Results: Isolated Canada grudgingly accepts Bali deal

Yesterday, after getting an emergency appeal from the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition (CYCC) delegation to Bali, I sent out an urgent appeal to all our supporters to bombard the Prime Minister’s office with requests to stop blocking the negotiations.  Basically, Canada was the only holdout Kyoto nation refusing to endorse targets of 25-40% by 2020.  I have no doubt that because of this tremendous effort by CYCC and their supporters here in Canada, Minister John Baird in Bali capitulated to the pressure and agreed to the targets other countries proposed.  Thank you to everyone who contacted the Prime Minister.

NUSA DUA, Indonesia — After a failed attempt to block an agreement, Canada found itself isolated at the Bali conference Saturday and grudgingly accepted a new accord to set a target of 25 to 40 per cent for cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions by wealthy countries by the end of the next decade.

Environment Minister John Baird spoke against the ambitious target, but found himself virtually alone. Only Russia supported him – so he withdrew his objection, sparking a lengthy burst of applause from other countries.