Matthew Bramley of the Pembina Institute wrote an op-ed in La Presse Sunday entitled Les changements climatiques: rien a faire? ("Climate change: can nothing be done?"). It critiques the Harper government's assertion that its a "fantasy" to think that Kyoto targets can be achieved without spending billions on Russian hot-air credits. His main points:
a) reducing GHGs won't cause economic pain. The NRTEE's 2006 advice on a long-term strategy on energy and climate change demonstrates that long term reductions are achievable using today's technology with minimal economic disruption and significant economic benefits.
b) the 'hot air' argument is a red herring. Kyoto can be achieved by buying verified, real reductions credits from developing countries.
c) the government can act immediately. Regulating GHGs can be done without waiting for the Clean Air Act, because the government has already given itself the power it needs under CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act).
d) the Conservatives are stalling. Bramley references John Ibbitson of the Globe and Mail in suggesting that the Conservatives want the public to believe that nothing can be done about climate change.
Link to the op-ed piece
My comments: I have to agree with everything Bramley says. The most interesting thing for me in reading this, however, is that its the first time I've seen one of the big ENGOs specifically say that Canada can't respect Kyoto targets using only domestic action.
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