© the other press Opinions November 19, 2003 Science Matters Better Living Through Pig Iron David Suzuki David Suzuki Foundation Is pig iron the way to a better planet? The Canadian government apparently seems to think so. It’s funding a bizarre project in Brazil to plant vast farms of euca- lyptus trees, which will eventually be made into char- coal to produce pig iron—a low-grade iron. Somehow along the way, this is supposed to slow global warm- ing. It won't. At best, it will do little to reduce the emis- sion of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. At worst, it will continue to displace indigenous people, increase the use of agricultural chemicals in the region, compromise water quality, and deplete water tables. Canada’s investment in the project grew from a fea- ture in the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed coun- tries to invest in projects in the developing world to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The developed country then gets what are called “carbon credits” for the project as though the emissions had been reduced at home. That makes sense, since the climate is a glob- al system, and in some ways it makes little difference where reductions to heat-trapping gases take place. What doesn't make sense is if the project is so con- voluted and contrived that the reductions are negligi- ble and the project actually causes more problems than it solves. Such is the case in Brazil. There, a company called Plantar bought a massive piece of land and began displacing the indigenous people who lived there so it could plant row upon row of eucalyptus trees, which are destined to eventually become char- coal. This was the company’s plan from the outset. So when Plantar found out about the carbon credit system, it was like finding money. It moved to be the first in the developing world to have a project accred- ited as a “carbon sink,” and thus qualify for funding. In theory, the fast-growing eucalyptus trees will extract carbon from the air and store it in wood, which will reduce the burden of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and slow global warming. Name: Name: Heather Aziz Age: Age: 19 32 Program at Douglas College? Program at Douglas College? Arts ESL Best class you've ever taken here? Best class you've ever taken here? Anthropology 202 “Old World’ ESL Last CD you were listening to? Last CD you were listening to? Metallica — Black Jann Arden Last good movie you watched? Last good movie you watched? The Matrix, the first one. The Matrix: Reloaded. What did you like about it? What did you like about it? It had good sci fi effects and interesting I liked the storyline about computers. philosophy. What posters did you have on your wall What posters did you have on your wall when you were young? when you were young? None. I didn’t have any. with . os rway and the whole World Bank unfortunately, i ects in which to inv Milan over the rules of expected to lobby against a s weed out controversial and ineffectiv Plantar. That’s too bad because such cheap schemes make a mockery of the importance of the Kyoto Protocol. I was one of Prime Minister Chrétien’s biggest support- ers when he adopted the Protocol and the federal gov- ernment deserves credit for making it happen. But that hard work will go up in smoke if projects like this are allowed to continue while Canada continues on our polluting ways. By reducing most of our emissions within Canada, Canadians will receive added benefits like cleaner air, more efficient and competitive businesses, and reduced reliance on dirty fuels. Carbon credits and emissions trading have their place, but not if they reduce the overall effectiveness of the Kyoto treaty. It would be a big mistake for Canada to pursue such dubious tactics. Take the Nature Challenge and learn more at me Page 8 http://www.otherpress.ca