Tories to Finally Withdraw from Kyoto

And another square in "Reform Party Bingo" gets checked off...

The Conservative government is planning to give its more fervent supporters one final gift right before Christmas break by removing Canada from the Kyoto Protocol. Granted, this is just a formality, as Canada hasn't been actively trying to reach its Kyoto targets for greenhouse gas reductions since at least 2006 when the Tories first came to power. CTV reports that the Tories are expected to make an announcement about Canada's withdrawal from the environmental treaty just before Christmas. The treaty, created in 1997, required developed countries such as Canada to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 per cent from their 1990 levels. Needless to say, Canada hasn't come anywhere close to doing that despite ratifying the agreement during the Jean Chretien years. The Conservatives and other Kyoto opponents have long maintained that any climate treaty that doesn't require countries such as India, China, or Brazil to limit their greenhouse gas emissions is unfair. Environment Minister Peter Kent is currently in Durban, South Africa, for another round of climate talks that could lead to billions more money being handed over to the Green Climate Fund, a reserve of money to assist developing countries protect themselves from the effects of climate change.

Related:

Do the Climate Negotiations Matter?

Canada and the Quest to Kill Kyoto