Canada should put oil sands on hold: climate change expert

MONTREAL – Canada should be doing much more to tackle climate change, and consider closing down the oilsands projects in northern Alberta, the head of an international scientific panel on climate change said Monday.

Canada should follow the European Union, which has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, said Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In contrast, Canada’s plan is to only cut emissions by 20% below 2006 levels by 2020, a target that many scientific and environmental observers say is far too low.

Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions climbed 26% between 1990 and 2006.

“In the last couple of years, I’m afraid, Canada has not been seen as sitting at the table,” Mr. Pachauri said in an interview in Montreal on Monday. “I think Canada should be doing much more.”

Financial Post