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July 12, 2001

Canadian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up Again in 1999

Canada said on Wednesday its output of greenhouse gases in 1999 was 15 percent higher than in 1990 but insisted it could still meet its tough target for emission cuts under the Kyoto climate change protocol.

The 1997 protocol committed Canada to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent from 1990 levels by 2012.

Environment Minister David Anderson admitted he was worried by the 1999 figures but said it was not until 2000 that Ottawa had introduced a plan to combat the emissions, which are caused largely by the burning of fossil fuels and are blamed by most scientists for global warming.

``It's not disastrous because we hadn't actually begun the program of greenhouse gas reductions in 1999...it's of concern, in no way would I say it's not of concern, but it is in no way a major surprise,'' he told Reuters in an interview.

Anderson said Canada's booming economy -- which grew by 4.5 percent in 1999 -- had been partly to blame.

``We clearly have more to do, there is no question about that. This is the result of a very remarkable growth of the economy and I guess people have not shown an interest in reducing economic opportunity or growth. We are in a sense the victims of our success,'' he said.

Official figures released on Wednesday showed that Canadian emissions of greenhouse gases in 1999 totaled 699 megatons, some 15 percent above the 1990 level of 607 megatons. Under the terms of the 1997 Kyoto protocol, Canada agreed to cut emissions in the period between 2008 and 2012 to 571 megatons.

``We'll be analyzing the sectors where these increases occurred and we'll be taking specific targeted measures in those sectors to reverse those numbers. We're still fully confident we'll meet our Kyoto target,'' Anderson said.

But even if Canada's emissions in 2000 stay at 1999 levels, Ottawa will need to effect an 18.3 percent cut in emissions by 2012 to stick to its Kyoto promise.

Emissions in 1999 grew due to increases in coal consumption for electricity and steam generation, particularly in the most populous province of Ontario, as well as growth in fossil fuel production and increases in energy consumption by all forms of transport.

``The concern we have is the reliance on coal for electrical generation. It takes time to make these changes...but we clearly are not seeing yet the new technologies of clean coal being spread widely,'' Anderson said.

Emissions from electricity and heat generation were up 24 percent in the period from 1990 to 1999 while those from fossil fuel industries grew by 26 percent. Canadians' increasing fondness for fuel-guzzling sport utility vehicles and other light trucks helped push transport emissions up by 24 percent.

Anderson noted that the upward trend of emissions was slowing. In 1994, emissions growth peaked at more than 3.5 percent per year but from 1998 to 1999 the annual increase had eased to 1.4 percent.

He said the situation should be improved once Canada put into a place an emissions trading system, which in essence charges plants and factories for the right to pollute.

``What we clearly have to do is settle for plans that bring (emissions down) and we think we have them,'' he said.

Ottawa said last October it would spend up to C$500 million ($330 million) to meet one-third of its Kyoto target by 2008, partly by promoting the use of new fuels such as ethanol and by spending money on technology to find better ways to capture and store energy.

It also vowed to support the promotion of innovative technologies including fuel cells, which generate power through chemical reactions rather than combustion.
 

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