China Blasts Canada's Kyoto Stance

... but is still more than happy to invest billions into the oil sands.

Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency, has published an editorial slamming Canada for flirting with the idea of formally withdrawing from the Kyoto climate accord. Comparing Canadian efforts at the Durban conference to scuttle Kyoto to "[smashing] a pot to pieces just because it is cracked," the Xinhua commentary vowed that some delegations are "angry and some are depressed, but whatever the expression made by each delegation, they are united in their criticism of Canada." Way to go, team Canada! One of the main goals at the Durban conference has been to extend the Kyoto accord past its 2012 deadline. Canada and the U.S. have both maintained that they will refuse to enter into any climate pact that doesn't require developing nations, such as India, Brazil, or China, to undertake the same sacrifices as developed economies. And if Canada and the U.S. don't sign on for an extension, than other major polluters, like Japan and Russia, have said they won't sign either. The Chinese criticism comes after South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu urged Canada to stop coddling the oil sands, and after the British press slammed Canadian lobbying efforts to get the U.K. to convince the European Union to open its borders to Canadian oil.