Electricity providers in Canada are heating up the Kyoto debate by warning against ratification of the treaty without more careful study and debate.
The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) says the federal government should have a clear understanding of the emission-reduction potentials and risks in the electrical industry, but “it is apparent to CEA and its members that neither the potential nor the risks are as yet well understood.”
The government’s expectations for electricity emission reductions are inconsistent with the CEA’s core mission – to provide affordable, reliable supplies of electricity while ensuring no region is asked to bear an unreasonable burden, says a letter released by the group last week.
“There remains a considerable gap between our understanding of what is practically achievable in the Kyoto time frame and what is either assumed or explicitly set out in federal documents,” said the letter, addressed to Environment Minister David Anderson and Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal.
“It would seem that the government is still a considerable distance from having a meaningful and workable overall plan.”
CEA says a meaningful plan for reducing emissions from electricity will need to be placed in a longer time frame and will require a firm commitment from governments to create and sustain the policy conditions needed to lead to a low-emission electricity future.
The CEA’s members produce, transmit and distribute 95 per cent of the country’s electricity.
Meanwhile, Alberta retailers also waded into the issue Friday by calling for a deferral of Kyoto and warning the accord could have a serious impact on consumer spending.
“The retail industry is the largest employer in Alberta and retail spending in the province leads the nation. The government of Canada must not do anything that would negatively affect this significant economic indicator,” said Retail Alberta executive John Wojcicki.
