Nairobi - Canada has placed second-last in a comparison of national government policies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution in 56 industrialized and newly industrialized countries. This finding is included in a major international study published today at the UN climate change conference in Nairobi.
"The Harper government's decision not to make any serious effort on greenhouse gases, and the previous government's lateness in doing so, combine to make Canada an international climate change dummy," said Steven Guilbeault of Greenpeace Canada. "Canadians want leadership but our government is only giving us international embarrassment."
The study, compiled by environmental organizations Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe, compares the 56 countries in three different ways, and then calculates a combined Climate Change Performance Index. Canada ranks 45th for its emissions levels, 31st for its emission trends, and 55th for the effectiveness of its government policies. Canada's overall combined ranking is 51st.
"The Harper government has failed to produce a remotely credible or comprehensive climate change plan," said Matthew Bramley of the Pembina Institute, who contributed to the study. "Precious few significant federal initiatives are in place, and the government has made things worse by cutting funding and effective programs that were already in place. Yet there is no shortage of good policy ideas that Canada could borrow from countries that scored highly in this study."
Canada's Environment Minister will arrive at the Nairobi conference this week and is expected to face criticism from countries that are unhappy with her government's repudiation of its obligation under international law to meet Canada's greenhouse gas target set by the Kyoto Protocol.
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The study comparing national government policies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution is available at www.germanwatch.org/klima/ccpi.htm
Contact:
Steven Guilbeault, Greenpeace Canada, in Nairobi, 011 254 720 947 837
Matthew Bramley, Pembina Institute, in Nairobi, 011 254 734 144 552
Jose Etcheverry, David Suzuki Foundation, 416-843-2484
Hugo Séguin through Amélie Ferland, Équiterre: 514-973-2000
Andrew Dumbrille, Climate Action Network Canada, in Nairobi, 011 254 734 538 546