XPost: can.politics, ab.politics, ont.politics   
   XPost: mtl.general   
   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   December 5, 2014 - Globe and Mail   
      
      
   Canada /Harper government  sticks to its line on the oil sands at UN climate   
   summit   
      
      
   Aglukkaq heads to UN meeting defiantly backing Ottawa's stand on greenhouse-gas   
   emissions, even as the world sees us as laggards   
      
   Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq heads to the United Nations climate summit   
   this weekend with no new targets and no commitment to action on Canada's   
   fastest growing source of greenhouse gases in the oil sands, but with a pledge   
   to crack down on a little-known chemical that represents a tiny portion of this   
   country's emissions.   ^_^;   
      
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   Ms. Aglukkaq will join global environment ministers in Lima next week as   
   negotiators attempt to reach a draft agreement that would commit countries to   
   aggressive action on climate change, and provide poorer countries with   
   assistance to reduce emissions and adapt to the punishing weather conditions of   
   a warming planet.   
      
   On Friday, the minister announced that Ottawa will enact new regulations to   
   control hydrofluorocarbons, which are used in air conditioning and heating.   
   The powerful short-term greenhouse gases account for only 1 per cent of   
   Canada's overall emissions. But she reiterated that Ottawa will not move to   
   regulate emissions from the   
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   oil sands until the United States is ready to address its oil industry – a   
   decision that, according to many analysts, makes it virtually impossible for   
   Canada to hit its 2020 target.   
      
   While the United States, China and the European Union have announced new   
   emissions targets, the Canadian government faces mounting skepticism about its   
   commitment to meet 2020 targets, and is a long way from announcing its goals   
   for 2025 or 2030.   
      
   "What I can say now is that it is too early to give a definitive date and   
   target timelines," Ms. Aglukkaq said in an interview.  "It is important to   
   remember that Canada's targets are national which means the provinces and   
   territories will have to play a role in that."  She has convened a   
   federal-provincial-territorial meeting for late February to discuss new   
   post-2020 goals, though the United Nations has asked all countries to submit   
   their targets by the end of March.   
      
   The Conservative government insists it is committed to climate action. On   
   Friday, Ms. Aglukkaq highlighted past measures, including a 2012 rule to   
   'EVENTUALLY' phase out traditional coal-fired power, and new fuel mileage   
   standards for automobiles that were essentially set by Washington and agreed to   
   by Ottawa.   
      
   "We have taken decisive action," she said.  "We were the first country in the   
   world to ban traditional coal-fired electricity.  Our record speaks for itself:   
   we have reduced emissions in Canada without affecting the economy."   
      
   	[This is the 'decisive action' she's fabricating . . .]   
   	Under the new rules, companies will not be able to commence construction of a   
   new coal-fired power plant after July 1, 2015,   <<===   
            UNLESS it is equipped with carbon-capture and storage (CCS) technology   
   that would bring greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) down to a level of   
   high-efficiency gas plants.   
      
   But she carries to Lima the perception of a government that is a laggard –   
   one   
   that is more interested in promoting exports of a high-carbon source of crude   
   oil than in pursuing a national plan to reduce emissions.   
      
   UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week challenged Canada to show leadership   
   on climate change in its role as a G7 nation. In an interview with the CBC, he   
   urged Ottawa "to become ambitious and visionary for the global future of people   
   and the planet."   
      
   NDP MP Peter Julian said Ottawa should be in a position to put forward   
   ambitious post-2020 targets.   
      
   "It shows shows the lack of seriousness of the Canadian government," he said.   
   "She is basically going to Lima empty-handed."   
      
   Ms. Aglukkaq rejected that characterization.   
      
   "Our government will continue to work constructively with our international   
   partners to establish a fair and effective international agreement that   
   includes all major emitters and we remain committed to that," she said.   
      
   "I would say they are showing up with another meaningless announcement," said   
   Dale Marshall of Toronto-based Environmental Defence. "What they need to be   
   regulating is the oil and gas sector which is the fastest growing source of   
   emissions in the country."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)