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OTTAWA — The Conservative government is facing attacks at home and abroad over its environmental record as the international climate change conference kicks off in Copenhagen.
“They’re calling us a corrupt petro-state,” NDP Leader Jack Layton shouted in the House of Commons. “They’re calling us the dirty old man of the climate world.
“Our international reputation is at an all-time low because our emissions are growing faster than practically any other country in the world.”
Outside the Commons, protesters called Prime Minister Stephen Harper a “climate criminal,” while in Denmark Canada was handed the “Fossil of the Day” award — given out by a group of 400 NGOs to the country doing the most to block progress at the meetings.
It’s not the best way to kick off what’s being called the largest and most important UN climate change conference in history. Canada is one of 192 countries in the Danish capital trying to hammer out a deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires at the end of 2012.
Canada arrived with a pledge to cut emissions 20% below 2006 levels by 2020, a target similar to the American promise of cutting emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020.
The Tory plan is to harmonize Canada’s climate change policy with the U.S., regardless of what is agreed in Copenhagen, but saying so has drawn scorn. Critics say it means doing only half of what was promised when Canada ratified Kyoto, and would take eight years longer.
A Harris-Decima poll released Monday indicated 81% of Canadians want Canada to act independently of the U.S. in Copenhagen.
But there’s little sign of Canada buckling. Michael Martin, Canada’s chief climate change negotiator, told reporters from Denmark on Monday that “Canada is not proposing to change its 2020 emissions target.”
Environment Minister Jim Prentice was also quick to dismiss his critics, insisting Canada was “a constructive player at the climate change table.”
“Canada wants to see an agreement in Copenhagen,” Prentice said. “Canada is prepared to be a responsible party (and) we’ll take on our just and fair share of that obligation — bearing in mind Canada only emits 2% of the world’s greenhouse gases.”
Prentice says Canada will agree to a deal if major emerging economies such as China and India are also forced to cut emissions.
The same Harris-Decima poll, however, indicated 64% of Canadians want industrialized nations to commit to harder targets than developing nations.
— With files from Sun Media wire services
peter.zimonjic@sunmedia.ca