It seems that little planning is going into the transition from non-renewable carbon dioxide producing energy sources to the renewable sources. That transition will have to occur because of climate change and eventual resource exhaustion. In her response to my question on June 19, the minister emphasized the government is committed to stabilizing carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000 but made no clear commitment to the further reductions called for in the red book. Internationally we talk about the stabilization of carbon dioxide emissions and further reductions beyond the year 2000, but domestically we seem to be failing to meet even the first of these objectives. I also acknowledge that stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000 and achieving further reductions post-2000 will not be easy.
Climate change is a complex issue for which there are no simple solutions.
Very few countries will be able to stabilize their emissions by the year 2000. The problem lies in the very nature of modern economics and consumer lifestyles. We must change many of the ways we live and do business. Turning on the lights, heating homes and driving to work all produce greenhouse gas emissions. It is a matter of making fundamental changes to the way we live.