Kyoto - Action Alert

Background and WFM Analysis

On February 16th, 90 days after Russia’s ratification and 7 years after formulation, the Kyoto Protocol becomes international law. Over 100 countries having ratified, the addition of Russia meets the Protocol’s required threshold for entry into force – industrialized nations accounting for at least 55 percent of emissions.

Canadians can be proud of their contribution to this milestone, but Canada and Canadians must put far more effort into meeting our global obligations. In a recent study by Yale and Columbia Universities, Canada rates top out of 146 countries for natural endowments but a disgraceful 107th for emission reduction efforts and 144th in easing global environmental pressures.

A leaked federal government document, Climate Change -- Lessons Learned and Future Directions, warns that with current policy and programs, the country will be “significantly off the Kyoto target”. It adds “the voluntary approach and limited incentives [are] not sufficient to drive behaviour change and technology deployment and uptake.” Meanwhile Natural Resources Canada is apparently proposing greatly reduced short-term targets for big polluters.

World Federalists have promoted the Kyoto Protocol since its formulation. Kyoto is an example of the application of the principle of subsidiarity – governance as local as possible to deal with the issue, but at a level where all stakeholders are represented. Since climate change is a global issue, a global conference divided the responsibility, agreeing on a target appropriate for each country. But the direction to reach that target is within the jurisdiction of each country since each knows its own national circumstances best.

Unlike many natural catastrophes, climate change is humankind’s doing. Perversely, those societies most at fault are projected to suffer the least: those most innocent will likely be hardest hit. As World Federalists, we recognize that the responsibility of global citizenship and the imperative for global justice require the highest per capita abusers of our common heritage to act. The targets reflect this obligation but Canada's response has not. Business as usual with some extra funds for a technological fix will not work.

We could make February 16th a day for genuine celebration if:

The Government of Canada announces the full package of initiatives to comply with the Kyoto Protocol by 2012, including:

Clear targets and timelines

Emphasis on regulation and incentives rather than voluntary measures

Mandatory targets for large industry in keeping with their 50% share of emissions; and

Every Canadian commits to energy conservation in every related decision and action.

Meeting the Kyoto challenge will require not only unprecedented collaboration among nations, but also among government, business and citizens within nations. Kyoto is just the first small step. A commitment to significantly slow climate change will require many times the reduction represented by Kyoto’s targets. That large change is possible, however, even with today’s technology. The missing ingredient is political will.

Once sparked by success in meeting Kyoto’s targets, citizen enthusiasm world-wide could spread into a global campaign for a just and habitable planet. Let’s make February 16th the start.

Ideas for personal action at:

www.climatechange.gc.ca/onetonne/english/ and
www.onelesstonne.ca