Friday, April 27, 2007

Pas Mille Watts

The title is a quebecois expression meaning "not very bright".

And for that John Baird made us wait many weeks. ("soon")

What it really amounts to is giving up on the Kyoto Protocol and its benefits, e.g. international trading of emission credits.

The ban of incandescent light bulbs seems to be the centrepiece of the conservative "plan". It is projected to amount to a reduction of 6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year -- about 0.8 per cent of Canada's emissions.

Sure, there are some vague figures about the reductions the Conservatives say they aim for but emissons are likely to increase in the years to come. "Never has so much PR delivered so little," said Liberal environment critic David McGuinty.

This "plan is a national embarrassment that is completely out of touch with Canadian values", David Suzuki said at a news conference. It relies on emissions intensity targets that allow actual greenhouse pollution to rise for several years. "Calling this plan a strategy is actually giving it far too much credit," said Dr. Suzuki. "It's a sham, and a complete abdication of our international commitment."

Gore said "intensity reduction" is a poll-tested phrase developed in Houston by so-called "think tanks" financed by Exxon Mobil and some other large polluters. He found himself surprised to hear it in Canada.

Have you forgotten that you are our Minister of the Environment, Mr. Baird?