AP6 may be turning 7

Seven countries, that is.

In a somewhat surprising development, Canada, a long-time supporter of the Kyoto Protocol, announced that it may want to join the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6), a six-nation coalition focusing on voluntary emission-reduction steps and technology transfers. Many environmentalists oppose AP6 out of a fear that it may undermine political support for the legally binding Kyoto treaty.

The partnership, launched in mid-2005, is an agreement among six countries -- Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the United States -- to develop and share greenhouse-gas reduction technology to combat climate change. According to the AP6 Web site, the six partner countries "represent about half of the world's economy, population and energy use, and they produce about 65% of the world's coal, 48% of the world's steel, 37% of world's aluminum, and 61% of the world's cement." The countries also account for half the world's greenhouse-gas emissions.

I had not heard of the AP6 group before seeing Glenn Reynolds's item this morning. It seems like a much more sensible approach than Kyoto, especially since China and India are included. Two caveats: (1) GR's headline says "Canada joins …" but the story says "may join." (2) Is an ice age on the way? if so, we need more warming to fend it off. Just sayin'.