Climate Change Conference in Posnan, Poland: Canada receives 4 fossil awards, and is possibly trying to exempt tar sands

PEJ News – Joan Russow - Global Compliance Research Project - The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is meeting now in Poland until December 12. The Conservative government of Canada represents less that 40% of the electorate. Canada is negotiating on behalf of less than forty per cent of the Electorate. The Coalition government in-waiting representing over 62% of the electorate must be involved in influencing the important negotiations in Poland. It is anticipated that the Minister of the Environment, Jim Prentice, will be in Poland to finalize Canada’s position. In the Media conference call with the Canadian Ambassador for the Environment, a member of the media indicated that he had interviewed Jim Prentice. In the interview, Prentice had indicated that rules related to climate change would be relaxed because of the economic crisis.

UPDATE: Environment Minister, Hon Jim Prentice along with environment critics from the Coalition government-in-waiting will be attending the COP Conference in Poland.

CANADA HAS SKEWED BASELINE FOR REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, proposed a package of measures in January 2008 to implement a decision of EU leaders last year to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent in 2020 on 1990 levels.<THE the of a and Party government, with support fossil fuel industry, has generally been in denial climate change. Hon John Environment Minister Canada, Conservative government advocating baseline 2006. When Baird asked at press conference about reason most states calling for serious reductions greenhouse gas emission using 1990 as baseline, he was unaware reason.

In the 1992 Framework Convention, which was ratified by most states, including the United States and Canada, all governments undertook to use 1990 as a baseline.

Also in the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the signatories of the Convention were bound to invoke the precautionary principle, which affirmed that governments should take precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent, or minimize the causes of climate change and mitigate its adverse effects. "Where there is the threat of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent the threat."
However for years, the fossil fuel industry in Canada lobbied strongly against seriously addressing the issue of climate change

In the December 2, Media Conference call with Ambassador Michael Martin the question of base line was asked. He responded that the base line was between 1990 and 2006, and added that it was no longer relevant within the context of 2050.

CANADA RECEIVES 4 FOSSIL AWARDS AT THE COP MEETING IN POLAND: EXEMPTION OF TAR SANDS?

On December 4, the Sierra Club and the Climate Change Action network reported that Canada was was given an unprecedented four "Fossil of the Day" awards by the international community. They added :The awards are given to governments taking positions that stall or block the progress of climate negotiations. At the climate talks, the Canadian delegation has failed to take a constructive approach to negotiations - at the same time as the Harper government prorogued Parliament, shutting down debate until next year.”

It is unclear exactly what Canada was advancing in relation to the tar sands. In the Press release from the Sierra Club and the Climate Change action Network, they state the following: "For the second place Fossil of the Day Award, the international community awarded Canada two awards of shame - an unusual tie for second place. Canada´s negotiators argued that the country should get a break on its emissions targets, because the tar sands release a lot of carbon.”
At the Friday media briefing on the Conference call with Ambassador Michael Martin, I raised the question about Canada asking for exemption for the Tar sands. He denied that Canada was asking for this exemption.

It appears that Canada did not specifically as for an exemption but did mention the National circumstances facing Canada and alluded to the tar sands.

Stephen Hazell, from the Sierra Club of Canada clarified Canada's position at the COP 14 Conference:
National considerations” proposed by Canada in Poznan argues that Canada should be given special consideration as an energy (e.g., tar sands oil) exporting nation (i.e., GHG emissions from these exports should be attributed to the country that consumes this energy not the producing country). The proportion of tar sands oil compared to conventional oil exported by Canada is increasing every year as tar sands oil production increases (10% per year) and conventional oil production falls. Tar sands oil has three times the GHGs per barrel produced as conventional oil. So if Canada gets this special “national consideration”, it will in effect be getting an exemption for these growing tar sands emissions. (personal communication).

At the Press Conference call, one of the reporters asked about whether the US delegation was negotiating for Bush or for Obama, and what sort of agreement would Canada be making with the United States. The Ambassador was vague on the negotiations

Steven Hazell , however, indicated that " Canada’s proposed North American cap-and-trade system to Obama administration would exempt GHG emissions from tar sands".

