Polemic: The Canadian climate diplomacy victim of an incredible hoax!

On December 14, a press release bearing the logo of the Canadian Ministry of Environment was sent to the media and news agencies around the world: Ottawa announced, during the Copenhagen Summit its decision to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020 compared to the 1990’s levels (and 80% by 2050). A stunning target, given that the country had turned its back to the Kyoto Protocol, announcing to reduce its gas emissions by only 20% in 2020 compared to 2006. This corresponds to a decrease of only 3% compared to the reference year, one of the least ambitious commitments to the international community.

Still, this change of Canada has been announced on the (supposedly) website of the Ministry of Environment (enviro-canada.ca). On another website, described as that of the Copenhagen Conference (COP-15.org), we can even see pictures of a "representative" of Uganda welcoming the new Canadian efforts, including an offer of 13 billion dollars to help African countries to adapt to the effects of global warming. Still better, the famous Wall Street Journal devoted a full page to this announcement.

Dilemma: neither this article nor the press, or even websites of the ministry or COP15 are true (the authentic site of the Ministry is www.ec.gc.ca, that of COP15 is en.cop15.dk, and that of Wall Street Journal is europe.wsj.com). Canada, victim of a very well elaborated conspiracy, has immediately denied having set any new target on climate. The question remains, who could have organized such a hoax?

A defendant wrongly accused

Dimitri Soudas, spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, has quickly indicated a responsible: for him it's Steven Guilbeault, a renowned Quebecker ecologist for Equiterre. The latter however denies and reclaims a public apology. A violent spat between the two men in the corridors of the Copenhagen Conference was even filmed by the cameras of Radio-Canada.

The truth finally burst out yesterday, the real sponsor has claimed the masquerade: The Yes Men, a group of American anti-globalization activists specialized in parodies. Their goal: "Sow confusion within the Canadian government who has constituted a special team responsible for creating a positive image to its position in this debate, even if everyone knows it is a mere farce," revealed one of the members, Mike Bonanno, on Radio-Canada. A farce that worked quite well, since the canadian Minister of Environment, Jim Prentice, was compelled to devote almost of his yesterday’s press conference to this event, rather than climate action.

Tags: Copenhagen, greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, hoax, Wall Street Journal, Yes Men, Equiterre