Matthew Bramley, Director of the Pembina Institute’s Climate Change Program, made the following comments in response to federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice’s statement today that Canadian greenhouse gas regulations will not take effect until 2012 at the earliest:
“A government that is willing to wait six or more years after taking office before regulating emissions clearly doesn't understand the threat or the urgency of global warming.
“Canada has had four different climate change plans in the past decade. If all we have to take to the global climate negotiations this December in Copenhagen is yet another plan — but without the actual regulations to implement it — Canada's credibility is going to remain stuck at rock bottom.
“President Obama is working with Congress to finalize the detailed legislation to cap greenhouse gases within a year of taking office. If Canada leaves the legal details until next year, we’ll be falling even further behind the U.S.
“Canada must develop and implement regulations urgently if we are to have a chance of influencing U.S. decisions, ending the uncertainty that is bad for business, and meeting emission-reduction targets that are aligned with science.”
- 30 -
The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
For more information contact:
Matthew Bramley
Director, Climate Change
819-483-6288, ext. 26
819-210-6115 (cell.)