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Home : Top Stories : PM in Europe to push climate change agenda

PM in Europe to push climate change agenda

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Tue. May. 27 2008 12:43 PM ET

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in Paris on Tuesday for the start of a three-day European tour meant to shore up support for Canada's climate change agenda.

Harper will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy today and then move on to Italy and Germany.

He'll end his trip in the U.K. -- where he'll meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Queen Elizabeth.

The prime minister is hoping to convince European leaders that Canada's strategy for fighting greenhouse gases is effective -- despite widespread criticism from environmentalists.

The push comes in advance of the G8 Summit this July in Japan.

Canada and the U.S., unlike most European countries, oppose any new international climate change agreement that excludes major polluters like China and India.

Harper, at a press conference in Paris Tuesday, said he has a lot to discuss with Sarkozy ahead of the G8 Summit, the 12th Francophonie Summit and the Canada-EU Summit.

After his meeting Tuesday, Harper will move on to Italy and Germany.

"I'm here in Europe originally because I was invited by (German) Chancellor Merkel to say a few remarks at the United Nations conference on biodiversity," said Harper.

The prime minister is also scheduled to deliver an address to British business leaders.

Emilie Moorhouse, a spokesperson for the Sierra Club of Canada, said the purpose behind Harper's trip is wrong.

"This trip is to show the government's approach to climate change,'' he told The Canadian Press. "This is not an approach based on measures and policies to reduce the effects of greenhouse gases.

"It is an approach that is based solely on a communications strategy that seeks to sell something completely inappropriate to the Canadian public and the international community."

The Sierra Club has been critical of Ottawa's decision to use 2006, not 1990, as the base year for emissions reduction.

The group has also criticized Canada for failing to set absolute targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Harper's trip comes just one day after Maxime Bernier resigned as foreign affairs minister. All of the questions for Harper at Tuesday's press conference were about Bernier.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Gerald Skowronski
said

The climate will only get worse until ALL countries agree to work on the problem. Excluding major polluting countries like China and India does nothing to help heal the planet. In the 60s the saying was "You're either on the bus or off the bus" and that applies to the here and now.


Bill Dahmer, Eurasia
said

I applaud attempts to address climate change even if it is make the awkward point that developed countries cannot and will not act unilaterally to cut greehouse gas emissions alone.

Especially not as some of the biggest polluters are not only in the developing world, but in terms of population are much larger.

Sustainable development is a laudable goal. It is the only strategy worth pursuing in the long-term. But that means the entire world community signing up to its obligations and sharing the costs as well as the benefits from growth and development.

We cannot afford to offshore jobs to the developing world AND pay to clean-up their environmental messes as well as our own. This is a message that needs to be sold. However unpopular it is!

But why oh why make your first stop in France, Mr. Harper? Ughh! How predictable! ;-))


Ed
said

What has the Sierra Club done beside criticize? Unless one can prove that "my system" works better, it is nothing but hot air. The news media is full of wannabees who do nothing more than look to see their name in print or face on TV.


Mark
said

Our politicians are playing along with "big business'" agenda. Why did we sign agreements and continue to trade with countries that do not protect individual freedoms, labour safety, freedom of association, the environment while some of them also control the value of their currency? Because of "big business". Their costs are now a fraction, yes a fraction, of what they were while they sell their products at nearly the same factors 2 or 3 or more. Oh it's true that all countries should be included in reducing polution but we keep signing trade agreements that do not favour our population. Why are we using natural gas to heat price as before. Many of us are enjoying low inflation but "big business" is enjoying higher profits by water to extract oil from the tar sands instead of using the natural gas and protecting the water? Why are we giving agricultural subsidies to grow bio-fuel thus diverting land and resources from food production while creating a demand for oil derived fertilizer products? Why did we agree to a NAFTA clause to maintain energy exports to the US even if we have shortages of oil in Canada?
Harper's discussions with some EU political leaders is a red herring, it's a show for us.


Sonny
said

The Conservatives are trying to greenwash their hands...

Baird usually points to China & India. Yet he is Canada's Environment Minister. Given that GHGs are growing in Canada it would be Hypocritical to tell others what to do until we get our own house in order.

The G8 is made up of the most largest industrially developed countries. Canada, Japan & the US of A are stalling in the next steps.
The Developed World is largely to blame for the Global Warming problem and should act.


mitch
said

Climtae change is a big hoax.. human made co2 in the atmostphere is only 2% of all the co2 up there you really think that is going to make a change in the entire climate.. the science is faulty.. little bits of info come out everyday saying how the origional "everyone is going to die" theory was a little wrong here and a little wrong here.. plus canada only puts out 2% of the worlds emmissions so why should we go head over heels trying to battle this thing even if it was true.. it would have no impact even if we stopped all emmissions.. jsut another attack on business and the west


J.
said

The timing of this trip could not be at a worst time for Canada. What with our having compromised ourselves on the world stage with such a political fiasco having taken place at home. There is no doubt that Harper's Bernier scandal will follow him throughout his trip.

