Coalition government better for environment, says Sierra Club

The following is a news release from Sierra Club Canada:

December 3, 2008 – A Liberal-New Democratic Party coalition government would be better for Canada’s natural environment, says Sierra Club Canada.

During
the last federal election, two Sierra Club reports ranked the five
federal parties on their commitments on climate change and freshwater
issues respectively, and surveyed them on other environmental issues.

“Environmental
protection is clearly a priority for the Liberal Party and NDP, as well
as the Bloc Québécois,” explained Jean Langlois, National Campaigns
Director. “On climate change, the Liberals received a B+, the NDP and
Bloc Québécois a B, and the Conservatives an F+.  On freshwater, the
Liberals and NDP both scored high marks, while the Bloc and
Conservatives scored poorly.”  

Liberal, NDP and Bloc election
platforms all proposed to combat climate change through a cap-and-trade
system that would regulate a hard cap on greenhouse gas emissions. By
contrast, the Conservative Party’s proposed system relies on intensity
targets, allowing emissions to continue to rise dramatically –
especially from the tar sands. While the Liberal platform proposed both
a carbon tax and a cap and trade system, only the later is being
retained by the proposed coalition government.

“We applaud both
the Liberal Party and the NDP for advocating hard caps on emissions
targets and for including tar sands emissions in their carbon-pricing
plan,” said Langlois.  

“Both the Liberals and the NDP are
prepared to tackle the issue of climate change through carbon pricing,”
said Mike Buckthought, National Climate Campaigner. “Since taking
office in January 2006, the Conservative government has obstructed
progress at international climate talks to reduce emissions by at least
25 to 40% by the year 2020. Canada needs a more constructive approach
in the critical global negotiations leading to the pivotal Copenhagen
conference in December 2009.”

Both the NDP and the Liberals
committed to developing a comprehensive national water strategy and
demonstrated understanding of freshwater issues and solutions as
proposed in Changing the Flow, a policy blueprint published last year
by the Gordon Water Group of Concerned Scientists and Citizens.