Environment Minister Peter Kent announced earlier today that Canada was formally withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding international treaty aimed at reducing emissions that are causing global warming.

"This is an insult to the majority of Canadians concerned about climate change and to the international community which is struggling to address this urgent issue," said Ben West, Climate Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee.

Kent's statement came the day after the end of UN climate talks in Durban, South Africa, where the Harper government failed to convince the international community to completely abandon the Kyoto Protocol as it currently stands. The UN talks, however, failed to agree on new binding targets for emissions reductions based on science, agreeing only to a "roadmap" to achieving such an agreement by 2015 which would take effect in 2020.

"As someone who has attended international climate talks, I can testify to the fact that Canada's reputation has been tarnished abroad by governments who are putting the reckless expansion of the tar sands ahead of our collective future," said Tria Donaldson, Pacific Coast Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee and a former Youth Delegate to the UN climate talks.

"Our only response to this blatantly irresponsible course of action is to redouble our campaigns to stop the projects that are expanding Canada's contribution to climate change," said West. "The only way Canada will restore our reputation on the global stage is by stopping the dangerous growth of the tar sands and the related expansion of infrastructure such as pipelines and oil tankers," said West.

"This is a truly shameful day for Canada," said Donaldson.

Contact:

Tria Donaldson, Pacific Coast Campaigner, Wilderness Committee, cell: 250-686-9249

Ben West, Wilderness Committee, Healthy Communities Campaigner,604-710-5340