The chart below shows the differences between our actual emisions and the various targets that have been suggested as necessary. Recently World Forum scientists said that we need to reduce our emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2020.

The Canadian Government's recently announced targets are 20% below 2006 emissions (3% below 1990 levels.)

(Explanation: the Candian Government's targets are based on 2006 base year whereas international targets use 1990 as the base year. Canada’s Kyoto target is 558.4 Mt CO2e. Canada's 2006 emissions were around 721 Mt CO2e. Thus our new target is 577 Mt CO2e. Our 1990 emissions were 592 Mt CO2e. So our wonderful new target is a mere 3% below 1990's emissions.)

This chart is based on figures issued by the Canadian Government under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Canadian GHG emissions in 2007 were 747 Mt of CO2e. The starting point of 2009 was estimated by assuming that they would grow at the same rate as business as usual.

In case you have difficulty reading the legend:

• the top (blue) line represents the track we are on (business as usual) with increasing emissions.
• the short red line represents the Kyoto targets (they end in 2012 and have to be renegotiated in Copenhagen in December)
• the purple line represents the new targets that the Canadian Government announced (20% of 2006 levels by 2020). These are the targets that Canada intends to present in Copenhagen
• the green line is the lower of the IPCC's targets (25% of 1990 by 2020) and
• the olive line represents the higher IPCC  (40% of 1990 by 2020)
• last, but not least, the orange line at the bottom represents 80% of 1990 levels by 2020.

As you can see, the new Canadian targets do not reduce our emissions in 2020 to match the amount we committed ourselves to meeting in 2012 (according to the Kyoto Protocol.)

If you have doubts about the urgency of taking action about climate change please watch this video series. Even if you are convinced that climate change is real it might be a good idea to watch it.