OTTAWA - The European Union's decision to quickly ratify the Kyoto Agreement on climate change should encourage the federal government to move forward and announce its acceptance of the international treaty by June, say environmental organizations.
"It's very positive. It should give the government of Canada a strong motivation to stay the course. The EU is the second- or third-largest economy in the world and if they can take on an even greater target than Canada and do it at such an early stage, then surely Canada can accept the same kind of challenge and go forward," said John Bennett, Sierra Club of Canada director of atmosphere and energy and spokesman for the Climate Change Network, an affiliation of 100 environmental groups pushing Ottawa to adopt the Kyoto deal.
The 15 EU members agreed to be legally bound by the treaty, a move that could lead the individuals states to ratify the treaty by May.
Margot Wallstrom, the EU environment commissioner, said the decision gave credibility to the EU's claims to be world leader in the fight against global warming and would act as a spur to other big industrial powers to follow suit. Greenhouse gases, caused mostly by burning fossil fuels, are believed to be the cause of the gradual warming of the Earth and subsequent changes in climate patterns.
Kyoto will enter into force only once it is ratified by 55 countries, representing at least 55% of the industrialized world's emissions.
"This is a historic agreement to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which is the best instrument to fight against climate change," said Jaume Matas, the environment minister of Spain, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency. "Global warming is the greatest environmental problem facing humanity."
The EU as a whole is committed to cutting emissions by 8% from 1990 levels over the period between 2008 and 2012, a target that the European Commission believes can be reached at a cost of just 0.06% of projected 2010 GDP. The EU members, however, did not apportion the expected greenhouse gas reductions among themselves. Instead, they promised to have national emission cuts in place by December, 2006, when the Kyoto cuts start to take effect.
Steven Guilbeault, Greenpeace Canada climate change spokesman, said the EU countries are taking a leadership role, particularly after the United States pulled out of the Kyoto process and announced its own plan to reduce greenhouse gases. "It shows that it can be done. It shows that a number of countries with very diverse demographics, climate and economies are putting their heads together and saying we can do this," said Mr. Guilbeault.
"No one is talking about job losses or economic catastrophe in Germany or even Great Britain. These countries and places like California are linking economic growth to clean energy development, they go hand-in-hand. They are leading by example and I think we should look at their example and inspire ourselves."
Bob Mills, environment critic for the Canadian Alliance, also believes the EU example will encourage Ottawa to announce its acceptance of Kyoto by June, despite growing evidence that it will have a severe negative impact on Canadian jobs and companies. Business organizations such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce are urging Ottawa not to ratify the treaty without more information, joining a number of provinces such as Alberta and Ontario that are expressing opposition to the deal.
"The EU is in a totally different ballgame ... here we are with 85% of our international trade going to the United States and they are not signing on," said Mr. Mills.
Mr. Mills said he is concerned the federal government will announce its intention to ratify the Kyoto deal without informing Canadians about its regional impacts and its costs.
Jean Chrétien, the Prime Minister, is hosting the annual meeting of the G7 industrial country leaders in Kananaskis, Alta., in June and the government has said it would like to announce its acceptance of the treaty by then.
atoulin@nationalpost.com
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