Doha dissapoints/Harper gives green light for Nexen takeover

Christian Holz Posted On December 14, 2012

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Developed Countries Disappoint in DohaAfter hours of dramatic overtime, this year’s UN climate talks wrapped up with little to brag about. With controversy erupting towards to end, the most notable take-away was a powerful message from the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries. Particularly memorable was an appeal for action by a Philippines delegate while Typhoon Bopha simultaneously devastated his country. Developing nations left angered and deeply concerned by the lack of financial support from the world’s largest powers (and biggest polluters) and the hard realization that the ambition gap is only growing as poor countries continue to get hit harder and harder by a changing climate that they did next to nothing to contribute to.

Delegates agreed to extend the expiring Kyoto Protocol by a few years. Alongside cowardly Canada, Kyoto lost the participation of previous signatories like Japan and Russia, leaving Australia and most of the developed economies of Europe to carry the protocol forward. A framework has been put in place to finalize a new global deal on climate change by 2015 (to be implemented in 2020) — but delivered no real details on what this agreement will actually accomplish. At this rate, unless individual countries take action at home and inject some political will into these negotiations, this new deal will do little to steer us off our path towards 4 degree’s (or more) of global warming.

Civil society and climate experts responded to the outcome of negotiations with frustration and concern, not only for the future of our planet but also for the decision making process at these types of conferences. Beyond the troubling lack of political will, one Canadian youth representative said, “I am very concerned about rules of conduct tightening for civil society participation. With more and more restrictions, the contribution to the process by environmental groups, especially the youth, is seriously compromised.” Many civil society participants have expressed that if they’re leaders won’t lead, they should step aside and make room for those who sincerely want to work towards a comprehensive and inclusive plan to combat global climate change, but it appears the space for civil society participation is disappearing.

Climate Action Network Canada’s Hannah McKinnon responded to the outcome of the conference with a sense of frustration that many of us share. “The science is clear, the solutions exist, the economy is thirsty for it, and the impacts of inaction are increasingly devastating – so where is the political will and leadership? Leaders let the world down again this year by coming to the table largely empty-handed on meaningful ways to close the growing gap between where they are and where they have promised to be to avoid 2 degrees of global warming”

Harper Gives Green Light for Foreign Takeover of Canadian Oilsands

Despite broad public concern over loss of control and environmental risk, the Canadian government sealed the deal and approved the controversial $15.1 billion takeover of Calgary-based Nexen Inc. and a $6 billion acquisition of Progress Energy Resources Corp. by China National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOOC) and by Malaysia’s Petronas. These deals give foreign state-owned enterprises control over a chunk of the Canadian oilsands.

Harper says these companies have made “significant commitments” to maintain Canadian management and employment and to provide operational transparency, however under the Investment Canada Act, these companies have the right to keep operational decisions confidential unless companies agree to release them. Critics say this deal means giving up control over strategic assets, and denying potential economic advantages to Albertans and other Canadians. Moreover, following the approval of Bill C-38, which gutted environmental protections, environmental groups are deeply disturbed by these deals, especially considering that Nexen is a well known supporter of the widely-condemned Northern Gateway pipeline.

Earlier last week, Progress Energy said if the deal goes through they plan to increase the magnitude of their plans to ship liquefied natural gas from Canada’s West Coast and increase the size of their liquefied natural gas export terminal project by about 60%, to 6 million tons per year. Chairwoman of the Council of Canadians, Maude Barlow said, “We are deeply concerned by the takeover because investment, foreign or otherwise, is the last thing we need more of in the tar sands and shale gas.” Many environmental groups would agree with Ms. Barlow that, “We need to be phasing out dirty energy, not handing over huge concessions to multinational corporations.”