In a statement released today from Doha, Environment Minister Peter Kent claims that Canada’s emissions are historically low. He bases his statement on per capita greenhouse gas (GHG).
“The Minister hopes to distract us from 2011 total emissions which have gone up. According to international reporting published in the prestigious journal Nature Climate Change, Canada’s emissions hit an all time high of 600 million tons in 2011”, said Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader and Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands.
“In 1990, Canada emitted 457 million tons. This is a 24% increase since 1990. Canada had committed in Kyoto to reduce its total emissions by 6% between 1990 and 2012. It is a national shame,” added May.
“To talk in terms of per capita numbers is another attempt by Harper’s Conservative to fool Canadians in believing we are on the right track. Total emissions GHG numbers are alarming. Under Stephen Harper as Prime Minister, Canada has cancelled its climate change programmes, continually weakened our targets, repudiated our international obligations, cancelled support for climate science and gagged the scientists who remain. No wonder we are a pariah at international negotiations,” concluded May.