Canada Not Planning To Renew Kyoto Protocol Targets: Update From Durban

Canada is moving away from its historical positions on climate change at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, currently being held in Durban, South Africa. Canada, which signed on to the original Kyoto protocol in 1997, has stated that it will not commit to any further emission reduction targets after the expiry of the first commitment period in 2012. The Kyoto protocol sets legally binding emissions cuts for most major economies but exempts developing nations, including China, India and Brazil, from such cuts. Japan and Russia have also indicated that they do not intend to commit to any further targets under the Kyoto protocol. The European Union, Australia and New Zealand continue to support the Kyoto protocol. Canada instead has chosen to endorse the 2009 Copenhagen accord, which would require commitments from all major emitting countries, not just developed nations. Although many countries have