Canada Human Development Index is great but on environment it is international laggard

Canada tops when it comes to Human Development Index and we are good peacemaker but what about our plans for environment. We play dismal on international stage on environment as obvious from our recent ‘Fossil of the Week’ award. Canada was named by the Climate Action Network International (CAN-I) in Barcelona as the single worst country in the industrialized world for blocking climate negotiations, and awarded not only ‘Fossil of the Day’ but also ‘Fossil of the Week’. CAN-I constitute 450 leading NGOs who oversee progress at the UN talks. Fossils are given to those countries that excel in blocking progress in climate negotiations.

The USA, being the biggest polluter of the world, also scored two awards along with Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the European Union. On receiving the award, Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice proudly said:

Well, if the price of having strong, capable, tough negotiators at the table is being singled out and given ‘Fossil of the Year’ awards, then so be it. Bring it on.

But answering Minister’s challenge, Anna Keenan of Avaaz.org, show-host presenter of the Barcelona ‘Fossils’ rightly asked,

Bring on’ what exactly? More droughts in Western Africa and in the Canadian Prairies, more forest fires in southern Europe and in British Columbia, or more heat waves in India and in Southern Ontario? That’s what we’ll get if Canada keeps stubbornly blocking the UN climate talks. Canada is the single worst country in the industrialized world at these negotiations. One would think that they would show some sign of remorse for abandoning their Kyoto Protocol commitments, but no, not Canada. Not only do they refuse to tackle the massive pollution and GHG emissions arising from the Tar Sands – which is responsible for almost 50 % of the GHG increase in Canada since 1990 – but the government also has plans to increase tar-sands production 5 folds in the coming decades. Canadians should start bracing themselves for climate impacts if the government that installed Jim Prentice – a dirty, tar-sands aficionado – as Environment Minister remains at the helm for too long. Remember – the next election is never too far away.

Further consider a recent report by WWF-Canada that slams Canada for its poor environmental record. The report says:

Canada has fallen to last place in the latest G8 Climate Scorecard, after the United States moved up in the annual rankings based on recent climate initiatives announced by the Obama administration. Canada is one of the few G8 nations whose emissions are still increasing, due in large part to the commitment to expanding exploitation of the tar sands.

Nowhere else on Earth do fewer people steward more resources, yet Canada now stands dead last amongst the G8 Nations in protecting our shared home from the threat of dangerous climate change said Keith Stewart, Director of WWF-Canada’s Climate Change Campaign. Canada’s future lies in creating green jobs on a living planet, not in becoming the energy sweatshop for the world.

It is these policies of Canada that makes reaching an agreement on climate in Copenhagen almost impossible. Even the Americans under the influence of Barak Obama are showing some leadership by shifting their position towards a more environmentally friendly policy. But why Canada is still so rigid in its approach? The same Environment Minister Jim Prentice utters, without bothering about the ‘how part’, "by 2020, Canada will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2006 levels." Canada and especially Alberta dependence on the tar sands is hurting the whole world and it’s time for us to care for our future generations. The actions of 13th biggest economy on planet, Canada, are not in vacuum as it is also the world’s 8th largest emitter of Greenhouse Gases pollution. So, it has both the responsibility and the capacity to support climate action around the world.