Canada's Ambrose Promises To "Get Tough" With Polluters Re. Air Plan

[hatrack]

Yeah, I'm sure they're quaking in their boots, Rona.

OTTAWA -- Conservative Environment Minister Rona Ambrose vowed yesterday to get tough with oil producers and auto makers when the government introduces its plan to deal with smog and climate change this fall. "I believe strongly that the time of asking industry politely to do the right thing is over," she said in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

Despite her tough talk, environmentalists worry that the government will set standards that allow greenhouse-gas emissions to keep rising, though at a slower pace, in contrast to Canada's commitments to reduce them to 1990 levels. While the Conservatives have played down the climate-change issue, Ms. Ambrose promised yesterday to regulate levels of greenhouse gases that are linked to global warming, as well as smog-causing pollutants.

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Oil industry sources said yesterday the Tories intend to set standards to reduce "energy intensity" in the sector, an approach that would reduce emissions for every barrel produced.

That approach, which is favoured by the Alberta government and the industry, would see emissions continue to rise as oil-sands development booms, but would slow the pace of the growth.

EDIT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060930.AMBROSE30/TPStory/Environment