Madam Speaker, having lost one battle when the U.K. switched to natural gas, the coal industry now brings its fear mongering to Canada. They invoke the idea of global cooling to throw the climate change debate off course. But informed scientists conclude that global warming is a problem and that we must act.
Burning coal is highly damaging to the environment and human health. The remedies proposed by the coal association are inspired by profound ignorance of the links between coal burning and damage to water, agriculture, forests, fish spawning grounds and human health.
To reach the goal of stabilization of carbon dioxide emissions by 2005, and 20% reductions by 2010, the answer lies not with coal but with improved energy efficiency and conservation, with technology that will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and with greater use of natural gas.