The environment and the attendant costs associated with ‘sustainable development’ needs a full discussion. Nobody denies that environmental protection is important but the left’s campaign to paint a world of incipient doom eradicates its credibility. The base fact is that on all accounts (including reducing poverty by 50 %), the environment is better today not worse than 50 years ago.

Kyoto:
The environment has the potential to become a tax monster much like Health Care. Feel good philosophies without empirical evidence (such as universality), or even moral support are easily funded by politicians shopping for votes. Canada spends about 1-2 % of its GDP on environmental costs and protection. The Kyoto accord will add another 2 % of GDP costs and raise taxes on transportation, car sales, appliance sales, and fuel. There is importantly no empirical evidence supporting the science of Kyoto. CFC and global warming gaseous emissions are 95 % biomass related (natural) and 5 % from mankind. Canada emits 2 % of the global total, so for the cost of billions in lost GDP Canadians are being asked to support taxation and more government bureaucracy to reduce 5 % x .02 or .01 % of total world CFC emissions. Not only is the science unsupported the economics of Kyoto is madness.

Why is the environment an important issue for Toronto?
If Kyoto and other government and inter-governmental non Canadian accords are signed and put into place Toronto will carry the largest tax burden. We will again be funding other Canadian provinces through higher taxes, industry displacement and the support of more government bureaucrats looking to justify their existence.

Toronto if need be should unilaterally reject any accord not signed by its representatives which harms the City’s ability to create a dynamic economy. Energy is vital for a thriving economy. Contrary to the junk scientists we have enough oil deposits and reserves to last 200 hundred years, and well within that period both wind and solar energy will become economical aiding in replacing oil and coal and decreasing by natural market place innovation our dependence on fossil fuels. This is especially relevant for agricultural production which is by far the largest user of energy.