Canada's Environment Minister defends against intense criticism of her country's decision to back out of the Kyoto Accord, but hints at future commitments if a new international consensus emerges.
"[Canadian Environment Minister Rona Ambrose] has come under fire from the [Liberal] opposition, environmental groups, [and] even former U.S. vice-president Al Gore following the leak of the Canadian position on the future of Kyoto, which says Canada wants the agreement scrapped in favour of a separate, voluntary deal.
The document, which also says Canada will not support attempts to set deeper emission-reduction targets for Kyoto's second phase starting in 2012, sets out a series of instructions to a Canadian contingent currently negotiating in Bonn. Canada is chairing those talks.
Yesterday, Ms. Ambrose said Canada is willing to make a new series of obligations, but may not necessarily do it within the Kyoto accord. Kyoto includes 163 countries, but only Canada and 34 others have taken out targets for the first phase."
FULL STORY: Kyoto backslide sparks furor
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