Sustainability and policy - Climate Change: Biological and Human Aspects - page 485

(a) Waste

3%

Solvent and
product use
0.04%

Agriculture
8%

Industrial
processes
7%

Energy
Industrial processes
Agriculture
Waste
Solvent and product use

Energy
82%

(b)

400

350

300

250

200

150

Total energy consumed
Fossil fuel consumed

100

Fossil fuel produced

50

0

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Year

Fig. 8.4 (a)SectoralbreakdownofCanadiangreenhousegassourcesin2009(EnvironmentCanada,2011).(b)Canada's

fossilcarbondomesticproductionandconsumptiontrends.

Against this backdrop Canada's fossil energy consumption (the principal source of
the nation's emissions) increased from over 167 mtoe in the 1990 benchmark year to
over 221 mtoe in 2007: see Figure 8.4b. (Remember that although it is not the only
greenhouse gas in terms of warming the planet, carbon dioxide is the most important
gas - see Figure 1.2 - and here the dominant source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide
is fossil fuel combustion in Canada's energy sector.) This was a 32% increase in fossil
fuel use and not a 6% reduction, even if that would be needed in CO 2 -equivalents
across all Canada's greenhouse emissions. Canada's fossil fuel consumption declined
a little in 2009 in response to the global economic recession, but in 2010 it rose again.
Canada was not going to be able to fulfil its Kyoto obligations.