URGENT what is the cost of kyoto ?

Question

if protocol kyoto was established in Canada how much - approximately will it cost?

Answer 1

The cost of Kyoto to Canada is hard to calculate, but there will be large costs.

If we try the conservation method of reducing what we use, or using more efficient systems, to replace non-energy efficient items (such as windows, furnaces, appliances, cars....basically almost everything) the consumer will be paying. Meanwhile, there is the problem of disposal of the replaced items. Also, with the money going to becoming more efficient, it will remove money from other areas of the economy.

If we implement by imposing restrictions on industry, the industries will adapt, usually involving great costs, and those costs will be passed down to the consumer.

If the environmentalist community ever wants to get something done, then they better make it cost nuetral.....not saving pennies a year that you might be cost nuetral in 10 years, but immediate up front no difference to the consumer. People will always buy oil and gas (and to the previous poster, Exxon Mobile is driving some Kyoto type programs in the US.....EnCana in Canada donated to the Suzuki Foundation......so explain how they do not like it, or pay for pro-oil scientists), what we need to do is to focus on intensity and as long as the intensity decreases are larger then the industrial growth, we will lower emissions without much cost.

Answer 2

That is a very simple question but unfortunately has no simple answer. It all depends upon how Canadians go about it.

The idea is to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released. In principle that could be done by using less energy by improving the efficiency of energy consuming items. If that is the approach meeting the requirements of the Kyoto protocol could actually save Canadians money! What a concept. Conservation can save money!

Then there is the expensive way. Keep on using just as much energy as always and continue to use the same old energy sources like coal and oil but try to figure out some way to collect all that exhaust and the try to "sequester" it, which basically means pumping it down super deep holes in the earth using huge pumps. I'm thinking that will be a pretty expensive way to go.

So what do you think Canadians will do? Will they conserve, which will actually save them money while meeting Kyoto? Or will they try to do it the hard way?

One thing to keep in the back of you mind is that oil companies make money by selling oil. Conservation does not sell oil. Oil companies also know the easy way to meet Kyoto is to conserve and improve efficiency. Therefore they hate the Kyoto. So what are they going to do about it?  They are trying to kill it with lies about how the only way to meet it is the hard way and how obscenely expensive the hard way will be. If we buy into their argument they win either way. If Kyoto dies they keep right on selling oil. If Kyoto survives and we struggle to do it the hard way they keep right on selling oil

AND they sell us sequestration too.

Personally I will opt for conservation and efficiency.