This "NEW" government has shown just how green they really are.






EK
said

Sign'em Steve! Bring home the deals!!!


RRO
said

Currently western countries are massive emmitters of CO2 emissions...for now. But if we want to TRULY address climate change, not for the enxt 10 years but for the next 50 years we need this agreement to be binding on China and India as well.
The government makes a good point. What does it matter if canada cuts its emmissions if the billions of people in China and India keep hiking theirs.


Chris - Winnipeg
said

Wow Harper sure has lost a lot of weight recently. He sure looks gaunt! I wonder if the strain of the top job is the cause?


Mark in Montreal
said

Good, now all of Canada will finally hear about the draconian ACTA trade agreement that doesn't require parliamentary approval. ACTA is essentially an international version of DMCA drafted by the US and pushed by Canada. It's a horrible thing to happen to our cultural output and will forever ruin Canadian artists for years to come. If you think this is just about climate change, watch out, this trip will have some incredible repercussions for any artist living in Canada or the US.


Sonny
said

mitch, there are Deniers who have business interests as well as the Media.

The Scientists have been pointing to change in the climate. Have you noticed the strange weather world wide?

CANADA may be more than 2% but we are less than .5% of the World population. Our #1 trading partner is less that 5% yet makes up more than 20% of GHGs.

Even the EU together is not as bad but close to 20%

Harper is visiting France, Germany, Italy & Britain. Only one country has moved away from US foreign policy.

It would be interesting how Harper handles meeting Medvedev the new president of Russia given his show of support for Ukraine recently...


Canuck
said

Mitch, you think the air we breath is a dumpster, and that we're allowed to dump as much pollution as we can in it? CO2 levels rose by 35 percent since the industrial revolution.

We're not helping control pollution and climate change by importing our goods from Asia instead of manufacturing them here. We're not help our economies either.

I'd say impose a green tax on such good if those countries do not comply with pollution control and fighting climate change. Free trade must apply only to goods that we cannot produce in our region. We could help sustainable development in poor countries with a fraction of the tax revenue from the saved jobs, instead of creating unfair-trade jobs.


IT Manager
said

Great... Nice to know that Harper will be embarassing us yet again with his empty strategy that will allow emissions to rise, and climate change to worsen. I wonder, where's his little rabid bulldog, Baird? Maybe Harper had to muzzle him too.


GlennW
said

At the rate of Chinas growth within 10 years they will alone consume as much oil as is presently produced and consumed by the entire world’s population. Any attempt at emission reduction without them is totally fruitless.


GoGreen
said

Mitch, I am just curious what your academic background is? You seem to know first hand that climate change isn't a problem, and I would like to know why I should believe you, as opposed to the 3000+ of the worlds top scientists that work with the IPCC on climate change studies. That anyone can still deny this is a hoax is ridiculous, the science is very strong and has been for decades.

The reason why we should be acting now while trying to bring China and India into the fold for the future is because we, as a western society, have enjoyed the luxuries of having developed economies, and we have done so for some time. This means that we are responsible for the current state and we must do our part to correct it.

The fact that we only contribute 2% of the worlds GHG is a non-issue, it is our moral obligation to do our part. And why would we want all the other countries supporting the R & D and technologies to allow these decreases to happen.

Like it or not, green is the way that the world is moving... those that adapt sooner rather than later are those that will reap the massive rewards of the impending environmental industries.


Other things to worry about
said

Just my two cents worth but I think we will have someone drop a nuke on our heads long before the environment becomes an issue....besides, if China is not on board it's all pointless.


Sean Calder
said

Well, considering that even a 1% increase in China or India's emissions would easily double, triple or even more than that which Canada emits in TOTAL should be enough reason for anyone to insist that they become regulated NOW.

Even if we WERE to reduce our emissions to 6% below 1990 levels, it would be disgustingly insignificant next to a fractional increase by either China or India. Basically, if either of those countries experience an increase in CO2 emissions, it won't matter if we have reduced our emissions to zero because it will have been replaced with their (China/India) emissions growth, and more.

