All three opposition parties used Monday's question period to hammer away at the Conservative government's positions on climate change on the eve of the Bali talks.
They focused on:
- a Foreign Affairs Canada memo that warned of the consequences of not trying to hold the global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius;
- and the Tory strategy of calling for all major emitters to sign on to a deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
More than 180 nations are gathering in Bali, Indonesia to begin the process of negotiating the Kyoto successor treaty.
"When faced with the worst ecological threat to humanity, why does the prime minister ignore the science?" asked Liberal Leader Stephane Dion.
Environment Minister John Baird accused the Liberals of inaction during their time in government and promised a 20 per cent cut in emissions by 2020.
However, the Tories don't use the Kyoto baseline year of 1990; they use 2006. Climate analysts say it will take until 2020 to achieve Canada's Kyoto target of a six per cent cut below 1990 levels by 2012. Europe has set a target of a 20 per cent cut below 1990 levels by 2020.
Several groups have said the Tory plan likely won't work.
"Everybody said the minister will not reach his target, and he knows that," Dion responded, which led to shouting from the Conservative backbenchers.
Binding targets
Deputy Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff attacked the Tories' negotiating stance of no carbon reduction targets unless binding targets are assigned to every country.
"But that's like saying, 'I won't recycle unless everyone does'," he said. "What kind of Canada have we become when that passes for international leadership?"
Baird said the government is committed to binding targets, "but we need other countries to act too."
Developing countries were protected from making cuts under Kyoto, primarily because most emissions currently in the atmosphere came from industrialized countries. But they were expected to start shouldering some of the burden in the follow-up treaty.
The scientific consensus that has emerged is that the global temperature rise should be held to two degrees Celsius to stave off the worst effects of climate change. That means holding the carbon dioxide-equivalent in the atmosphere to 450 parts per million.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said according to the memo, the Conservatives seem to think a two-degree target is scientifically uncertain and will reject such a target at Bali.
"Doesn't the government realize that once again, it doesn't understand climate change and is being lax?" he said.
Baird said rich countries like Canada and large emitters like China, the U.S. and India must all take action.
Canadians and Americans were responsible for about 20 tonnes of carbon emissions per person in 2004, while the average Chinese citizen was responsible for 3.8 tonnes. India, another fast-developing economy, was responsible for 1.2 tonnes of emissions per person in 2005, according to the latest United Nations Human Development Index report.
However, with China's booming economy, heavy reliance on coal and population of 1.3 billion, it will likely pass the United States as the world's biggest total emitter this year.
"Canada's losing its credibility," NDP Leader Jack Layton said, blaming both the Liberals and Conservatives.
"Will Canada take a position take a position in Bali that it's going to honour its obligations under Kyoto, will it accept the penalties imposed and will it insist that the big polluters here - oil and gas companies - pay their fair share?"
Under Kyoto, countries that don't meet their target will have a 30 per cent penalty tacked on in the successor treatry. In its Oct. 16 throne speech, the Tory government said Canada can't achieve its Kyoto target, given that emissions rose 33 per cent above the target under the previous Liberal government. However, Baird said at the time that Canada wouldn't formally withdraw from Kyoto.
Baird said Wednesday he can't take responsibility for the failures of the previous government.
