| |
Canada on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 became the first country in the world to pass the climate act. The Canadian House of Commons passed the Climate Change Accountability Bill, which commits the country to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. The bill was moved by the leader of the opposition of the New Democratic Party (NDP) Jack Layton.
Layton after passing the bill remarked that this is a world first. The member of the Canadian parliament remarked that the legislation has set tough but achievable targets that will ensure that Canada does its share to avoid the dangerous two degree increase in average global temperature. The bill has set an interim target of 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020 and expects progress reports from the government every five years. The opposition leader revealed, to ensure that Canada meets long-term pollution reduction targets, short and medium term targets have also been enshrined in the law.