Why are people being so blind to that?


deacon1
said

While I am in agreement with people that we are resonsible for our own creation of global warming, and Canada should take the lead o things there are two things that stand out. One, countries like China and India must sign on as they will be dominate in the polution problem contribution in the comming years(if not now). Two, the Sierra Club is a anti-west political party in disgiuse, and I don't know why anyone would listen to them. They are so far left that they make the NDP look NEO-CON.


Vic
said

I wish that he had stayed home. Canada's climate change 'plan' is a sham - a recipe for big oil to increase pollution and the rest of the world knows it. Since he doesn't care about the environment, he should stay out of the lime light and stop embarrassing Canada with these photo-op missions!


Andrew
said

I prefer the Conservative strategy in tackling Climate Change. They set realistic goals, that with the appropriate effort can be achieved.

This is in stark contrast to the Liberals, and many left leaning groups, who promise big but deliever nothing.

It's similar to having two people trying to lose weight. You have one person who makes a realistic weight target and small short term plans to achieve their goal. Then you have the person who makes big long term, unrealistic goals; who is actually less likely to do anything because their plans are too far ahead and too unrealistic.

On the surface someone who promises to lose 200 lbs in two weeks might sound better, but the person who sets to achieve a 2 lbs loss in two weeks is more realistic and more likely to act on their goals.

Just because the Liberals can make big goals, it doesn't mean the goals will be achieved. If anything, by making the goals even bigger, we are less likely to come through with these goals in the slighest bit.


Mark
said

Our politicians are playing along with "big business'" agenda. Why did we sign agreements and continue to trade with countries that do not protect individual freedoms, freedom of association, regulate labour safety, the environment while some of them also control the value of their currency? Because of "big business". Their costs are now a fraction, yes a fraction, of what they were while they sell their products at nearly the same price as before. Many of us are enjoying low inflation but "big business" is enjoying higher profits. Oh it's true that all countries should be included in reducing polution but we keep signing trade agreements that do not favour the ordinary citizen. Why are we using natural gas to heat water to extract oil from the tar sands instead of using the natural gas and protecting the water? Why are we giving agricultural subsidies to grow bio-fuel thus diverting land and resources from food production while creating additional demand for oil and oil derived fertilizer products? Why did we agree to a NAFTA clause to maintain energy exports to the US even if we have shortages of oil in Canada?
Harper's discussions with some EU political leaders is a red herring, it's a show for us.



Doug BC
said

The problem with this debate is that it has become far too polarized to even carry on a reasonable discussion. If anyone dares oppose a carbon tax,for example,the "green guys" will immediatley label him a denier of the science,without even considering he might accept the science,but not the carbon tax as a solution.
To many people have closed their minds to anyone thinking outside of the ideas already presented.And are not looking at the "unintended consequences" of each of these ideas.And most have some.
For me,I am glad that more taxes is not a policy Mr.Harper is inclined to follow. But I am disappointed the regulations are not exactly flowing out of the environment department. We can regulate emissions in ways that don't impoverish even more people. I feel that is the fairest way to go.I would just like to see more of it.It is possible,for example to legislate what kind of cars can be sold in Canada.But the reality is,that if Canadians are flat broke,when do you think they will be able to afford those new technologies?
I think Harper has the right approach.It's just more difficult than simply raising taxes,and he's not making enough headway with regulations.Though it is tougher when you have a minority,and the opposition has all the big tax lobby groups all lined up like a bunch of trained seals.
Right,Mr.Dion?? You seem to like the easy way out.After all,your family will have no trouble staying warm and well fed in a well lit home.


Gary
said

I think Harper is a fool. He has a minority government and he does NOT have the majority support of Canadians on the climate change file. Until we have absolute reductions not intensity reductions and until we have aggressive policies on the polluters he is just George Bush Harper. Yes we need India and China to come around but the US and the west including Canada have caused the majority of the climate change problems by running unabated for 50 years of industrialization. I am all for sustainable economies but they need to be clean economies. The answer is in technology and R & D and Canada and the US lack in these investments. The oil & gas industry is among the worst in re-investing into alternate energy sources. Case closed. I dont believe the Democrats in the US or Europe will buy Mr Harpers fairytale. And it will be at his demise come election day


Linda
said

The trouble I have with the Sierra Club, or the Suzuki's of this world,is that they are unable to recognize how environmental issues are linked to the economy,or poverty,or trade and taxes. These issues,and their solutions cannot be examined in a vacuum.
If poverty is an excuse for developing nations not to do their part,it seems to me,that creating more poverty in Canada will impede our options as well.Poor people do not buy Hybrid vehicles,or refit their homes with energy conserving upgrades.
With all the resources in Canada,we should be an energy powerhouse.And energy taxed less,would give us a huge advantage in manufacturing.Wealth created by good jobs would enable us to afford newer,more efficient technologies for transportation and manufacturing.
Trade deals are knives that cut both ways.They give us cheaper goods,but they also export our jobs to low cost countries with no environmental laws at all.
I think I like the Conservative approach more than the idea of higher taxes.If Canada pays down debt,creates better jobs,then it can also lower taxes.By that time we can afford to pay a little more for things made and grown here.Then we can add tarrifs to products made in countries unwilling to do their share on envoronmental issues.I guess it will take time,but at least we can do it without pushing more people into poverty,or taking food off of some poor kids table.
I totally agree with those who say that impoverishing more people here will be extremely counter-productive.


