Mr. Speaker, by withdrawing from a group opposed to greenhouse gas reductions, Royal Dutch Shell has dealt a blow to the oil industry coalition opposing the Kyoto treaty on greenhouse gases. Shell says that it supports ratification of the treaty on reduced emissions responsible for climate change.
Shell's support for the Kyoto treaty reveals an important policy shift in favour of an increasing dependence on energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resources in anticipation of the fact that we will one day run out of non-renewable sources of energy.
Shell's far-sighted decision sets an example to the petroleum industry which is still being dragged reluctantly into the 21st century.