Elizabeth May Press Conference: Abandoning Kyoto

The Green Party of Canada is appalled by the Harper government's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. "It is extremely shocking that Canada has chosen to withdraw just days after the conclusion of the Durban negotiations," said Green Leader Elizabeth May, who was in Durban for COP17. "It is simply outrageous disinformation that there is a $14 billion cost to staying in Kyoto. Staying in the Kyoto Protocol will not cost us a cent. What will cost billions is if we do nothing to address climate change."

"Canada should be continuing in Kyoto and negotiating the targets that would be palatable for this government. By withdrawing, we become a pariah on the world stage," said May.

The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, in its report "Paying the Price: The Economic Impacts of Climate Change for Canada", estimates that the cost of Canada's failure to act on climate change will range from $5 billion per year by 2020 to as high as $91 billion per year by 2050. Impacts on forests and coastal areas will be particularly felt in terms of hits to the Canadian economy. An increase in flooding, wildfires, heat waves, and poor air quality has already resulted in increased death and destruction of property. Canada's insurance sector is seeing costs from storms and wildfire escalating rapidly.

"Refusing to be a part of the global effort to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate will put Canada behind economically as other countries make investments in efficiencies and renewable energy. Canada has an opportunity to capitalize on a green economy and instead we are clinging to fossil fuels," said May. "Withdrawing from Kyoto is an appalling decision. It will only hurt us—economically and environmentally."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Elizabeth May
• Green Party
• Green Party Of Canada
• Politics
• Press Conference
• Kyoto Protocol
• Kyoto Accord
• Climate Change
• Environment
• COP17
• Environmentalism
• COP 17
• Global Warming
• Energy

[RedDaVincy]

Harper never ceases to be a disgrace. I've never been more tempted to leave this shell of a country. Is Miss May ever going to get her point across to the cretinous fascists who style themselves the "Harper Government"?

[cherryberry360]

Excellent point; Canada's ratification of Kyoto was passed in the House and has royal assent, yet our withdrawal was not voted for or debated. Does nobody else think that's crazy??

[davidmaren2000]

you people are so stupid use your common sense. climate change and the former moniker global warming is a hoax. kyoto would have destroyed our economy. did you know you would have to pay other countries to run your car and is just not sustainable. china and eastern europe 2 of the biggest polluters are not even included.

[TheServiceWeb]

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[wileib1]

@VxGIBSONxV Shut up, you have no idea what you are talking about. You're probably just some 10 year old kid repeating what your depressingly ignorant parents told you.

[wileib1]

Jack died, and with him my hope.

[Slapchop21]

is it just me or is there A LOT of different legislature that is being passed in recent where its not discussed or debated among our people? The CRTC ruling about internet, declaring muslim women must show their whole face when being sworn into the country, signing away our rights to the us through border security on many levels and have made it so only the us checks things, once rather than twice, cause you know that's safer. I'm all in favor of canada changing for the better but at what cost?