The Canadian government has asked individual Canadians to take the “One-Tonne Challenge” and reduce their personal greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. That’s fair enough. Most Canadians are willing to accept responsibility and take action in time of crisis. But this alone is not enough to meet our Kyoto obligations – in fact we need the government to step up to The 240 Million Tonne Challenge.

If Canadian emissions continue as usual, they will rise to 810 million tonnes per year by 2010. This will put us 30% above our legally binding Kyoto target, creating a gap of 240 million tonnes of emissions per year.

Canada is not going to meet its Kyoto promises unless we make a strong commitment to a realistic plan for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

Take action: Ask your local Member of Parliament to support The 240 Million Tonne Challenge!

When Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in December 2002, we agreed to cut our emissions of greenhouse gases to 6% below 1990 levels by the year 2012. Following the ratification of the Protocol by Russia in October 2004, the international treaty became legally binding just over one month ago, on February 16th, 2005.

While Canada has pledged to reduce our emissions, we are far behind on our commitments. We have actually increased our emissions by 20% since 1990. Our emissions have increased to 731 Mt (megatonnes or million tonnes) of carbon dioxide equivalent, while our Kyoto target is 570 Mt. About 28% of this increase is from vehicles, 28% from electricity and heat generation, and 22% from the oil and gas industry.

If greenhouse gas emissions continue on this trajectory, they will likely be 810 Mt per year by 2010, mid-way through the Kyoto commitment period of 2008-2012. This leaves a 240 million tonne/year gap between our legally binding Kyoto target of 570 Mt.

That is why Greenpeace has launched The 240 Million Tonne Challenge.

Although the Canadian government has devised plans for reduction of greenhouse gases, it has relied mainly on voluntary measures and very limited financial incentives. Large industrial polluters in chemicals, iron and steel, metal smelting, mining, pulp and paper, petroleum refining, gas extraction and electricity generation are responsible for 50% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The government has failed to place mandatory pollution caps on these industries.

In order to avoid catastrophic climate change, including disastrous extreme weather events, Canada will have to go far beyond its Kyoto Commitment. 2004 was the fourth hottest year on record, and the ten hottest years on record have taken place since 1990.

Temperature increase in Canada has already caused extreme weather events – heat waves in southern Ontario, severe drought on the prairies, ice storms in eastern Canada, flooding in Manitoba, Québec and Newfoundland, and forest fires and pest infestations in western Canada (International Energy Agency, Energy Policies of IEA Countries - Canada 2004 Review, OECD/IEA February 2004, p. 49).

Many individual Canadians are taking action to fight climate change by reducing their own emissions, and are stepping up to the government’s “One Tonne Challenge”.

Now ask the Canadian government to step up to their challenge - Send a letter to your local Member of Parliament and ask them to take The 240 Million Tonne Challenge!

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