Countries in northwestern Europe are experiencing unprecedented rain and floods. In Africa increases in drought, floods and other extreme weather events are adding stress on water resources and food security. In the United States, just east of Washington D. C., islands are being submerged as the level of the Chesapeake Bay rises, Pacific coast beaches and cliffs are eroding and western and central states have become drier and experienced more droughts. To meet the challenge of climate change we must control the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Our atmosphere is not separated by borders.
Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution.
Effectively addressing this threat is one of the pre-eminent challenges for the world community in the 21st century. The Kyoto Protocol on climate change was a breakthrough agreement. Nobody seriously disagrees with the need to address climate change but there is divergence on how to do so. Canada is committed to the Kyoto Protocol and we intend to meet our Kyoto target and commitments. That is why we have been working so actively in international negotiations to seek a workable agreement on the rules for implementing all aspects of the Protocol, including the use of forest and agricultural sinks and market mechanisms that all nations agreed to in Kyoto back in 1997.