Canadian chem makers back govt’s ‘clean air’ bill

20 October 2006 17:56  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Canada's chemicals industry will support the federal government on its newly introduced "clean air" bill, Canadian Chemical Producers Association (CCPA) said on Friday.

 

The proposed law would provide the basis to move forward on emissions reductions and help address the uncertainty the industry faced in past years over this issue, CCPA president Richard Paton said in a statement.  

 

Paton said CCPA sees the government’s bill as a “realistic and workable” approach to improve air quality and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

 

CCPA vice president Michael Bourque told ICIS news in a telephone interview from Ottawa that CCPA has already achieved greenhouse gas emissions reductions far in excess of the Kyoto target, "but we are always willing to do better ...."

 

One item that can be improved in the bill is a better harmonisation of provinicial and federal emissions reporting requirements, Bourque added.

 

Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Thursday introduced a clean air bill that will set intensity-based targets to cut emissions. The targets will be set in consultations with the provinces and affected industries over the next three years.

 

The overall objective is to cut greenhouse gas emissions between 45% to 65% from 2003 levels by 2050. 

 

Canada’s three opposition parties said they would not support Harper’s bill and it remains unclear if it will come into law. Harper, who took office in January, heads a minority government and relies on the support of the separatist Bloc Quebecois which favours the Kyoto Protocol and insists on tough environmental legislation.

 

Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe said the bill was “written in Washington” and will not curb growing emissions from Canada’s increasing oil output in coming years. Intensity-based targets - instead of absolute reduction targets - will not help Canada to achieve its Kyoto commitments, he said.

 

Canadian Green Party leader Elisabeth May said in a media briefing the proposed legislation amounts to an “abdication of responsibility on addressing the global climate crisis.” She pointed to California’s target of an 80% reduction from 1990 levels by 2050. “That is the right target,” she said.

 

Under Kyoto, Canada committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 6% below 1990 levels by 2010-2012. Harper had previously conceded that Canada will not be able to comply with Kyoto as the country’s overall emissions have gone up by some 30% since 1990.

 

However, Canada's chemicals industry has done much better, the CCPA's Michael Bourque said. It has cut its emissions by 43% from 1990 to 2000 and will achieve a 56% reduction by 2010. When set against the industry's increased production output, CCPA member firms will have improved their emissions intensity - that is, emissions as related to unit of output - by 65% over the Kyoto committment period, he said.

By: Stefan Baumgarten
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