Green group hits at Canada over oil sands

Canada is unlikely to be able to hit its target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 because of the rapid growth of its oil sands industry, a leading research group has warned.

Canada has admitted that it stands no chance of meeting its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-12 under the Kyoto protocol, but the government has proposed a 20 per cent reduction in emissions from last year’s level by the end of the next decade.