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Canadian firms call for action to stop global warming
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  • MONTREAL (AFP) Nov 17, 2005
    The heads of Canada's largest companies called for action on climate change and energy Thursday in advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) in Montreal later this month.

    "Through our collective actions, Canadian business is demonstrating that it is possible to foster a reduction in greenhouse gases while maintaining competitive excellence, growth, and profitability," said Travis Engen, president and chief executive officer of aluminum giant Alcan, in an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on behalf of other executives.

    The heads of energy firm Shell Canada, nickel behemoth Falconbridge, aircraft manufacturer Bombardier and others met October 7 to discuss how Canada might implement its Kyoto Protocol obligations and what position to take in future climate change negotiations.

    The executives pressed Martin for a post Kyoto agreement to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2012 to 2050.

    "All governments and citizens, corporations and consumers have a responsibility to actively reduce greenhouse gas emissions to minimize the global impacts of climate change," Engen said.

    The UN conference, to be held November 28 to December 9 in Montreal, is expected to draw more than 10,000 delegates to improve global efforts to control greenhouse gas emissions and fight global warming.

    The Montreal meeting will be the first UN climate change conference since the Kyoto Protocol came into effect in February 2005, which was ratified by more than 140 countries.

    According to a UN report, however, Canada is among those countries that despite having ratified the Kyoto agreement, is most likely to run into difficulty implementing its commitments.

    In 2003, instead of reducing emissions by six percent by 2012 compared to 1990 levels, Canada had increased its emissions by 24.2 percent.




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