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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Canada just ahead of Saudi Arabia

Poor progress in reducing emissions, report says

By: Kelly Cryderman

Posted: 12/14/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

COPENHAGEN -- Canada ranks just ahead of Saudi Arabia when it comes to progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, says an annual climate change performance report looking at 57 high-emitting countries.

"Looking at the emissions level of the ranked countries, the United States, Canada and Russia place very poorly," says the report, to be officially released as global climate change talks resume in Copenhagen today.

"Canada's emissions level is very high due to its energy intensive economy and due to a very high energy consumption per capita in comparison to the other index countries."

The evaluation report, written by Germanwatch, a social advocacy group, and Climate Action Network Europe, a coalition of environmental groups, states that "none of the countries analyzed is contributing sufficiently on a practical level to the goal to avoid dangerous climate change and keep global warming notably below the two degrees limit."

However, it says some countries are doing better than others.

The ranking does not give any country first, second or third spot, saying nobody deserved it. Brazil is ranked fourth for its push to reduce emissions and develop alternative energy sources. But it is given the ranking with the caveat that there's not enough information to consider the impact of land-use changes, even though approximately 75 per cent of Brazil's emissions can be traced to that sector.

Sweden, the U.K. and Germany were also highly ranked. Mexico came in 8th place, and the U.S. moved up slightly in the rankings based on changes enacted by the Obama administration.

The report ranked countries based on their emission trends in consumer and industrial sectors, emission levels on a per unit or per capita basis, and climate change policies. The 57 countries surveyed account for more than 90 per cent of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

Canada ranked poorly based on high per capita emissions and energy use, as well as its construction and manufacturing sectors and what was described as a lack of action on promoting renewable energy sources. It received particularly low rankings for its climate policies.

Even though Canada is the source of just two per cent of worldwide emissions, the report notes it is home to 0.5 per cent of the world's population. However, it accounts for 1.7 per cent of the world's GDP.

Last year, federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice responded to the same report, where Canada received the same ranking, by cautioning that "simply because one environmental group characterizes the record of the government of Canada in one way, doesn't mean that is the reality."

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 14, 2009 A9

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