Canadian environmental watchdog warns against energy projects

by The Associated Press

Canada’s pollution levels will rise dramatically if it increases oil and gas production to meet mounting U.S. demands, an environmental watchdog group warned June 1. By 2010, greenhouse gas emissions will rise by 44 percent above the amount Canada set as its target if the country expands energy supplies, said the David Suzuki Foundation in a report.

The report, “Fueling the Climate Crisis,” said that Canada was rushing to boost oil and gas production to meet runaway American demand.

“Our new research points out the outrageous contradiction between Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases and its desire to boost oil and gas production,” said Jim Fulton, executive director of the foundation. “We are going down a dangerous path as Canada itself will be a prime victim of climate change.”

Prime Minister Jean Chretien has made it clear that Canada is eager to help the United States satisfy its quest for more energy, even though the United States has turned its back on the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on emission of greenhouse gases.

Under the Kyoto accord, Canada agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 6 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Emissions are now about 20 percent above the Kyoto commitment, the group said.

In 1999, Canada exported 458 million barrels of oil, from its total production of 698 million barrels, to America. The United States also consumed almost half of Canada’s gas output that year.