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LNG development increasing greenhouse gas emissions

The truth is I am pretty tired of all the argument around LNG development or not.

Editor:

The truth is I am pretty tired of all the argument around LNG development or not.

On the one hand, according to Environment Canada, as a nation Canada contributes 18 per cent of world carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion. Concerns raised by the global community with regard to the rapid rate of change in adverse to human climate conditions as a result of large increases in carbon dioxide emissions has induced major contributors of Green House Gases to make huge efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

"The Government of Canada is committed to addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while keeping the Canadian economy strong. We are achieving success - from 2005 to 2011, Canadian GHG emissions have decreased by 4.8 per cent while the economy has grown by 8.4 per cent," read www.climatechange.gc.ca.

I applaud Canada for being a world leader in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has national programs to insulate through buildings, improve motor vehicle efficiency and reward non carbon producing energy producers curtail and level growth in emissions.

According to Canadian and American government sources, millions of tax dollars are being spent by our governments to get Green House Gas emissions under control because of the deleterious effect these emissions are having on climate and land.  In a nutshell food and energy costs are skyrocketing because of rapid climate change caused by these emissions.

This spending leaves me confused as to why our federal government would then approve gas export licenses. The Northern View reported that the "Pacific North West LNG plant will release 5.28 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually", 8.25 per cent of the provinces annual total. In other words, if the LNG terminals proposed for the North Coast  went ahead the provincial carbon dioxide emissions would increase over 100 per cent. This is without taking into consideration the carbon dioxide emissions from  transporting LNG, distributing it at its destination and then utilizing it as fuel.

Perhaps our MP or a knowledgeable industry rep could explain why governments are spending millions of taxpayer dollars on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels yet licensing gas exporters?

It seems to me that someone is not acting for the public good. Otherwise, why all the contradictions? If the destructive effects of climate change is just a bunch of baloney, then let's hear the truth with some evidence, if its really happening what can we do about it?

Peter Christensen,

Terrace