Kevin
said

Mitch,

I can appreciate that you may believe that climate change is a hoax but in my opinion that is not enough reason in itself to dismiss the fact that we are polluting the air for the sake of economic growth. This type of activity is not sustainable from an environmental standpoint regardless of climate change.

The other major problem I have with Harper' position is that he has manipulated the data by saying we will reduce our emissions from 2006 levels. Why does he need to use a differrent measurement than the rest of the world if his policy is effective? This kind of misinformation is trasparent and is an embarassement to Canada.

Kevin (from Alberta)


ouifyg
said

Well if they arent reducing pollution, why should we? Please. What a childish stance our government is taking on such an important issue.


ance
said

we have a climate change plan?

I thought our plan was to do nothing until everyone else does something...

Oh wait... I guess for this government that counts as a plan...




GlennW
said

Linda = excellent post could have not summed the situation up better myself


Felix
said

Mitch, Put 2% poison in your system I'm sure you'd notice the difference. The earth's environment is a finely balanced equilibrium that's taken an overall battering from we humans.

Anyhow, the issues are that rapidly developing nations need to curtail industrial emissions; developed nations country-wide emissions. Canada is playing politics on who goes first in making the reductions. US says we're not interested in the past, but what's happening in the future.

So, if we tracked back the estimates between 1945-2050 as to who'd have put what into the atmosphere, you could attribute it that way.

At the end of the day, national govts play competitive advantage on this - they call it carbon leakage. You need a global system based on industrial sector targets to move ahead with developed nations, as mentioned above, making country-wide reductions. It's really possible and I'm writing about this a lot. Alas the mainstream media is useless, stick to us specialists!


James T.
said

My issue is simple. Canada should not sit back and do nothing, just because a few other countries are also doing nothing. Canada will fall behind in technology and when we do come on board as China, India and the US inevitably will, it will be Canada along with China, India and the US buying technologies from other countries (EU) which took actions and delved into research to enable cleaner operations of business.


Al from Calgary
said

Gary & IT Manager:

Here we go Bush lite, Republicans etc.. I think that maybe Harper and the conservatives should take the Liberal and Demcocrat method. Promise to reduces greenhouse gas to unacheviable levels, sit back and do nothing, and when voted out of office cry like the liberals saying they had a plan but were voted out before they had a chance to implement it. If Bush and the US were for it, you would be crying that it would be useless without China and India on board. This is more of a hate on for Harper and Bush than on any policy.


mitch
said

i can agree that yes we can clean up our act a little but we don't need government intervention, more taxes, and threats about the end of the world over faulty science.. ask Al gore why he won't go inot a debate about it.. or when people do debate it, most people switch from believing in global warming to thinking its not sound science.. and as for the 3000 scientist who all agree on a computer simulation as sound science, its kind of funny they all agree not one person says otherwise? sounds suspect to me, and i also believe it was a lot of the same scientist that said the world was going to go into mass starvation and EXTREME global cooling... if we want change we have to do it on a personal level not having the government telling us what to do... we do that things will get better.. and lets remember we do not need to panic about everyhting... be a little reasonable and people will listen more and actually take action.. not scream we are all going to die


MB
said

Anyone who wants to comment on climate change should educate themselves on boths sides of the argument. Watch "The Great Global Warming Swindle" on U-tube. You will feel much differently about Global Warming. It is a Hoax. It is a politically motivated and agenda based movement that has little to do with real science. I used to be an ardent global warming advocate myself who thought those who dissagreed with it were not sound minded until I found the truth about the whole fiasco. Billions in funding for anything related to proving man made global warming exist.This means that a lot of people have a lot to lose by not perpetuaing the myth of "man made" global warming. By only seeing one side of the argument we make ourselves victims of blindly acceptance of a notion and this is the strategy of this agenda based movement to silence any dissenters and keep their media propeganda machine running to perpetuate the myth.


