Canada's NDP

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November 13th, 2013

Statement from the NDP on COP19 : The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Official Opposition Environment critic Megan Leslie (Halifax) made the following statement on the occasion of COP19:

“As governments from around the world gather in Poland to combat climate change, the Conservatives are still asleep at the wheel.

Under the Conservatives, Canada has been singled out for “fossil” awards on numerous occasions and has repeatedly been the subject of international ridicule.

After COP17, the Conservatives withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol, thus making it next to impossible for Canada to reach any meaningful emission reduction targets.

International embarrassment is bad enough, but the impact this will have on future generations makes the government’s approach irresponsible.

Despite scientific evidence of climate change and its accompanying consequences, the Conservative government has shown time and again that this issue does not register on their list of priorities. Instead of taking action to move Canada to a green economy, the Conservatives cancelled the successful ecoENERGY Retrofit Program and have reduced Canada’s emissions reduction targets.

For the sake of the generations that follow us, we need action now.

New Democrats have been clear; polluters must pay for the pollution they create – and Canada must start showing leadership in the fight against climate change and support a fair, ambitious and binding international agreement. The Green Climate Fund must be made effective in order to help developing countries adapt to and mitigate climate change.

New Democrats know that we have a collective responsibility to pass on a healthy planet to future generations. We will continue to fight to make that happen."