarily resulting from
the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline or coal, within decades, if
not years, to avoid irreversible damage to the planet’s ecosystems.
But many countries have refused to sign on to new legally-binding
targets without guarantees that major polluting nations such as the
U.S., China, and India would also accept mandatory caps on pollution.
The Harper government and other countries have argued that they would be
at an economic disadvantage if they are forced to crack down on fossil
fuel companies without similar action abroad.
Countries at the Cancun summit believe they can make progress on some
aspects of a final agreement such as sorting out details for funding
from developed countries to help developing countries cope with the
impacts of climate change. They are also hoping to make progress on
stopping deforestation, one of the leading sources of global greenhouse
gas emissions, as well negotiating the rules for reporting and measuring
commitments made by all countries in the deal.