Tuesday September 20, 2016

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Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday September 20, 2016 Trudeau's challenge is to lead on pricing carbon and building pipelines Canada's first commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was made by Brian Mulroney in 1988, at an international conference on the "changing atmosphere" in Toronto. It was pledged then that Canada would seek a 20-per-cent reduction in its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2005. Two years later, that target was adjusted to merely stabilizing GHGs at 1990 levels by 2005. Still, that would have kept emissions to 613 megatonnes per year. Instead, in 2014, the last full year for which data is available, Canada emitted a total of 732 megatonnes of greenhouse gases, a 20-per-cent increase since 2005. If Mulroney had put Canada on a path to achieving that target of 1990, if Jean ChrŽtien or Paul Martin or Stephen Harper had set Canada on its way to achieving any of the targets they subsequently set, Justin Trudeau would now be heading into a merely interesting fall, the biggest issue of which would be the negotiation of new health accords with the provinces or the consideration of a new electoral system. In November, he is due to meet the premiers to finalize a national plan on climate change, or at least the makings thereof. By Dec. 19, his cabinet must decide whether to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline proposal that would transfer oil from Alberta to the port of Vancouver. And between those two, Trudeau gets to wrestle with questions of federalism, the national economy and the future of humanity on a warming planet. The climate change plan seems likely to include some kind of mechanism for pricing carbon.ÊÊAnd while putting a price on carbon has become the focal point of debate about what to do about climate change, pipelines have, fairly or not, become a focus of attention for those who worry about the impact of GHGs on the planet. The prime minister has, either explicitly or implicitly, committed

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 20, 2016

Trudeau’s challenge is to lead on pricing carbon and building pipelines

Canada’s first commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was made by Brian Mulroney in 1988, at an international conference on the “changing atmosphere” in Toronto. It was pledged then that Canada would seek a 20-per-cent reduction in its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2005.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Saturday April 23, 2016 Justin Trudeau signs Paris climate treaty at UN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the Paris agreement on climate change during a ceremony at the United Nations in New York City this morning, giving his word that Canada will harness the power of renewable energy as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "Today, with my signature, I give you our word that Canada's efforts will not cease,"ÊTrudeauÊsaid Friday. "Climate change will test our intelligence, our compassion and our will. But we are equal to that challenge.Ó TheÊCanadianÊgovernment has committed to reducingÊgreenhouse gas emissions byÊ30 per centÊfrom 2005 levelsÊby 2030ÊÑ a goal set by the previous Conservative government. Ê The Trudeau government has saidÊthis objectiveÊis a "floor" rather than a "ceiling" for what can be accomplished.Ê During his opening remarksÊat the UN ceremony on Friday, Trudeau saidÊthe Paris agreement will be tabled in Parliament next month and will be formally ratified later this year. The Liberal leader saidÊthe business case for investing in cleanÊenergy was clear, with nearly a third of a trillion dollars invested in renewable powerÊglobally last year. "That's a trend that will continue to grow, and it's one that represents a tremendous opportunity for Canada.ÊOne that we cannot ÑÊand will not ÑÊignore,"ÊTrudeauÊsaid to rousing applause from the UN assembly. Trudeau drew further applause from the crowd when he defendedÊdeveloping countries who are facing extraordinary challenges. "They shouldn't be punished for a problem they didn't create, nor should they be deprived of opportunities for clean growth that developed nations are now pursuing." TrudeauÊtold the UN that the Liberal government hasÊcommitted to investingÊ$2.65 billion over the next five yearsÊto help developing countries fight climate change. "We're not making theseÊinvestments simply to be nice,Êalthough I know Can

April 23, 2016

Two years later, that target was adjusted to merely stabilizing GHGs at 1990 levels by 2005. Still, that would have kept emissions to 613 megatonnes per year.

Instead, in 2014, the last full year for which data is available, Canada emitted a total of 732 megatonnes of greenhouse gases, a 20-per-cent increase since 2005.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday October 29, 2002 Kyoto Quiz Canada is still set to ratify the 1997 Kyoto treaty on global warming this year, even as its provinces grumble at its terms and insist that they should not foot the bill, Environment Minister David Anderson said on Monday. Speaking at the end of a one-day meeting in a Halifax casino, Anderson acknowledged he did not set the agenda to ratify the treaty, which would oblige Canada to cut emissions of carbon dioxide by 6 percent from 1990 levels by 2012. But he said the chance of delay was "highly unlikely," despite complaints from the provinces that a government plan on how Canada will meet the Kyoto targets is short on detail about what ratification will cost and on who needs to act. Prime Minister Jean Chretien says Canada will ratify the treaty by the end of this year, and that it is the federal government, not the provinces, which determines the issue. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Canada, Alberta, Kyoto, protocol, Ralph Klein, Jean Chretien, environment, climate change, quiz, accord

October 29, 2002

If Mulroney had put Canada on a path to achieving that target of 1990, if Jean Chrétien or Paul Martin or Stephen Harper had set Canada on its way to achieving any of the targets they subsequently set, Justin Trudeau would now be heading into a merely interesting fall, the biggest issue of which would be the negotiation of new health accords with the provinces or the consideration of a new electoral system.

In November, he is due to meet the premiers to finalize a national plan on climate change, or at least the makings thereof. By Dec. 19, his cabinet must decide whether to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline proposal that would transfer oil from Alberta to the port of Vancouver.

And between those two, Trudeau gets to wrestle with questions of federalism, the national economy and the future of humanity on a warming planet.

2016-05-14The climate change plan seems likely to include some kind of mechanism for pricing carbon.  And while putting a price on carbon has become the focal point of debate about what to do about climate change, pipelines have, fairly or not, become a focus of attention for those who worry about the impact of GHGs on the planet.

The prime minister has, either explicitly or implicitly, committed to doing both. (Source: CBC)