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<DIV><SPAN class=346164617-19012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I'm
worried about the Kyoto Protocol.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=346164617-19012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN class=346164617-19012006><FONT
size=2>The Kyoto Accord is crucial to getting climate change under control.
David Suzuki Foundation co-authored a report that said unless industrialized
countries reduce greenhouse gases by 30% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050, global
warming will spiral out of control. The report summary is at <A
href="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/climate/Ontario/Case_Deep_Reductions_Summary.pdf">http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/climate/Ontario/Case_Deep_Reductions_Summary.pdf</A> and
the report is at <A
href="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/climate/Ontario/Case_Deep_Reductions.pdf">http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/climate/Ontario/Case_Deep_Reductions.pdf</A>.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=346164617-19012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=346164617-19012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=346164617-19012006><FONT size=2>Harper re-iterated his intention in 2006
to jettison mandatory Kyoto targets and timelines for reducing greenhouse-gas
emissions in favor of voluntary ones. </FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
vegchat-bounces@ottawaveg.com [mailto:vegchat-bounces@ottawaveg.com]<B>On
Behalf Of </B>K<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 19, 2006 11:59
AM<BR><B>To:</B> For all discussion not animal related (health,
environment,etc). Called &quot, chat&quot,because this is for all
kinds of frequent interaction.<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [VegChat] Vote
earth<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Hello all,</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Since emissions have increased during the Liberals reign, I am not
convinced that they would follow through on a $10 billion climate-change
plan.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Regardless, incentives to take public transit not only positively impact
upon the environment, but reduces gridlock on the roads as well as noise
pollution and less cars is safer for bikers. And for those who may
bike or walk.....better health....less of a burden on our health care
system...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>While 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions may seem small in the
larger scheme of things, I believe every little bit helps.
If government takes the stance that a reduction of 800,000 tonnes is not
effective, then why should a person bother to recycle, become a veg*n,
etc. After all, how can just one person make a difference? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I believe Dions' remarks are just another example of the Liberals
attempts to attack the Conservatives. BTW, yesterday I mentioned
Buzz Hargrove campaigning with Paul Martin. Last night Martin was
engaged in a quite a bit of damage control trying to undo the damage caused by
Hargrove as Hargrove told Quebeckers yesterday to vote Bloc instead of
Conservative. So it would seem that Dion will nay say
anything the Conservatives have to offer. As well, David Suzuki's
"Nature Challenge" has always advocated that not driving is one of the top ten
things that one can do to help the environment. I tend to
give more credence to what Dr. Sukuki says than what Dion might
speculate. </DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR><B><I>Edelweiss D'Andrea <edandrea@magma.ca></I></B>
wrote:</DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=289214902-19012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks for your
feedback, K. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=289214902-19012006><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=289214902-19012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>I agree with
most, but would like to mention that while subsidizing public transit
sounds good, it's a not cost effective.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=289214902-19012006><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=289214902-19012006><FONT face=Arial size=2>The
Conservatives would shift $2 billion from the Liberals' five-year, $10
billion climate-change plan to pay for the 16 per cent tax break on bus and
subway passes. That's 20% of the climate change budget.</FONT>
<DIV></DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dion estimates that would save, at most,
800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year by getting commuters
out of cars and onto public transit. That's a tiny fraction of the 270
million tonnes Canada must cut each year to meet its Kyoto
target.</FONT> </SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
vegchat-bounces@ottawaveg.com [mailto:vegchat-bounces@ottawaveg.com]<B>On
Behalf Of </B>K<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 18, 2006 12:53
PM<BR><B>To:</B> For all discussion not animal related (health,
environment,etc). Called &quot, chat&quot,because this is for all
kinds of frequent interaction.<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [VegChat] Vote
earth<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>The GREEN Party is the only party against the seal
hunt.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Both The Citizen and Jim Harris, leader of the GREENS,
have stated that the GREENS stand a decent chance of getting elected here
in Ottawa Centre, as well as in BC Gulf Islands.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Interestingly, I noted an article which speaks of
Harper's intention to give public transit users a tax credit, since they
are using public transit as opposed to driving. I don't know
how one could track this use to determine who is eligible, but it is
the way to go. Reward those who walk, bike, take the bus, subway,
etc. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>As you mention and has been widely stated during the
election, emissions have increased during the Liberals reign. The
NDP has always relied on support from large industries (unions), which are
