Alberta's environment minister is disappointed the European Union rejected Ottawa's plan to swap clean energy credits for its Kyoto responsibilities.
"The federal government should reject the Kyoto agreement (over this). Clean energy exports are the deal-breaker," Lorne Taylor said yesterday, following a G-8 environment ministers meeting in Banff.
Federal Environment Minister David Anderson has been lobbying for a break in how much Canada has to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, arguing the country is fulfilling its responsibilities by exporting cleaner natural gas and electricity to the United States.
Taylor said if Canada can't get the credits, Alberta - which exports the bulk of its oil and gas to the United States - will lose its competitive edge.
"It'll put Canada and Alberta at a huge disadvantage," he said.
Despite the harsh criticism, Anderson said he will forge ahead with his plans to swap clean energy for the credits.
Canada will present a formal proposal on clean credits next month at a United Nations meeting in Whistler, B.C., he said.
Taylor said Alberta will also unveil its carbon dioxide reduction plan in May at a provincial environment ministers meeting in Charlottetown.
"We need to have a North American approach," said Taylor. He wouldn't reveal details of the plan.
The Kyoto accord calls for steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 from 40 industrialized countries.
It's believed such heat-trapping emissions cause global warming, along with drastic climate shifts, droughts and other environmental catastrophes.
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