Cars and light trucks produce about 10 percent of Canada greenhouse
gas emissions and are the largest source of individual emissions.
Measures must be taken to reduce emissions.
On January 17, 2008, the Government of Canada announced
for the third time that it will regulate automotive fuel economy. For
the third time, it failed to say just what the regulation will require.
This time however they provided a deadline for comments – March 15,
2008.
We Need Strong Legislation
There
is a real danger the coming car regulations will be far weaker than
what is technically possible – unless the public gets involved and
communicates its desire for strong legislation to the federal
government. That’s why Climate for Change has created this web site –
to give you the opportunity to voice your concerns directly to the Prime Minister.
The
Government of Canada ha said it will adopt “a regulation designed for
Canada to maximize our environmental and economic benefits and will be
benchmarked against a stringent, dominant North American standard.”
What Needs to be Done
Climate
for Change didn’t know what that meant, so we asked Transport Canada.
When we received a blank stare in response, we commissioned a study by
an expert in regulating cars. The report
compared the regulations proposed by California and the U.S. federal
government and concluded that California’s rules are better. Quebec,
British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Manitoba agree.
California
requires car companies to start reducing emissions in 2009 and continue
making improvements through 2016. The comparable U.S. federal law,
which would come into full force in 2020, does not adequately address
greenhouse gas emissions.
You Can Help
Climate
for Change has asked the federal government to adopt the equivalent of
California Standards across Canada. We hope you will support our demand
by signing our petition and writing to the Prime Minister Harper by the deadline of March 15th.
