Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Still Rising

Environment Canada delivered some bad climate change news on Earth Day of all days. New data released by the federal environmental agency shows Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, which is further evidence of Canada’s poor record when it comes to taking serious action on climate change. Highlights from the 2007 data include:

• Total greenhouse gas emissions for 2007 were 747 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This is a 4.0% increase from 2006 emissions.
• Emissions in 2007 were approximately 26% higher than 1990 levels.
• Canada’s emissions in 2007 exceeded our Kyoto Protocol target of 558.4 megatonnes by a whopping 33.8%.
• The most significant causes of emissions growth in Canada between 1990 and 2007 were due to large increases in oil and gas production, more motor vehicles and greater reliance on coal-powered electricity generation.

The international community is presently gearing up for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2009, where an agreement on greenhouse gas reductions to replace the outgoing Kyoto Protocol will be formulated.

The summary of the Environment Canada report can be viewed at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/GHG/inventory_report/2007/som-sum_eng.cfm