pollution causing, such as the automotive industry, although now Buzz
Hargrove apparently is campaigning with Martin.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>K<BR></FONT><BR><B><I>Edelweiss D'Andrea
<edandrea@magma.ca></I></B> wrote:</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2>Vote EARTH this (and every) election.<BR><BR>The
following letter I wrote to the editor was published in<SPAN
class=961180714-18012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff> <FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=#000000>the January 17
</FONT></FONT></SPAN>Ottawa Citizen:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><STRONG>Leading parties bad news for
planet</STRONG></FONT></DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2></FONT></STRONG><FONT
size=2>
<DIV><BR>The election of a Conservative government in Canada could
jeopardize progress on urgently needed international cuts to greenhouse
gas emissions.<BR><BR>Stephen Harper re-iterated his party's intention
to renege on Canada's obligations to the Kyoto Protocol in 2006. The
Conservative party plans on "initiating a made-in-Canada plan to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions," which would replace commitments to the Kyoto
Protocol.<BR><BR>The Liberals, in power for 12 years, have allowed
greenhouse gas emission levels to increase steadily. Canada's emissions
are 24 per cent higher than they were in 1990.<BR><BR>Submissions for
the Kyoto Protocol negotiation process begin this spring. If Canada, as
chair to the conference of the parties, doesn't continue to endorse the
Kyoto Protocol and start the negotiation process as planned, the process
could stall.<BR><BR>This is unbelievably bad news for the
planet.<BR><BR>According to World Wildlife Fund, David Suzuki
Foundation, and Pembina Institute, a temperature increase of two degrees
C above levels in the pre-industrial age will change the planet's
climate dramatically, after which the temperature will spiral
irreversibly upwards. The industrial world needs to reduce its
greenhouse gas emissions so that levels stabilize and don't exceed 400
parts per million. Industrialized countries need to make the cuts well
before 2050.<BR><BR>A recent report published by Pembina Institute and
David Suzuki Foundation says that industrialized countries must reduce
emissions by 25 to 30 per cent by 2020 and by 85 to 90 per cent by 2050
(relative to 1990 levels).<BR><BR>The report says, as an industrialized
nation, Canada needs to reduce emissions to 25 per cent by 2020 relative
to 1990 levels. This means that Canada has to reduce its emissions by 49
per cent over the next 16 years.<BR><BR>In Canada, climate change is
expected to result in water shortages, flooding of coastal areas,
stress-related disorders caused by environmental migration, and
extinction of the polar bear and other northern
species. <BR><BR>Edelweiss D'Andrea, BA, BSc<BR><A
href="mailto:edandrea@magma.ca">edandrea@magma.ca</A><BR></DIV>
<DIV>-------------------<BR><BR>Greenpeace sent out a questionnaire to
the 5 major federal parties asking them a series of questions about the
environment and posted them here:<BR><A
href="http://www.greenpeace.ca/e/feature/elections2006"
target=_blank>http://www.greenpeace.ca/e/feature/elections2006</A><BR><BR><BR>Sierra
Club of Canada also compiled answers to an environmental questionnaire:
<A href="http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/vote-canada/2006/index.html"
target=_blank>http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/vote-canada/2006/index.html</A><BR><BR><BR>-------------------<BR><BR><BR>Canadian
Climate Coalition denounces Conservative Party for ducking the
issues<BR><BR>January 17, 2006<BR>(Ottawa, Victoria, Winnipeg, Edmonton,
Woodbridge, and Montreal)<BR><BR>The Canadian Climate Coalition, a
nation-wide network of groups working on climate action, sent a
questionnaire to all five major parties to verify positions on the Kyoto
Protocol. Only the Conservative Party refused to
respond.<BR><BR>"The purpose of the survey was to determine future
actions to reduce greenhouse gases in Canada. Only the NDP and the
Green Party were prepared to state specific targets for future
action. The Liberals have committed in general terms to long term
targets after launching the process to negotiate post-2012 emission
reductions last month in Montreal," noted Brent R. Kopperson, Executive
Director of the Windfall Ecology Centre.<BR><BR>There is a growing
consensus among scientists that global emissions must be reduced by 30%
below 1990 levels by 2020 to avoid hitting a "tipping point" in the
atmosphere of 400 parts per million carbon
dioxide. <BR><BR>"According to Mr. Harper's public statements, a
Conservative Party government would ignore the first stage Kyoto
commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 6% below 1990 levels by
2012. Given the urgency of the need to reduce far more by 2020,
the Conservative Party position represents a significant threat to
progress in confronting climate change," said Gaile Whelan Enns of
Manitoba Wildlands.<BR><BR>"It appears that a Canadian government under
Stephen Harper would move Canada more into the same camp as U.S.
President George W. Bush," noted Kathryn Malloy, Executive Director of
the British Columbia Chapter of Sierra Club of Canada.<BR><BR>The main
plank of the Conservative Party platform on climate, the tax deduction
for transit passes is, according to the Canadian Climate Coalition, a
gross abuse of funds and an unproductive boondoggle.<BR><BR>"Harper's
plan will cost 200 to 800 times more for each tonne of emissions than
Canada's current Project Green, which was, in fact, 'made in Canada',"
according to Guy Dauncey of the BC Sustainable Energy Association. "If
this is the way that Harper's 'made in Canada' plan to reduce emissions
begins, then he's certainly not a fiscal conservative!"<BR><BR>See
attached Response Grid to the Questions Posed to the five main parties
by the Canadian Climate Coalition and the Backgrounder on the
Conservative Party position on Climate Change. Please consult with the
Coalition's website:
www3.sympatico.ca/lothcol/Election2006ClimateCoalition/</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
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