Canada's Conservative government has announced a new emissions-reduction plan that falls well short of the country’s commitments under the Kyoto protocol on climate change. Large emitters of industrial greenhouse gas not meeting the timetable will be allowed to pay into a fund for pollution control technologies and companies will be given credit for emission reductions in the past.

Environmental groups said that because the planned reduction by 18% over 3 years is tied to units of production, not overall output, total greenhouse emissions in Canada may continue to rise. They specifically noted the oil sands projects in Alberta – an increasingly important energy source for the US – would probably increase production by twice the rate they are required to curb per-unit gas emissions during the 3-year period.

Main Source: New York Times