Climate Change: Country Review

By Peter Jones

A brief commentary on progress (or the lack of progress) by selected countries in the fight against Greenhouse Gas Emissions, which, according to scientific consensus, are the principal contributor to climate change since the industrial revolution in the 18th century.

Canada

When compared with the US, Canadians might take a shred of comfort in the consistent Government position on climate change: Canada accepts the reality of climate change, but has insisted that implementing the Kyoto Convention is not practical.  After Copenhagen, the Conservative Government modified previous statements on targets and committed to a 17% reduction in GHG emissions from the 2005 level by the year 2020.  Essentially Canada will follow the lead of the US in the fight against climate change.

One problem with this approach is that Canadian climate change policies will track measures developed in a political environment (the US) where a majority of voters do not accept that climate change has been caused by GHG emissions!

 

United States

There are few Republican politicians who have not executed a “flip-flop” on climate change.  In doing so, they believe they are responded to the wishes of US voters, who are amongst the most sceptical people in the world on the subject of climate change. President Obama has soft-pedaled the climate change issue, although in his general comments he had not modified any public positions he has taken.   There is lots of activity, mainly of the “running on the spot” variety.

United Kingdom

Now here is a country with a Government that has taken leadership!
Following the report of the independent Committee on Climate Change, the British Coalition Government will pass a Climate Change Act that adopts cut in emissions by 50% on 1990 levels by 2025.  Naturally there are concerns: Vincent Cable, the Minister of Industry, advised his colleagues that the adoption of these plans would limit economic growth.   So what else is new?

In fairness to Minister Cable, his position should be on the record:

“Agreeing to [an] aggressive level risks burdening the UK economy, which would be detrimental to UK, undermining the UK’s competitiveness and our attractiveness as a place to do business.

“I have a number of concerns about supporting the CCC’s recommended level at this time.

“It is important that we strike the right balance between our pursuit to decarbonise the UK economy whilst ensuring that UK economic growth and employment is sustained.”

 

Australia

From inaction the Australian Government has gone to action!  Come back to the Forourgrandchidren website to get more information on this development.

 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

 

This United Nations organization, which has a front role in research and recommendations on Climate Change, will release a summary of its 5th report on May 31.  Its conclusion: that by 2050 renewable energy sources could meet 80% of the world’s demand for energy and so reduce GHG emissions.

 

This conclusion is subject to an implied “but”:  all countries must now adopt policies on the development of renewed energy. As the report states: “Government policies play a crucial role in accelerating the deployment of Renewable Energy technologies.”

 

For Our Grandchildren Petiton to the Government of Canada

Forourgrandchildren and other environmental groups will petition the Canadian Government to develop a national policy on renewable energy.  We would like you support, and we will be approaching voters in selected ridings for their signature.

Peter Jones