U.S., China, India must sign on to Bali agreement: Baird

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 5, 2007 | 4:22 PM ET

CBC News

India, China and the United States must sign on to any new international climate change agreement that is negotiated in Bali, Indonesia, Canada's environment minister said Wednesday.

"All major emitters must be on board," John Baird said during a speech in Toronto. "We will not tackle this problem of global warming and climate change unless we get everyone on board, everyone with an oar in the water and everyone rowing together."

Baird is leading the Canadian delegation at the two-week United Nations climate change conference in Bali, where participants will be discussing the framework for a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.

The conference, which is drawing representatives from 190 countries, officially began Monday, although Baird will not be arriving until next week.

"It's essential we work at this conference to bring other countries aboard," Baird said.

Still, Baird said Canada will not shy away from making a bolder commitment than developing nations, whose new economies could suffer under drastic emissions-reducing measures.

"Let me be clear, Canada can afford to do more faster than developing countries, so it doesn't have to be a one-size fits all solution," Baird said. "But everyone's got to be going in the same direction down the right road."

Baird has insisted previously that all emitters must be on board when a new climate change treaty is drafted. Under the Kyoto Protocol, some developing countries did not have targets to meet because of their fragile economies.

Failure to meet Kyoto

During Baird's speech to the Economic Club of Toronto, a protester jumped on stage carrying a sign that read "Liar."

Baird and the Conservative government have been attacked for their failure to meet the emissions targets set out in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which was signed by Canada under a Liberal government in 1998.

Kyoto, which was ratified by 141 countries, provides specific targets for different nations, with Canada expected to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent from 1990 levels by 2012.

But Baird's environmental plan, made public in April, only calls for Canada to reduce overall emissions by 20 per cent from 2006 levels by 2020. This plan means Canada will miss its Kyoto goals by years.