Isramart :Canada’s carbon plan delayed again

Isramart news:
OTTAWA – A Canadian plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions will be delayed yet again because global warming talks set for next month in Copenhagen won’t result in a binding legal treaty, Environment Minister Jim Prentice says.

Speaking after a meeting of environment ministers in the Danish capital, Prentice said countries are crafting a political agreement that leaders can commit to at the United Nations-sponsored summit. But drafting a full accord to replace the Kyoto Protocol could take up much of 2010.

The Conservative minister says that will complicate the Canadian plans to cut greenhouse gases. Those plans are already slow-moving because they are waiting on legislation that is being written and debated in the U.S. Congress. Canada hopes to harmonize the two countries’ policies and create a North American market to cap greenhouse gases and trade emissions credits.

Prentice had initially promised to table a domestic regulations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from industry before going to Copenhagen in mid-December. He later said regulations would come out after the summit once the U.S. plan was passed into law.

The Conservatives put out their first climate change policy in the fall of 2006, shortly after coming to power.

The newest setback at the Copenhagen talks doesn’t necessarily mean a Canadian climate change policy will be put off to late next year or early 2011, but it will have to wait a little longer, Prentice said.

“This is very complex and involves 192 different countries at the table. It is in our interest as Canadians to ensure we know what the international framework is going to look like. Our continental framework needs to be consistent with that, and our domestic policies need to be consistent with that,” Prentice said.

“Prudence would dictate that’s the way we should go forward as a country.”