TAXPAYERS BEAR BRUNT OF WEAK KYOTO PLAN
April 15, 2005

"It's great to see the government showing a commitment to reduce emissions," said Manley, "but the logical first step is to stop subsidizing the industries that are contributing the most to health and environmental hazards."

By Luca Palladino, Media Team

Montreal, 15 April, 2005)-The federal government should be ashamed to have called its Kyoto plan the "Green Project" as there is little of anything "green" about it, said Green Party of Canada deputy leader Tom Manley today.

The Government of Canada has slated $10 billion of the public purse for a program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a document entitled, "Moving forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring our Kyoto Commitment" released yesterday on Parliament Hill. Despite costing billions, the plan will do little to lower emissions without stronger penalties and incentives.

"It's great to see the government showing a commitment to reduce emissions," said Manley, "but the logical first step is to stop subsidizing the industries that are contributing the most to health and environmental hazards. The Liberal path is leading to a dead end, and in the end, the economy and the environment will pay the price."

The government spends at least $1.5 billion every year in direct subsidies to the oil and gas sector-the single largest contributor of carbon emissions in Canada. Rather than reducing emissions by 6 percent, as laid out in the Kyoto Accord, Canadian emissions have soared to more than 20 percent above 1990 levels.

"We have alternative technologies, but the federal government is lacking the political will to move forward," said Green Party environment advocate, Sharon Labchuk, who noted that wind energy is the fastest-growing energy sector in the world. "Green technology creates jobs, reduces waste, cuts pollution and drives profits."

"The government must bring its Kyoto plan to vote in the House of Commons to show that it is serious about implementing policy tools before any election is called," said Labchuk. "The state of our environment cannot afford this political gamesmanship any longer." Ottawa introduced the budget implementation bill with Kyoto instruments only to pull them out under Conservative pressure.

The Green Party plans to increase the share of tax revenues from the worst polluters while lowering taxes on income over a 10-15 year period. Consumers and producers would then become more efficient in energy usage guiding the economy to more sustainable options. Different prices reflecting various costs to society would help drive the switch to cleaner sources and more efficient technology. "It's a common sense solution only the Liberals could avoid.".

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