China's compromise fails to sway Canada on Kyoto

Canada is standing firm on its decision not to sign on to a second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. China’s compromise to start cutting its greenhouse gas emissions hasn’t swayed Environment Minister Peter Kent. Kent wants more details on China’s proposal to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.

Canada’s chief negotiator Guy Saint-Jacques stated that China has refused to live by the commitments of last year’s Cancun agreement. Talks in Cancun failed to make gains on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Canadian officials also want any new agreement to include all major emitters.But countries with emerging economies like China argue that commitments to cut emissions would limit their economic growth.

Talks to update the 1997 Kyoto agreement are currently taking place in Durban, South Africa.

Canada says it will cut greenhouse gas emissions by seventeen percent by 2020.