Federal leadership needed to tackle climate change

Most provinces still failing on global warming - need for federal government to lead

Ottawa (13 October 2006) - A new David Suzuki Foundation analysis of provincial climate change plans shows that most provinces persist in doing little or nothing to address global warming. Unfortunately, instead of leading on the issue, the federal government is doing very little.

“The necessary federal leadership to galvanize climate change action across the country is missing,” says report author Dale Marshall, Ottawa-based climate change policy analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation.

“We’re seeing some progress provincially, but it’s sporadic and not as coordinated as it needs to be. Most provinces and territories are missing huge opportunities for environmental and economic benefits.”

The report, called All Over the Map, assesses provincial and territorial action on climate change, compares each region’s greenhouse gas emissions, analyzes their climate change plans and evaluates their records. The federal government signed the Kyoto Protocol, but the provinces can and should help deliver climate change programs to meet Canada’s international obligations.

Provincial and territorial action on climate change is scattered, piecemeal and continues to be almost entirely absent in some places, research found. Some provinces and territories (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Yukon) have no climate change plans at all, others (B.C., Newfoundland, NWT) have weak and vague plans. The worst offenders (Saskatchewan and Alberta) continue allowing burgeoning emissions to grow wildly, with no plans for cutting them.

There are some reasons for hope: Manitoba, PEI and especially Quebec have responded to the challenge of climate change with plans and action. Quebec’s climate change plan is the best of all the provincial and territorial plans, with Manitoba a close second. The province has set a goal to reduce emissions in line with the Kyoto Protocol.

“The federal government needs to set the standard,” Mr. Marshall says.

“Without that leadership and framework, the provinces will make little progress. If Ottawa leads, all the provinces and territories can learn from one another, adopt and adapt the most effective policies, and create cohesive, integrated climate change plans with firm emission reduction targets. That would prove that they are all taking their global responsibility seriously.” NUPGE