Emissions from Canada’s oil sands make greenhouse gas reduction targets impossible
August 11, 2011When Canada ratified the Kyoto agreement in 2002, the country committed itself to lowering emissions to 1990 levels by 2012. That commitment was eroded by the Harper Conservatives in Copenhagen in 2009 where it altered the agreement and said it would only reduce emissions to 17% lower than 2005 levels. It seems that the less ambitious plan put forth by the Conservatives is now way off target as emissions continue to rise at an astronomical rate. According to “Canada’s Emissions Trends,” report by Environment Canada, greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands will triple to 92 million metric tons, or 101 million short tons, by 2020 from a base level of 30 million metric tons, or 33 million short tons, in 2005. Read more in the New York Times and more in Rabble.