Canada to Pull Out of Kyoto?

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Liberal party has gone down to defeat in the country’s national election. The Conservative party, under leader Stephen Harper, will form the next government. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Dan Karpenchuk reports… there is some concern among environmental groups that Harper will pull out of the Kyoto Protocol:

Transcript

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Liberal party has gone down to
defeat in the country’s national election. The Conservative party, under
leader Stephen Harper, will form the next government. The Great Lakes
Radio Consortium’s Dan Karpenchuk reports… there is some concern
among environmental groups that Harper will pull out of the Kyoto
Protocol:


Stephen Harper won the election by persuading voters it was time for a
change, but the fact that he was given only a thin minority, demonstrates
that Canadians aren’t completely sold on his policies, among them his
position on the Kyoto Accord to reduce heat trapping gases. Harper said
only days before the election that he will reconsider Canada’s position on
Kyoto.


“You know, I’ve said for a long time, we’re not going to be able to achieve
the Kyoto targets in Canada. That’s just a fact, I’m sorry we lost a decade
finding that out.”


Harper said he wants to move Canada beyond Kyoto and bring in his
own clean air act, but a coalition of social advocacy and citizens groups,
formed just before the election, said they had deep misgivings about a
Conservative victory.


At least one environmentalist said it would mean a complete reversal for
Canada, the end of its commitment to the Kyoto protocol, and bring
Ottawa closer in line with Washington’s policies on global warming.


For the GLRC I’m Dan Karpenchuk.

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Prime Minister Renews Support for Kyoto

Environmentalists are praising Canada’s new prime minister for his promise to meet the goals laid out by the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports:

Transcript

Environmentalists are praising Canada’s new prime minister for his promise to meet the goals laid
out by the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly
reports:


In his first week in office, Canadian prime minister Paul Martin promised that Canada would meet
its Kyoto target. The country has pledged to reduce greenhouse gases by 30-percent in the next 8
years. Martin’s plan includes new spending on environmental innovations that will conserve energy.


John Bennett of the Climate Change Action Network says it’s a commitment that will reap large
rewards.


“If we now were to turn our investment dollars into conservation and efficiency, we could not only
make a profit, but we could reach the Kyoto targets at the same time.”


The Kyoto treaty will not become legally binding unless Russia signs on as well. Russian officials
have yet to make a decision. But both Canada and the EU have pledged to meet the Kyoto targets
regardless.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Karen Kelly in Ottawa.

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