Canada Kyoto U-turn won’t change chem strategies

13 July 2006 19:42  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Canadian chemicals majors will not change emissions-reduction strategies even though the country’s new government has said it will not meet its Kyoto targets, a top industry official said on Thursday.

Canada ratified the Kyoto protocol in 2002 under Prime Minister Jean Chretien. New conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who took office in early 2006, said Canada will be unable by 2012 to reduce greenhouse gas emission to 6% below 1992 levels. Political commentators have interpreted the statement as an attempt to effectively exit Kyoto.

Archie Kerr, director for sustainability with Lanxess, said the company and other international chemicals majors will nevertheless go ahead with their emission reductions programmes, calling it good business. Kerr said his company has cut emissions at its Sarnia, Ontraio rubber plant by 50% since 1990.

“Most large chemicals companies have realised they have to reduce their environmental footprint whether it is government policy or not,” Kerr said. He said chemicals firms in the US are reducing emissions although the country never signed Kyoto.

Kerr spoke on the sidelines of the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing in Toronto. The three-day event ends on Friday.

By: Stefan Baumgarten
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