Kyoto Lives

Despite Conservative claims that the Kyoto Accord was a meaningless document, it was fortunate that most other nations at the Copenhagen summit didn't buy it. In fact, they haven't bought into the Conservative agenda for years, as many of the world's leading nations will reach, or come close to, the Kyoto 1990 targets.This country's stark lack of leadership on the climate change file at Copenhagen has lowered our prestige even more in international opinion. In the words of a recent Globe and Mail editorial:

To be sure, Canada is not the only country failing to meet its targets, and was not the only obstacle to a more meaningful deal in Copenhagen. But among developed countries, it stood alone in its apparent apathy."

The best we can come up with is that Canada "was not the only obstacle." Where we should have been noted for our international resolve and sense of clarity, we are now classified as not the only hurdle in the way of an effective international accord.So, among developed countries the federal government is now the petulant straggler. The same is true within Canada itself, as numerous provinces opted for reducing emissions based on the Kyoto 1990 targets as opposed to Stephen Harper's 2006 version. While our Prime Minister hesitantly commits himself to 20% targets below 2006 levels by 2020 (leading to a paltry 3% below the 1990 levels), some provinces have committed to the following:

• British Columbia - 33% below 2007 levels by 2020. This equates to 14% below the 1990 levels.
• Newfoundland - 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.
• Manitoba - 6% below 1990 levels by 2012.
• Quebec - 20% below 1990 levels by 2020.
• New Brunswick - 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.
• Prince Edward Island - 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.
• Manitoba - 6% below 1990 levels by 2012.
• Alberta - stabilize emissions growth by 2020 at 58% above 1990 levels.
• Ontario - 15% below 1990 levels by 2020.
• Saskatchewan - 20% below 2006 levels by 2020.
• Nova Scotia - 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.

The one figure that most often stands out in these statistics is "1990."  That's the baseline for the Kyoto protocols and the fact that most Canadian provinces have linked themselves to that formula means that the federal government has clearly fallen behind the majority of the provinces within the federation.But how can such a federation last when the senior level of government can no longer hold the centre, when its regional partners take leadership in numerous directions while its fossilized cousin in Ottawa sets meagre national standards that it still might not meet? It remains exceedingly difficult to evidence global leadership when your quarterback doesn't even show up.Far from being the left-wing conspiracy theory Stephen Harper labelled it in years past, Kyoto lives as the gold standard around the world and within Canada itself. And when one considers the aggressive and binding accords this country's mayors signed with their international counterparts, it appears as though the only outlier is really the Conservatives themselves. Not only did we embarrass ourselves in Denmark, we also missed the train. Now, standing on the platform watching the other engines moving down the tracks, the PM's subtle smirk is cold comfort to Canadians desiring to move into an Olympic season and a G8/G20 dialogue as international leaders. Despite our athletes' hoped for prowess, no amount of gold medals can overcome the "Fossil of the Year" awards our government has racked up. Kyoto lives, just not in Stephen Harper's Ottawa.