Rising to the Kyoto challenge: is the response of Canadian industry adequate?
A major weapon in Canada's CO2-emissions reduction arsenal is reliance on moral suasion and voluntary action. In this regard, the Voluntary Challenge and Registry (VCR) program constitutes a major effort to encourage industrial firms to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we begin by providing a critical review of Canadian climate change policy and Canada's international commitments. We then investigate the effectiveness of Canadian policies by analyzing a survey of industrial firms, examining factors that determine firms' familiarity with, participation in and commitment to the VCR program, and their stated potential to reduce emissions by 2008-2012 (Kyoto's commitment period). Results indicate that voluntary programs are unlikely to make a significant contribution to emissions reduction, with industrial firms indicating that, on average, they plan to reduce emissions by some 1-2% below their 1990 level under the current policy approach, much lower than Canada's 6% reduction target.
Takahashi
T
T
Forest Economics and Policy Analysis (FEPA) Research Unit, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Nakamura
M
M
van Kooten
G C
GC
Vertinsky
I
I
D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D002170:Canada; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D007221:Industry; D007391:International Cooperation; D011050:Policy Making; D011640:Public Policy
D002245:Carbon Dioxide