Canada will attend Environmental Conference in Copenhagen Pt 2

In Copenhagen Canada will likely not sign any agreement to reduce carbon emissions that is too stringent or significant, unless the US agrees to do so.

If the US signs on (very unlikely, the economy is job 1) to significant carbon reductions then PM Harper (aka ‘lap dog’) may have to change the made in Canada plan which follows:

“The government’s current targets call for shrinking greenhouse gas emissions 20 per cent by 2020 from their 2006 levels.” (Nov. 30, London Free Press)


Whatever targets we set to reduce carbon, businesses and home owners will likely be expected to participate in a plan that measures or tracks our fossil fuel use (corporately and personally).

We’ll each be expected to live within our means after we’ve become aware of our personal carbon allowance (say 10 tonnes per person).

Those that wish to pursue a high-energy-use lifestyle (at present, most North Americans) will likely be asked to purchase more carbon credits to support excessive burning of fuels from a bank (of sorts) that collects unused credits or allowance from those that conserve energy.

No such plan exists in North America at this time for a variety of reasons:

Governments don’t believe they are in the business of telling citizens to live small in order to conserve energy for future generations.

Media might like to support green initiatives but piles of ad revenues come from the automotive, travel, home-building and lifestyle industries.

Businesses love profits more than people.

And individual citizens are used to doing what they want around here.

So, in Canada, it seems as if we have until 2020 to make a small reduction in fossil fuel use without much of a plan in place for corporations or citizens to follow.

I wonder how we’ll do.

***

Unless PM Harper has a plan up his sleeve.

Does he?

Does Conservative Environment Minister Jim Prentice?

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