CANADA MINIMIZES IMPORTANCE OF THE FOSSIL AWARDS

At the Friday media briefing on the conference call with Ambassador Michael Martin, I raised the issue of the four Fossil Awards, and he attempted to minimize the importance by stating the following: The Canadian Action Network (CAN) held a little press conference… and expressed their views… it is all part of quite a good nature festival atmosphere…and every morning we meet with the CAN when they express their views and the tone is not negative … just stimulating discussion. …I pointed out that these designations by NGOs are significant

NGO CONCERN ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY

WISE (World Information Service on Energy) reported the following: “Back in 2000, the nuclear power industry tried to obtain credits under the carbon trading schemes set up by the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) provisions.” And warns, that the nuclear industry is lobbying again at the COP 15 Conference in Poland.

From the beginning of global concern about climate change in the 1970s, the nuclear industry has been promoting nuclear energy as the solution to climate change. In 1991, in a Parlamentary Report on Climate change, there was a statement that a solution should never be worse or equally bad as the problem it is intended to solve.

Sweden is phasing out nuclear energy and according to Steven Hazell "Between 1990 and 2006. Sweden cut its carbon emissions by 9%, significantly exceeding the target set by the Kyoto Protocol, while enjoying economic growth of 44% in fixed prices. Five of Sweden’s ten reactors have been shut down as of 2006. Sweden has no coal-fired plants."

ROLE OF COALITION GOVERNMENT REPRESENTING 62 % OF THE VOTERS.

: December 4, 2008 letter sent to the leaders of the Coalition Government-in-waiting;

To the Coalition government-in-waiting
The Coalition government-in waiting must try to act to stop the negotiations by the Canadian Environment Ambassador, Michael Martin, who is currently at the (Conference of the Parties) COP 14 on Climate Change Convention, in Poland. He is taking the position that 2006 should be the baseline for determining greenhouse gas reduction. The EU by contrast is advocating 20% reduction from 1990 levels by the year 2020 and is proposing 20% reliance on renewables by 2020. Next week the Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, will be in Poland essentially undermining the stronger position of the EU.

Your Coalition government in waiting must communicate a different message to the COP.Previously, in a non-binding motion in Parliament your three parties agreed to seriously address the issue of climate change, and to abide by the Kyoto Protocol of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). and with the binding obligations under the UNFCCC.

There is a daily briefing that I am participating in at 11;30 and I was in the middle of making my point about the three opposition parties possibly forming government and asking him if he has revealed the state of indecision in Canada. suddenly the message about the Prorogation came across the screen.

Some attempt at intervening, by the Coalition Government in waiting in Poland could mark an important international step,. This intervention has a precedent. In September 2007, your three parties did communicate to the United Nations that the majority of members of Parliament opposed the Conservative government's failure to adopt the Declaration of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Joan Russow<

On December 1, the three opposition parties representing over 60% of the electorate formed a Coalition government in waiting. On Monday, December 8, the new Coalition was supposed to table a non-confidence motion in the Conservative government, and ask the Governor General to call upon the Coalition to form the government.
To avoid the non-confidence motion, the Conservative government took the unprecedented move of calling upon the Governor General of Canada to Prorogue Parliament; she granted his request and now Parliament is no longer in session. In Poland, the Canadian delegation is undermining Climate change negotiations, and on December 4, Canada received four fossil awards

The newly formed Coalition representing more than 60% of the electorate should be negotiating for Canada at the Climate Change Conference in Poland. The Liberal, NDP and Bloc parties all have voted in the 2007, to seriously address the issue of climate change, and to abide by the Framework Convention on climate change, and the Kyoto Protocol.

"The three opposition parties have joined forces to pass a motion calling on the Conservative government to confirm Canada's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol.

The Liberal motion, which passed 161-115 in the House of Commons Monday, is not binding, but it could embarrass the Tories and put more public pressure on them." (DENNIS BUECKERT

CANADIAN PRESS, Ottawa)

The Conservative government ignored the majority vote at that time, and declared the motion non-binding. The Conservative party with many of its members from the fossil fuel capital of Canada must not be allowed to undermine the climate change conference in Poland. The European Union has established 1990 as the baseline and calls for 20% reduction, greenhouse gas emissions, from 1990 levels.. The leaders also agreed to have 20 percent of renewables in EU's energy mix and to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020. Canada is currently attempting to change the baseline.