Steel Deal Will Cut Greenhouse Gases

2005-01-11

Steel deal will cut greenhouse gases The Hamilton Spectator 10 January 2005 Canadian steelmakers are to sign an agreement with the federal and Ontario governments today to cut greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. The deal is to be announced at Hamilton City Hall at a 9 a.m. ceremony hosted by Mayor Larry Di Ianni. Lynne Ree, senior adviser on environmental affairs for the Ottawa-based Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA), said yesterday that government officials had asked her organization not to release details before the event. She said only that it involves "industry and government working together to address climate change." The CSPA will be represented by its chair, Don Pether, who is chief executive officer of Hamilton's Dofasco. Di Ianni said Saturday he hadn't been briefed on the deal. With Pether will be federal Natural Resources Minister John Efford; Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Tony Valeri; and Marie Bountrogianni, Hamilton Mountain MPP and Ontario children's minister, representing Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky. The Kyoto Protocol, signed by Canada and most other large industrialized countries with the exception of the U.S. and Australia, calls on participating nations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases to 94 per cent of 1990 levels by 2012. The protocol becomes a binding treaty on Feb. 16, and Canada will be hard-pressed to meet its commitment, considering that target emissions have risen 20 per cent since 1990.