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Charest says Que. ready to go it alone on Kyoto

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Date: Tuesday May. 23, 2006 11:31 PM ET

LAVAL, Que. — Quebec Premier Jean Charest says he's ready to act alone to respect the Kyoto accord if the federal government reneges on its commitments.

"The Quebec government is resolutely committed to Kyoto and we intend to soon announce our policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Charest said Tuesday.

Charest said the policy favours conservation and renewable forms of energy such as hydro and wind power.

"With just the part which deals with saving energy, we'll succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 9.3 megatons in Quebec," he told reporters in Laval, north of Montreal.

"That's the equivalent of 2,350,000 cars."

The premier also said Quebec wants to work closely with its neighbours and a big meeting is planned in Quebec City in two weeks.

"At my invitation, environment ministers from Eastern Canada and the northeastern (U.S.) states will meet to discuss energy and the effects of greenhouse gas emissions."

Charest rejected a suggestion by Parti Quebecois Leader Andre Boisclair that Quebec adopt a pollution law.

The premier said it's not a law that will reduce greenhouse gases.

"It's actions that we take. .at the level of public transit, our personal energy consumption, renewable energy, it's there that we want to act," Charest added.

Quebec has been a vocal supporter of the Kyoto accord but federal Environment Minister Rona Ambrose has said the government can't meet the targets the Liberals negotiated - a six per cent cut in greenhouse emissions from 1990 levels by 2012.

A government document recently leaked to the media suggested Canada could pull out of the UN climate-change process unless the United States and other major polluters agree to come onboard.

The premier said Quebec will continue to take a regional approach, "regardless of what the federal government does."

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