Harper told reporters: "In the short term, people say, 'well, just implement the Kyoto target. Cut energy used by a third in the next five years.' There's no way you can do that without devastating the Canadian economy."
United Nations Environment Program head Achim Steiner warning Canada about abandoning Kyoto:
Achim Steiner says Canadian business could be left out of major profit opportunities created by an international emissions trading system that he predicts will be worth $100 billion in 10 years...
For example, a Canadian company could design and build a solar power project in Africa, creating credits which then could be sold on the international market. In this way, emissions cuts would be obtained wherever they can be done at lowest cost.
According to the Stern Review, recently published by the UK government, markets for low-carbon energy products will likely be worth at least $500 billion per year by 2050.
Fear mongering or opportunity? Let's say both views are exaggerations. Call it an economic draw and let the environment win. Sounds good to me.
8 comments:
The problem is the cuts are over 5 years. Thats really fast for an economy wide decrease of that amount. Are you willing to give up your car? Or heat? or 35% of both?
manley
Isn't that what the carbon trading mechanism avoids?
The carbon trading mechanism essentially says this:
You failed to meet your Kyoto goals. Hence you will pay billions out your nose to fund projects like the described so that you can still claim to have 'met' your Kyoto goals.
The benefit comes from taking advantage of opportunities to cut carbon emissions in places where it is easier to do.
For example: to improve energy efficiency at a modern Canadian factory is easier than improving energy efficiency in a Soviet-era factory in say Nigeria.
In any case, it either requires the Canadian government to pay out billions of dollars (and either raise taxes or cut social programs) or to kill our economy trying to meet Kyoto.
My mistake, I said "to improve energy efficiency at a modern Canadian factory is easier than improving..."
I should have said "to improve energy efficiency at a mordern Canadian factory is more difficult than improving.. "
I have no problem with carbon trading within Canada, but sending billions out of the country, BIG problem.
Ambrose's idea is best. Use the carbon trading billions to develop ghg reduction technology here and sell it to other countries.
In my opinion, the only way out now is to develop the technology to become a more environmentally friendly nation and to use tax breaks to encourage environmentally friendly behaviour. (like the Energuide program).
carbon trading is an ungly pyramid scheme built to capture dollars from hot western economies.
Rumor has it Maurice Strong was angling for a piece. (Canadian Wheat Board of carbon?).
How much is 10% of a billion dollars?
Thank goodness for the change of government or we may have seen Adscam on steroids.
Tomm
Why is that the same arguments by the conservatives and big business regarding the environment haven't changed since the 1970s? It's rather cliche.
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