Culture Change Media International Editor
New York, N.Y. September 23, 2004

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in cooperation with the Washington DC based Center for Clean Air Policy, and the Caracas, Venezuela, based Cosultores Cambio Climatico y Desarollo (CC&D) active now also in Bogota Columbia, held an International Seminar and Workshop on Transportation and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - one of the tools originating in the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The seminar was held in Santiago de Chile, August 25-28, 2004.  This activity was generously supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in cooperation with Transantiago, the Chilean agency that is supported by CIDA.  The Canadian Government has even established a CDM and Joint Implementation Office (JI).  This office looks out for potential JI projects and the potential for obtaining pollution credits under the Kyoto Protocol (KP) by helping implement clean development projects overseas; with particular interest in the region of the South American cone.  Transantiago is the larger municipal transportation authority of the metropolitan Santigo region.  By helping Transantiago organize a well planned mass transportation system, starting with bicycles used to reach small local buses that take the commuter to large, articulated, 18-meter long, Brazil made MarcoPolo Scania buses.  By avoiding the use of small private cars, CO2 emission credits are created, and the money paid to buy these credits can then be used in the further implementation of the project.  When Europe starts these trades, even before there is an official full ratification of the KP, Canada will be right along for this innovative approach to help slow down the disastrous roll of the Hummers and the SUVs as practiced by other highly developed countries.  On August 27 I had the chance to see the equipment to be used by Transantiago.

The seminar included other projects i.e. TransMilenio of Bogota, Columbia and projects in Malaysia, India…

As said, the activity by Canada stretches out also to other countries in the region.  As such, back in New York, I received an e-mail invitation to a September 21 seminar in Buenos Aires, Argentina Seminario Internacional Sobre Medio Ambiente y Cambio Climatico, that included a session on Argentina-Canada project CACBI for the increase of the capacity to participate in the CDM.

Further, remembering that December 6-17, 2004, the COP10 of the UNFCCC will be held in Buenos Aires, it becomes clear that Canada will be well positioned for leadership at this year’s crucial Conference of the Parties.

In light of the above I decided to watch for the presentation of the Canadian Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Paul Martin, September 22, 2004 at the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly.

The Prime Minister spoke about the need for UN reform.  "We need institutions whose primary obligation is to our Common humanity" he started.  Then "Canada sees five areas where bold steps are required"; he called those steps "responsibilities."  They are 1). the Responsibility to Protect, i.e. to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe; 2.) the Responsibility to Deny, i.e. WMDs in the hands of terrorists; 3.) the Responsibility to Respect, i.e., the dignity of human beings and their groups; 4.) responsibility for the Future, i.e., to leave a better world for our children; 5.) the Responsibility to Act, i.e. to improve UN coordination on development, health and environment.

Following this, at the press conference, I asked the Prime Minister the following question on the responsibilities to protect and to act in the context of the responsibility for the future; specifically on the question of CO2 emissions from unchecked use of fossil fuels.  I wondered why there was no mention of climate change even though the statement included a call to cooperation to bring along solutions to access to clean air and water.  Further, I mentioned what I knew first hand about Canada’s activities in the Southern Cone area of Latin America, and wanted to know if Canada will position itself as a bridge between Europe and the United States in the context of the CO2 emissions, global warming, with or without Kyoto.

The Prime Minister answered that Canada is looking at newer technologies, and if the question is about Canada’s interest in "international standards on the subject  -  we are going to continue our efforts  -  the answer is yes."  So, I am actually confident, though clearly in need not to work too openly against the United States Administration, Canada will nevertheless look forward to an international regime in matters of climate change and will continue its international cooperative efforts in this direction with or without Kyoto.  In any case, Canada has already ratified the KP.

(This article was first posted on CultureChange.org)