topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2270.63 -0.42
DAX 6788.8 0.59
IBEX 30 8902.1 0.60
CAC 40 3424.71 0.43
FTSE 100 5895.47 0.33
AEX 325.12 -0.06
DJIA 12890.46 0.05
Nasdaq 2927.23 0.39
FTSE MIB 16653.83 -0.09
TSX Composite 12497.94 -0.18
ASX 4322.6 -0.79
Hang seng 20761 -1.19
Straits Times 2963.69 -0.59
ISEQ 20 503.71 0.33
You are here: Home News German News Germany best, Canada worst on climate change

German News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


02/07/2009Germany best, Canada worst on climate change

Ahead of the annual G8 summit, the green group WWF and the German insurance giant Allianz blasted Canada for its surging greenhouse-gas emissions.

Paris -- Canada ranks last among the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations for tackling climate change while Germany is top, the green group WWF and the German insurance giant Allianz reported on Wednesday.

Their assessment, issued ahead of the annual G8 summit, blasts Canada for greenhouse-gas emissions that are surging "far above" its obligations under the UN's Kyoto Protocol.

"(Canada's) per capita emissions are among the highest in the world," they said.

"(Its) mid- to long-term greenhouse targets are inadequate. A plan to curb emissions was developed last year but has not been implemented. The Kyoto target will stay completely out of reach."

The United States, which placed last in the 2008 rankings, moves up a notch, thanks to the pro-climate policies launched by President Barack Obama.

Russia, too, is criticised for a steady increase in carbon pollution since 1999 and the lack of policies to reverse the trend.

Japan and Italy, ranked fifth and fourth respectively, have relatively low emissions per capita.

But both are faulted for failing to set down programmes that will help to peg global warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees) Fahrenheit above pre-industrial times, a widely-accepted goal.

Germany heads the G8 list, narrowly followed by Britain and then France.

Even so, these three countries are still two-thirds short of what they could achieve, the report said.

The G8 summit takes place in L'Aquila, Italy, from July 8-10.

UN countries, under the 192-party Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aim to forge a new agreement in Copenhagen in December that will set targets for emissions curbs and channel help to poor countries beyond 2012.

Canada agreed under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce CO2 emissions to 6.0 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. In 2007, the latest year for which figures are available, its emissions were 26.2 percent higher than in 1990.

AFP/Expatica


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Discuss German Culture

Personality interview - the German style

Legal Problems in Germany

Serious "Health Care Insurance & Legal" Issue

Healthcare in Germany

Serious "Health Care Insurance" Issue

Jobs in Germany

IFAs / FSIs / Country Managers / Confidential Introducers

Gay & Lesbian in Germany

German Moroccan hommo marriage denied /delayed /help me

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
The ABCs of the German school system

The ABCs of the German school system

What you need to know about German schools and daycare.

German immigration and residency regulations

German immigration and residency regulations

Want to move to Germany but haven’t figured out the details? Check out Expatica’s overview of the German permit system.

Driving in Berlin: Rules, habits and fines

Driving in Berlin: Rules, habits and fines

In part one of our two part series, we cover the driving culture in Berlin, where to park and buy gas and, most importantly, the laws.

Looking for work in Germany: The in depth version

Looking for work in Germany: The in depth version

Our comprehensive guide includes information on how to find work, recruitment agencies, employment contracts and labour law.