Canada signs Kyoto protocol on Climate Change

NEW YORK - April 29, 1998 - Canada today signed the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change at the United Nations in New York. Federal Environment Minister Christine Stewart signed the Kyoto Protocol on behalf of the Government of Canada before attending the sixth international meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

"The signing of the Kyoto Protocol is an important milestone for Canada and demonstrates our commitment to moving forward, domestically and internationally, on meeting our minus 6% goal," said Minister Stewart.

Canada joins Japan, members of the European Union, and other nations in signing the Protocol in New York this week. Switzerland and members of the Association of Small Island States have already signed. The G-8 countries have all stated that they intend to sign the Protocol within the year.

"International momentum is building for early action on climate change and Canada is positioned to play an important role," said Minister Stewart. "We are working with other countries to get the rules and guidelines right for implementing the Kyoto Protocol, including an international emissions trading regime. This will be discussed at the next international meeting on climate change in Buenos Aires, Argentina this November."

The signing of the Kyoto Protocol is part of a natural progression of climate change activities in which Canada is involved. Today's signing follows the meeting of Canada's Energy and Environmental Ministers in Toronto last week. At that meeting, the federal, provincial and territorial governments agreed to develop a national implementation strategy on climate change by the end of 1999, to establish a system to credit early action to reduce greenhouse emissions by early next year, and to strengthen voluntary action.

In Kyoto, Canada and 160 other countries, agreed to a Protocol that called for further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years. Canada's reduction target is 6 percent below 1990 levels for the period spanning 2008 to 2012.

Related documents:

• Kyoto Protocol [document]
• Climate change [web site]