The Mining Association of Canada has joined the Canadian Coalition for Responsible Environmental Solutions (CCRES) in opposing ratification of the Kyoto treaty.
Under the 1997 Kyoto treaty, industrialized countries, including Canada, would be required, by 2012, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 6% from 1990 levels. That means reducing carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and other gases produced by business and consumers by about 20-30% from projected levels.
Under a draft plan released by Ottawa in late October, Canada would hit the targets by placing 40% of the burden for cutting greenhouse gases on industry and 10% on consumers.
“There is a significant gap between our understanding of what can be practically and cost-effectively achieved within the time frame of the Kyoto Protocol plan and what the government of Canada expects can be done,” says Gordon Peeling, president of the Mining Association of Canada. “The government of Canada must provide a clear, realistic plan of action on how it expects to implement the Kyoto Protocol and it must also create the policy conditions needed to ensure that Canada can meet its ambitious emission reduction targets without economic upheaval.”
The Canadian metal mining sector reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 19% between 1990 and 2000, whereas the non-ferrous smelting and refining sector’s emissions have increased by 1.2%, resulting from a 25% increase in production.
If the Kyoto treaty is ratified in its present form, the Canadian mining industry would be competing against countries that would not have to meet the stringent emissions standards.
Other draft documents prepared for cabinet warn that ratification could cost Canada 200,000 jobs and as much as $16.5 billion.
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