Fifty-six countries are responsible for 90% of the world's greenhouse gases emissions, and Canada ranks a dismal 51st when it comes to providing meaningful action to reduce those emissions.
This is the result of a report issued today that combines each country's emissions levels, emissions trends and climate policy to calculate an overall ranking for each. Canada's performance placed them behind 47th place Australia who did not even sign the Kyoto Accord, while the United States placed 53rd with only China, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia faring worse.
The report was announced in the midst of the latest international climate conference in Nairobi, Kenya, where members of Canada's opposition parties, and representatives of Quebec, have lambasted Federal Environment Minister Rona Ambrose in advance of her arrival at the conference.
Liberal and Bloc Québécois environment critics John Godfrey and Bernard Bigras joined Bechard and the environmental groups, urging the government to recommit to the Kyoto targets. NDP critic Nathan Cullen is expected at the UN meeting today, but was unable to attend the news conference because of a scheduling problem.
Meantime, Bigras handed out to delegates from other countries copies of a letter he wrote, on the House of Commons letterhead, that denounced the Harper government and highlighted the majority support among Canadian MPs for the Kyoto Protocol.
Environmental groups have also chimed in, awarding Ms. Ambrose the Fossil of the Day award for the government's non-existent performance in addressing global warming.
Despite her tough talk, international environmental groups gave her their "fossil of the day" award for making "ridiculous claims" about Canada meeting all of its Kyoto commitments except for the targets.
"What kind of misleading nonsense is this from the ex-chair of the conference of parties (to the Kyoto protocol)?" asked Greenpeace Canada spokesman Steven Guilbeault. "It's absolutely scandalous."
Ms. Ambrose will have an opportunity to pick her own bones with critics on Wednesday when she is expected to address the conference on behalf of the Conservative government.
