Climate protection gains a foothold on the North American continent
Federal environment Minister Jürgen Trittin today welcomed the climate protection plan adopted by the Canadian government. "I am delighted that Canada is promoting climate protection with an ambitious action plan. This sends a strong signal to the world from the country hosting the next international climate change conference in Montreal in December. In contrast to the USA, Canada delivers the proof that climate protection can be feasible and economically viable on the North American continent too."
With the plan, which was presented today by the ministries for environmental protection, natural resources and economics, Canada aims to honour its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. By 2012, the country must reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 6% compared to 1990. Germany has to reduce emissions by 21% within the same time period, giving it the highest reduction commitments in the world. A reduction of 19% has already been achieved.
Like Germany, Canada is pursuing a policy of making its economy more competitive for a time characterised by climate change, involving all levels of society in the process: Promoting not only investments in modern, climate-friendly technologies but also climate-friendly infrastructures in cities and municipalities and climate-aware behaviour in people's daily life.
Canada has drawn on experience gained by German and European climate protection policy, for example establishing its own emissions trading and significantly expanding renewable energies, especially wind energy.
"Canada is one of our most important partners in the fight against climate change", stressed Jürgen Trittin. "Industrialised countries must face up to their responsibility for climate change and meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments. Furthermore, we must reach swift agreement on taking considerably more drastic measures in future. For climate change already creates huge costs and is moving rapidly. I am relying on the Montreal conference to send a strong message, which I hope will also be heard by Canada's neighbours to the south.