The July 11th issue of The Economist has an interesting article on the global debate over greenhouse gas emissions. The article, ‘Wanted: Fresh Air’, considers whether emerging nations have earned the right to produce more emissions than developed nations. U.S. President Obama’s progressive new environmental policies have shifted the focus of the debate away from the States’ former inaction, and brought increased scrutiny to the commitments of other nations.
Although the article
focuses primarily on the issues of developing nations, it is also critical of
Canada’s commitment to emissions reductions. “America’s new seriousness
turns unwelcome attention on countries such as Canada, Japan and
Australia”, who are seen as falling behind on their commitments to
reduce emissions. The Icarus Foundation is encouraged by the Obama
Administration's new commitment to cut emissions, and we hope that
the U.S. will also inspire Canadian law-makers to institute more proactive
strategies. Canadians see ourselves as leaders in environmental policy,
but we must strive to maintain our global leadership position. The U.S.
has raised the bar, and we should be prepared to meet and exceed their
challenge.
Feedback: Do you think Canada is a leader on the issue of climate change?
Photo courtesy: http://blogues.cyberpresse.ca/lagace/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/obama-harper-pc.JPG
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