Media Centre: Positioning KyotoSmart on the Issues

Members of KyotoSmart come together at key points in time to publicly state their collective opinions and recommendations regarding the evolution of Canada's climate regime. Through media releases, letters and position papers, network members promote actions to address climate change in Canada that will support KyotoSmart's objectives of maximizing emission reductions at home, shifting Canada's economy for the long term, recognizing early action and ensuring fairness in our implementation strategy.

March 14, 2006

• KyotoSmart welcomes Canada's new Environment Minister (60 kb) and calls for an integrated approach to reducing greenhouse emissions and delivering clean air benefits.

November 28 to December 9, 2005

• KyotoSmart members actively participated in Montréal 2005: The United Nations Climate Change Conference, and the numerous event held in parallel with this conference, including:

• Climate Leaders Summit
  Co-hosted by the Provinces of Quebec and Manitoba and The Climate Group, this event brought together representatives of sub-national governments and major corporations from around the world. In conjunction with this event, KyotoSmart contributed to the publication Low Carbon Leader: Canada (917kb) , which presents case studies of Canadian companies and municipalities that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrating the economic and social benefits of these efforts.

• Official Side and Parallel Events (145kb)
  Members of the KyotoSmart network were active in hosting and participating in over twenty events in addition to other activities in and around Montreal 2005. KyotoSmart members discussed best practices and measures, shared advice and disseminate "lessons learned" with other participants.

March 4, 2005

• KyotoSmart calls upon the federal government to release a climate plan (66 kb) that contains specific targets, timelines and commitments

February 16, 2005

• KyotoSmart welcomes Canada's decision to host COP-11 (40 kb) (February 16, 2005)

November 17, 2004

• KyotoSmart urges Prime Minister Martin (64 kb) to take action now to meet Canada's Kyoto commitment and lay the groundwork for further emission reductions in the future

October 22, 2004

• KyotoSmart welcomes the Russian Duma's (40 kb) historic decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol

November 2003

• KyotoSmart releases a position paper Canada's Emerging Kyoto Implementation Plan (140 kb) that recommends five key objectives for the federal government’s response to climate change:

  • Ensure the establishment of an effective and fair covenants and emissions trading system that will make Canada a global leader in innovation in our energy-producing and using sectors.

  • Establish a scientifically-based and verifiable offsets system that will promote sustainable practices in our agriculture and forestry sectors.

  • Provide the incentives and market signals needed to promote large-scale fuel and energy switching and for conservation.

  • Optimize opportunities to dramatically expand Canada's production of low-impact renewable energy through appropriate price signals and regulatory frameworks.

  • Set Canada's Kyoto implementation plan within an effective and efficient federal governance structure, such as establishing a single body that carries the sole responsibility for implementing the plan.