Environment ministers from the world's industrial powers touched briefly Saturday on the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gases during talks at their weekend conference in Alberta.

During a breakfast session, they set aside about 45 minutes to discuss a background paper that called on the G-8 to demonstrate a commitment to implementing international agreements.

David Anderson
David Anderson

But the accord is not on the official agenda and won't be in the communique. And on the eve of the conference, Canada's environment minister said he was in no hurry to sign the protocol.

David Anderson said there are a host of other environmental issues that deserve immediate attention, such as unsafe drinking water and health problems caused by toxic chemicals.

For the last two weeks, Anderson has been touring the country, talking about the devastating potential of global warming and how it could result in unknown billions of dollars in damage to crops, forests and the health of Canadians.

Joanne Dufay
Joanne Dufay

But when asked exactly when he plans on signing the Kyoto agreement, Anderson said he wanted to do more consultation with industry and the provinces.

"I never expected to have immediate action in Canada," he said. "We're not that type of country. We like to roll things around a bit, make sure we're comfortable with it and then proceed.

Environmental groups watching the meetings in Banff said they're disappointed with Anderson's lack of action.

Joanne Dufay of Greenpeace said the minister is using these other issues to avoid dealing with Kyoto.

"We agree, there are many important environmental issues. But of those issues, climate change is the most important," she said. "And if Minister Anderson cannot use this opportunity of this international meeting to address Kyoto issue and commit to ratification, then really you have to ask, where is this government's commitment?"

While Canada is deliberating on ratification, the United States has rejected the protocol. President George Bush has said that complying with Kyoto's limits on greenhouse gas emissions would harm the U.S. economy.

Japan's environment minister acknowledged there are pressures from industry against signing on, yet Hiroshi Ohki said his country is committed to ratifying Kyoto, and he believes Canada will do the same.

"I have the impression that they like to be a part of the international co-operation," said Ohki. "I think my impression is quite correct."

Much of the weekend will be spent finalizing the agenda for a global summit on the environment in Johannesburg later this year.