UN Climate Summit Background

Until recently, Canada dragged its feet on the climate change issue. During a criticial meeting in The Hague in November 2000, talks collapsed after Canada, along with the U.S. and Japan, argued for controversial loopholes that would have weakened the Kyoto Protocol.

That changed when talks recommenced July 16th, 2001, in Germany. Canada agreed to a new compromise to move Kyoto Protocol implementation and ratification forward.

Click here to see the ad placed in The Hague urging Canada to protect the climate instead of pushing for "loopholes" under the Kyoto Protocol.

Negotiating the Climate
The following documents are a guide to understanding Canada's role in past negotiations in The Hague and the implications of many of the "loopholes" suggested that threaten the environmental integrity of the Kyoto Climate Change Protocol.

Dangerous Atmosphere: A four-page position paper that explains these complicated negotiations, avaliable as a PDF document (262K).

Une Dangereuse Atmosphère: Un document de synthèse de 4 pages. PDF

The Full Report -- Negotiating the Climate: Canada and the International Politics of Global Warming Available as a PDF document (611K).

Correspondence from the UN Climate Summit in The Hague:

Oct 29, 2000, News Release: Canada's Climate Summit position dangerous: New report shows policies at UN Summit will increase emissions

Nov 13, 2000, News Release: Smokestack billboards highlight Canada's shameful position at UN Climate Summit

Nov 14, 2000, Update from The Hague

Nov 14, 2000, News Release: Canada wins Fossil Award

Nov. 15, 2000, Update from The Hague

Nov 16, 2000, News Release: Leaked EU paper slams Canada's plans for forest loopholes at Climate Summit

Nov. 17, 2000, Update from The Hague

Nov. 20, 2000, News Release: Fifty per cent pollution cuts achievable: Experts urge action beyond Kyoto Protocol targets

Nov. 21, 2000, Update from The Hague

Nov. 22, 2000, Update from The Hague

Nov. 23, 2000, News Release: Canada pushes nuclear power with Russia, refuses movement on key climate treaty issues

Nov. 23, 2000, Update from The Hague

Nov 25, 2000, News Release: Climate talks fail: David Suzuki Foundation final statement at the closure of the UN Climate Summit