montreal

Canada, the last of the G7 group of industrialized nations to announce its targets for next week's Kyoto meeting on global warming, has proposed a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2010. The proposal is in line with that of the United States — apparently confirming Canada's transformation from one of the world's politically ‘greenest’ countries to one of the most environmentally cautious.

Canada's target is less than that agreed five years ago at the signing of the climate convention in Rio, namely a return to emissions at 1990 levels by 2000. Only Quebec has promised to adhere to the terms of the climate convention. The province has been more successful than others in reducing greenhouse gases, largely because of its reliance on hydro-electric power.

Canada's past support for environmentalist causes helped secure the country two high-profile prizes. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, former junior environment minister, was picked four years ago to head the United Nations Environment Programme. And two years ago Montreal was picked to host the secretariat of the UN biodiversity convention. Canada's shifting politics has coincided with the departure of Dowdeswell from the UNEP. There is also speculation that her replacement, the German Klaus Töpfer, may want all of the UN's environment agencies to move to Bonn.