New Report Shows "sinks" Emphasis In Kyoto Talks Avoids Real Greenhouse Gas Reductions

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For Immediate Release

New Report Shows "sinks" Emphasis In Kyoto Talks Avoids Real Greenhouse Gas Reductions

CANADA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, VANCOUVER, Jul. 9 -/E-Wire/-- Canada's insistence that forest and farmland "carbon sinks" play a major role in efforts to reduce greenhouse gases comes under fire in a new report that challenges Ottawa to shift gears before critical international climate negotiations resume next week.

Released today by the David Suzuki Foundation and the West Coast Environmental Law Association, Taking Credit: Canada and the Role of Sinks in International Climate Negotiations, examines the science and policies surrounding controversial sections of the Kyoto Protocol that deal with carbon sinks.

"Enhancing carbon sinks may, in the short term, help prevent carbon dioxide concentrations from increasing in the atmosphere," said Gerry Scott, director of the David Suzuki Foundation's climate change campaign. "But Taking Credit shows that there are still many outstanding scientific and policy questions that should limit credits awarded for sinks at this time."

"If not properly designed, the sinks provisions of the Kyoto Protocol could create loopholes that increase greenhouse gas pollution," explains Chris Rolfe, a lawyer with the West Coast Environmental Law Association and one of the report's authors. "For example, the Canadian government wants credit for all the carbon dioxide absorbed by our growing forests. But our forests will absorb that carbon dioxide with or without the Kyoto Protocol. Allowing countries to emit more simply because of the natural growth of forests will increase greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, while not changing the amount absorbed from the atmosphere by trees."

Last fall, a meeting to work out the details of the Kyoto Protocol collapsed after Canada, the United States and Japan refused to budge from their controversial position of exploiting loopholes in the treaty instead of taking meaningful steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Talks aimed at finalizing the Kyoto agreement resume next week in Bonn, Germany, July 16-27.

In some circumstances, because forests and soils can absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere they may be considered carbon sinks. Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries can use some of these sinks as credit towards their emission reduction goals. The European Union and most developing nations are concerned that generous credits for sinks could reduce the obligation to cut emissions from fossil fuel use and other sources.

"We are concerned that an overly strong emphasis on sinks will continue to divert resources away from actions required now that permanently reduce emissions from the energy, industrial and transportation sectors," said Mr. Scott. "It will also prevent us from enjoying the other benefits of reducing fossil fuel emissions, such as reduced smog, improved air quality and human health."

Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuel is the main contributor to global warming, which is already boosting temperatures, worsening air pollution, raising sea levels and altering weather patterns.

Canada agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. Today, our emissions are estimated to be about 20 per cent above our Kyoto commitment and are projected to rise 44 per cent above that commitment by 2010.

"The objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to avoid dangerous, human-caused changes to the earth's climate," said Mr. Rolfe. "This goal is being pushed into the background by the focus on sinks. Sinks are at the core of an effort by Canada, the United States and a few other countries to avoid the politically more difficult step of sharper reductions in fossil fuel emissions."

Canada has publicly stated that it will not ratify the Kyoto Protocol unless all sink-related activities are included. But Taking Credit shows there are deep scientific and policy concerns about the reliability, measurement and permanence of sinks.

Carbon can be re-released into the atmosphere through natural respiration, fire, pests, logging or tillage. The time that carbon can be stored in sinks varies from the short-term to several centuries, unlike unused fossil fuels, which reside underground for millions of years.

"That means if Canada is allowed to emit additional greenhouse gases because it has temporarily sequestered carbon in trees or soils, more total carbon may eventually be released into the atmosphere," said Mr. Scott. "To avoid drastic impacts from global warming, we must significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by moving to renewable energy sources and investing in energy efficiency, as well as continue to address the scientific and policy issues that surround carbon sinks."

The full report, Taking Credit: Canada and the Role of Sinks in International Climate Negotiations, and its technical summary can be found on-line at www.davidsuzuki.org/sinks.asp or visit www.energyrevolution.net

David Suzuki Foundation

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/sinks.asp

http://www.energyrevolution.net

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