Since the environmental arguments for a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions appear to make little or no impact upon the editors of the Globe (What we don't know about global warming, editorial, 12 October 1990), perhaps economic arguments will have some effect:

• Even the most optimistic National Energy Board prediction shows that Canada is running out of oil. If Canadians do not reduce their demand for oil (Canada's major source of carbon dioxide), the demand will be have to be satisfied by importing foreign oil. Since many oil exporting countries are politically unstable (as the recent events in the Gulf prove), it is folly to base future energy supplies upon these sources. Should a stable foreign source of oil be found, the costs of acquiring this oil will be a major burden upon our balance of trade.
• Canadians are among the most inefficient users of energy in the world. According to OECD figures, it takes almost twice as much energy to produce one unit of Gross Domestic Product in Canada as it does in almost all other industrialized countries -- Canadians are pricing themselves out of world markets.
• There is considerable money to be made from advanced energy technologies. (West) Germany is already actively involved in the development of (carbon dioxide-free) hydrogen fuel technologies and have recently signed an agreement with Hydro Quebec for the export of hydrogen to Europe.

So please, don't dismiss the necessary 20 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions as just another ill-judged 'green' proposal simply because the Marshall Institute doesn't agree with it (remember, over 200 atmospheric scientists at the Toronto Conference on the Changing Atmosphere called for these cuts). Instead, look upon the 20 per cent cut as a way to help the Canadian economy.

Submitted 16 October 1990. Not published.

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At the recent World Climate Conference held in Geneva, Canada indicated its agreement to stabilize its carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000. This is a substantial change from Prime Minister Mulroney's call for reductions in Canadian carbon dioxide emissions to levels 20 per cent below those of 1988 by the year 2005.

Figures from the National Energy Board show that Canada's average carbon dioxide emission levels from the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), will rise anywhere from 19 to 29 per cent over the period 1990 to 2000. (Coal emissions alone are expected to rise between 36 and 60 per cent.)

Stabilizing emissions implies that the federal government must adopt policies stressing energy efficiency and energy conservation. This will mean a reversal of current policies which have resulted in such short-sighted actions as:

• abandoning passenger rail services in favour of the automobile.
• ignoring the environmental assessment process in favour of energy megaprojects.
• closing government energy conservation offices across the country.

Given Canada's self proclaimed leadership in the area of the environment, it is time for action, not more rhetoric.

Submitted 27 November 1990. Not published.

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