Climate Action Network - Réseau action climat Canada today called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other leaders of G8 countries to put in place key building blocks for a global deal on the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol.
G8 heads of government meet this week in Hokkaido, Japan. The Japanese Presidency has maintained a focus on climate change, putting funding for climate action in developing countries and a global long-term goal for emission reductions on the agenda. The summit comes partway through a two-year United Nations negotiation on the next global climate deal, a process that is scheduled to wrap up in December 2009 in Copenhagen.
"With the world watching, this G8 summit gives Canada a chance to finally show some leadership on global warming," said Clare Demerse from the Pembina Institute. "To do that, Prime Minister Harper needs to support an adequate 2050 target and significantly strengthen his 2020 target so that Canada takes on its fair share of the global effort to avoid dangerous climate change. The Prime Minister also needs to make an adequate initial contribution to helping poorer countries fight climate change and adapt to its impacts."
To avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change, the G8 needs to agree to a long-term target to cut global emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050 against a 1990 baseline. Stringent mid-term targets are considered even more critical since the timing of emission reductions greatly influences the climate systems.
"The Europeans are pressing for a 25 to 40 percent cut from 1990 levels by 2020 for industrialized countries, but Canada is resisting," said Graham Saul from Climate Action Network Canada. "If Prime Minister Harper wants a meaningful global agreement he will have to go beyond his government's weak domestic targets and show the world that Canada is ready to lead."
While much fanfare may accompany announcements of funding to support developing country efforts to access climate-friendly technology and adapt to the impacts of climate change, serious questions remain. Concerns have been expressed by developing countries and non-governmental organizations about putting the World Bank in charge of these funds and it is not clear whether the financial pledges are simply recycled aid money, which is explicitly discouraged, or new commitments.
Canada found itself isolated and singled out for criticism at the last major ministerial-level meeting on climate change, which was held in Bali in December 2007.
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A Pembina Institute backgrounder on the G8 in Japan is available here.
A letter from 24 Canadian environmental and development organizations calling on the Prime Minister to show leadership at the G8 Summit by adopting stringent greenhouse gas targets is available in English and French.
For more information, contact:
Clare Demerse from the Pembina Institute at the G8 Summit in Japan: 011-81-(0)80-2910-2051
Graham Saul, Climate Action Network Canada - Réseau action climat Canada: 613-558-3368