JoeC
said

While the United States and Europe allow Canadian built electric cars on their city streets, Canada still refuses to allow electric cars that are built here, on Canadian city streets, because they are not "safe" in Canada, but are safe in the United States and Europe.

What's wrong with this picture?



Allan Eizinas
said

Harper expected to come back from this whirlwind tour with surprise agreements, photo ops with other world leaders and the adulation of the Canadian public.

Instead he will be coming back to more embarrassing questions about this latest sex/security breach scandal.

This guy can’t get a break!


DWB
said

Carbon tax? You mean Celine wants to hike the tax on diamonds and graphite?

I'm all for regulating of pollutants but CO2 is not a pollutant and my beer would be flat without it.


Hanko
said

Mitch is right. The uneducated hippies still whining about climate change (formerly called global warming but the world isnt warming anymore, its cooling)found a song to sing for their own agenda. What about the petitions with over 31000 names on it calling the IPCC report a crock?


NB
said

These trips are a waste of taxpayers' money since we know by now that Harper has no intention of doing anything remotely significant about the environment. At least, save the carbon emissions from the airplane rides and stay home!!


Dean
said

I agree with Gerald. Everyone must be included in the "process". I can't help but note that I don't see a major backlash against places that brew alcoholic beverages or make carbonated drinks. How many tonnes does this put into the atmosphere? What if we reduced the populations of several countries by half, no violence please, by attrition please? How many tonnes of GHG would be reduced if the Earth's population was only half of what it is right now? This would also reduce the need for so many massive herds of livestock to be kept as well. If the world population was only half, how many fewer gas burning modes of transport would be belching out GHG?


Sonny
said

Hanko, Harper is going to Europe to talk about Climate Change...
to sell 2006 as the base year when 1990 was the agreed upon base.

He should visit India & China and show them what a terrible example we are given that we have all the technology to reduce GHGs yet will continue to expand our Tar Sands - the source of future GHG growth in CANADA.

The burning of fossil fuels to get more fossil fuels creates more pollution and destroys the environment...


Steve
said

Climate Change is real. The science behind it is real. Who stands to gain from keeping things 'status quo'? Big business.

It seems as though no matter how many scientists and experts verify the accuracy and science of climate change, big business continues to adopt strategies to keep the status quo. Let's suppose for a moment that it all was a hoax... (it's real but let's pretend.)

If Climate Change was a hoax, and had no scientific basis in reality, we should still be cleaning up our act. Co2 is a by-product of the burning of fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels creates additional problems -- for instance the air quality in Ontario is responsible for the death of hundreds of people per year according to the Ontario Ministry of Health. We have so many smog days now where experts are advising the public to stay indoors during those days. In addition, the costs of burning fossil fuels which are a non-renewable resource are quickly becoming more expensive to the point where they will seriously start to impact the economy. There is a finite amount of oil available, and the price will continue to rise as the supply decreases. Therefore, it makes much more sense to use renewable resources instead of non-renewable resources.

It's time to embrace newer technology! There are better and cheaper alternatives available... that will be better for each of us individually.

History will likely look back at Stephen Harper as a man who ignored the expert advice of reputable and good scientists and instead decided to follow his own agenda, not what was good for his country. We used to be the good guys of the world, providing leadership and wisdom to all nations. Now, it seems, this government that is in power has no vision, no leadership, and certainly cannot think for themselves. It's big business and our friends the USA who are in charge of this country's agenda.

Hopefully this will all change soon, and leaders will come forward who are more progressive.





AylmerBob
said

CO2 is not a pollutant - it's part of what we breathe out, and it's what plants need to live.
Sure we've cut down too many trees and paved over too much grass, but pollution is almost entirely an urban problem. Get to work GTA - start planting rooftop gardens, stop shipping your garbage to Michigan and convert it to energy, and stop the sprawl before you ruin all of central Ontario - grow UP, not OUT.
BTW, the feds are doing something, finally. Chretien, Martin and Dion - all hot air - good riddance.



Thomas Piuze
said

why pick on china and india? We are the second worse poluters per capita. Everyone says china is the dirty one but one canadian polutes on or about 6 times more then one chinese. We are a first world country. It is for us to make some sacrifices since we can afford it. If we all poluted as little as every chineses we would not have a climate change problem. We are the wealthy ones we should lead the way by exemple instaid of blaming our procrastination on developping countrys. I would like to know how china and india manage to manufacture so much for us and polute so little. I am surprise China and India are not asking for emition cotas based on population. Harper and Bush would be muzzled. Kioto was signed by our elected leaders and we must assume democracy or we will be known as scallywags who's promises cannot be trusted. No matter what science one buys it is about honnour. If the word still means anything to anyone.


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