Sunday, May 28, 2006

On dictating terms

Last night, I discussed Alberta's plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions using an "intensity" standard rather than one which would actually result in emission reductions. I didn't deal with the curious argument that the standard would be the "toughest" in Canada, a claim which flies in the face of the stated intention of at least two provinces to meet the Kyoto standard. On further reflection, though, I have to wonder whether the claim is an attempt to set the terms of any harmonization of provincial regulations.

After all, I'd noted a few weeks ago that Alberta and B.C. are working toward an agreement which "forces both governments to harmonize rules and regulations to the higher of the two standards". Might Alberta be trying now to claim that its intensity-based standard is "higher" in order to avoid being bound by Kyoto-based regulations in a later expansion of the regulatory accord?

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