Western Exposure

Climate debate differs north of the border

By July 15, 2009March 19th, 2015No Comments

Idaho Statesman environmental reporter Rocky Barker reports that the debate over climate change is very different north of the border, especially among conservatives.

“Gary Lunn, a Cabinet minister for Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, urged lawmakers from the Pacific Northwest and western Canada to work toward one regional system of regulating greenhouse gases Tuesday. But he said whatever system is developed must allow the two countries to use the bounty of fossil fuels,” Barker writes. “At the same time many Republicans in the United States are skeptical about the need to limit carbon to address climate change, Canadian conservatives treat the issue as settled science.”

Barker writes that Canadians see the opportunities in controlling carbon, not just the challenges, and notes that none of the Idaho delegation supported the House vote in June to cap carbon emissions and establish a market to trade allowances to pollute or pay others to offset their emissions.

Rita Hibbard

Rita Hibbard

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