Second Thots

This is an interesting article on the challenges that remain in getting the Tories and the NDP together on a deal on global warming (h/t Political Staples).

As I have said for months now, I think some kind of understanding has already been reached by the two parties. The trick is to have the two sides meet somewhere in the middle in a way that still makes for an effective plan on climate change that you can sell to all sides.

As the Maclean's article points out, Kyoto is the hurdle. Specifically, how do you create that effective plan on climate change without adhering to strict Kyoto time lines? Moreover, how do you deal with the carbon credits issue, which is an integral part of the Kyoto framework? The Tories are recently on record suggesting they're not going to be sending billions of dollars to China and Russia in any kind of carbon trading scheme. Will the NDP agree with them on this?

The only solution seems to be a deal that makes reference to Kyoto targets without reference to Kyoto time lines — or something to that effect. And, if that's what it does, how do you square non-Kyoto compliance with being a signatory to the Kyoto treaty?

This is what I'll be looking for as we get closer to crunch time for a deal on the environment. Stay tuned.

UPDATE (5:52 pm): The latest from Jack. He sure doesn't sound like a guy who's married to strict Kyoto compliance, does he?

UPDATE (9:02 pm): I think this guy has it about right.