Science News

The Liberal Party, Canadas main opposition group, warned the government Thursday against blocking an international deal to combat climate change, due to be negotiated in Copenhagen this December.

“While climate change threatens us all, the Harper governments stubborn inaction is leading Canada towards painful environmental trade sanctions and a costly loss of international prestige,” Ignatieff said.

Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of “jeopardizing international climate change efforts leading up to Copenhagen” and hurting Canadas image abroad.

The opposition appeal came after Canada came last in a new ranking of anti-climate change efforts by G8 countries.

The Copenhagen summit in December is intended to secure a new international agreement on climate change to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

The report accuses Canada of failing to adhere to the emission reduction objectives set by Kyoto, and says the countrys emissions have continued to rise and remain among the highest in the world per capita.

The ranking, compiled by the World Wildlife Fund and financial group Allianz, raised the United States one place to seventh, leaving Canada at the bottom of the list.

But the conservative Canadian government has said it will not be bound by targets set by the previous government and has published its own plans, which environmentalists say are less ambitious.

The Kyoto Protocol requires Canada to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 6 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.

“Copenhagen demands a real commitment to fighting climate change, and fast,” he said.

The Liberal Partys David McGuinty accused Environment Minister Jim Prentice of having “lost all remaining environmental integrity, having scrapped Canadas third climate change plan in three years.”