Canadian NGOs Criticize Their Government Climate Change Policies

Doha, December 03 (QNA) - Canadian environmental protection organizations have strongly criticized their government policies towards combating climate change and reducing harmful air emissions. The nongovernmental organizations also denounced the Canadian industrial enterprises operating in the production and export of petroleum as well as the Canadian government for ignoring repeated international appeals to observe environmental requirements and pursue policies of green economy. The NGOs were addressing a panel discussion session today dedicated for Canadian civil society organizations working in climate change field as part of the ongoing UN Conference on climate change in Doha. Tom John, head of Canadian youth delegation to the Conference, said Canada was among the countries that have caused confusion to the international community when it announced its withdrawal from the Kyoto agreement in December last year after each of the United States and China refused to renew their commitments. John said that Canadian environment organizations came to Doha to draw the world's attention to their country ignorance of the negative effects caused by its economic policies. Eiji Lan, from Canadian-Colombian youth organization, said Canada reaps huge returns from production and export of bitumen, a high-density oil that does not match the clean crude oil in the international stock markets. She noted that Canada did not show any flexibility during the negotiations in Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban with regard to the commitment to the Kyoto Convention, or even to reducing production of bitumen or so-called "sand oil". (QNA)