The joke's on Canada
Posted Dec 24, 2009 By EMC News
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Tweet ThisEMC Editorial It's sad when an entire country becomes an international joke.
Such was the situation last Monday, when the activist group known as The Yes Men sent out fake news releases regarding new emissions targets announced by Environment Canada, sending those representing the country at the Copenhagen climate conference into a frantic commotion.
The initial bogus release stated that the federal government was setting binding emissions reductions targets at 40% below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 80% by 2050, falsely quoting Environment Minister Jim Prentice in the announcement. The release also stated that Canada would eventually commit to spending 5% of its gross domestic product to assist developing countries with adapting to climate change.
In actuality, as of last early last week, Canada remained committed to reducing greenhouse gases by 20% below 2006 levels as of 2020. The federal government had also not yet made funding commitments to developing countries as of early last week.
The group responsible for the stunt said it devised the hoax as a way to "shame" Canada, saying, as many others have, that the country's reduction targets are simply too weak.
Though not the only source of tarnishing the country's environmental reputation during the Copenhagen talks, the hoax certainly did not benefit Canada, which has been repeatedly under fire for its reduction targets.
One report, written by the advocacy group Germanwatch, noted that Canada ranks just ahead of Saudi Arabia when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hardly a feat to be proud of.
Protests against Canada picked up momentum during the Copenhagen talks and in London, police were called when activists scaled the Canada High Commission in an effort to cut down the Canadian flag.
Jokes have traditionally painted Canada as a passive country, a sit-at-the-back-and-wait-to-follow-the-leader type of country. But the jokes aren't so funny anymore and Canada's permanent environmental report card is in jeopardy if action by leaders is not taken.
By the time this goes to print, talks at Copenhagen will have wrapped up. We hope that Canadian representatives decided to make their way to the front and took a more aggressive stance on target reductions. We hope, but we're not going to bet on it.
