The global environment and all the living species it supports are threatened by changes in climate brought about by human activities in industrialized countries. Energy policies implemented during the next 10 years will determine whether these changes can be minimized.
This paper was prepared for use by members of the Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) during the First Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, November 28 to December 9, 2005. It is designed to provide a background on climate change and energy issues, especially on the long-term role and strategy Canada should take on these issues beyond 2012. The paper also supports the Declaration on Climate Justice and the Montreal Climate Change Summit prepared by the Climate Action Network-Canada.
This paper begins with an overview of recent climate science and the stabilization scenarios needed to prevent dangerous climate change. This is followed by a review of global energy trends working for and against action to prevent climate change. The next section is a reality check on the Kyoto Protocol: how well Canada and the rest of the world are doing. The final two sections set out the options for a post-2012 climate regime and the strategies Canada could and should take globally and nationally to assume its responsibilities. Conclusions and/or recommendations are provided at the end of each section.
