On Thursday, the leaders of the world’s largest economies will meet in L’Aquila, Italy, for Major Economies Forum (MEF). Called by U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss progress towards a new global climate agreement, it is hoped the side-meeting of G8 World Leaders, meeting April 8-10 will result in strong concensus among world leaders who account for 80% of global emissions. June 27, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the “American Clean Energy and Security Act,” a legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill came as a hard-won victory for President Obama, who is keen on a leading U.S. role in tackling global warming.

In six months, a deal is supposed to be struck in Copenhagen, so the MEF meeting comes at a vital moment. When many of the G20 leaders met in April to address the economic crisis, they rightly pledged to do “whatever is necessary” to secure a deal for Copenhagen (COP-15)

The new US administration is supporting strong action. China is setting ambitious targets for reducing energy intensity and making massive investments in renewable energy. India has put forward its own action plan. Europe has set a goal of cutting emissions by 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 if there is an ambitious global agreement. Japan has published its proposals for major carbon reductions. Across the world, commitments are forthcoming.

Canada must focus on clear, practical, and achievable goals, with major reductions in order to ensure that, whatever the precise interim target, the world will fashion a radical new approach to economics that embraces Carbon mitigation as a cost of doing business.

Blair says we have the answers

Tony Blair (former prime minister of the United Kingdom) says,

Fully 70 percent of the reductions needed by 2020 can be achieved by investing in three areas: increasing energy efficiency, reducing deforestation and use of lower-carbon energy sources, including nuclear and renewables. Implementing just seven proven policies — renewable energy standards; industry efficiency measures; building codes; vehicle efficiency standards; fuel carbon content standards; appliance standards, and policies for reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation — can deliver these reductions.

Between L’Aquila and Copenhagen, there will undoubtedly be difficult discussions over interim targets for developed countries. While such targets are important, what matters most is agreement on the measures that ultimately will set the world on a new path to a low carbon future.

For years, the emphasis has rightly been on persuading people that there must be sufficient “will” to tackle climate change. But leaders, struggling to cope with this challenge even amidst economic crisis, need to know that there is also “a way.” Only by combining the two will we succeed. Fortunately, such a way exists.

Where will Canada be?

Wednesday’s annual G8 scorecard the WWF blasts Canada for greenhouse-gas emissions that are surging “far above” its obligations under the UN’s Kyoto Protocol, singling Canada as being the worst of the G8 countries in tackling climate change. The report says Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s conservative government had no plan to curb emissions, already among the highest in the world per capita and steadily increasing.

It’s time Canada gets in line with other G8 nations and offers solutions to clear, binding limits on carbon emissions and lives up to the agreements world leaders agree to . Canada agreed under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce CO2 emissions to 6.0 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. In 2007, the latest year for which figures are available, its emissions were 26.2 percent higher than in 1990.

UN countries, under the 192-party Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aim to forge a new agreement in Copenhagen in December that will set targets for emissions curbs and channel help to poor countries beyond 2012.

The bill requires Canada to live up to it’s Kyoto pledge and should help inspire our government to commit to firm Carbon targets at the upcoming meetings in Copenhagen – COP 15.

The IPCC is urging developed countries to reduce emissions by at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, and at least 80% by the year 2050. These reductions are needed to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.

Bill C-311 incorporates recommendations of the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and if the bill passes third reading and the Senate, Canada will need to commit to the firm targets agreed to under Kyoto Protocol.

Take a moment and contact your member of Parliament and encourage them to support Bill C-311 in its third reading.