Will Canada Match US Budget Spending?

So, we’ve lowered our climate targets to match the Americans. Not that we have any federal plans in place that would come close to meeting them and in fact we are falling dangerously behind US efforts. Great comment from a recent reader:

Harper and Prentice love to say that Canada must “harmonize” climate policy and actions with USA. But we are doing the very opposite and have been for years. For all the stalling around USA national cap & trade law, the fact remains that USA emissions peaked and are declining. And per-capita the Americans are already 7% below 1990 levels.

Canada has not “harmonized” current actions or current emissions with USA. Our emissions are still rising and are 10% higher than USA. Even per-capita our emissions are up 7% since 1990.

The Obama administration’s budget numbers are now available. Any chance we’ll be matching the spending on clean energy and efficiency? (Canada’s federal clean energy program has expired and funding for Sustainable Development Technology Canada is in limbo). Here are the American numbers courtesy Reuters:

Energy Department

- Nearly $2.4 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, an increase of $113 million from the 2010 budget.

- Adds $500 million in credit subsidies for innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

- $545 million to develop carbon capture and storage technology.

Interior Department

- Adds $14 million for Climate Science Centers focused on the impact of climate change on federal lands.

Environmental Protection Agency

- $21 million to implement a Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting rule for polluters, an increase of $4 million from 2010 levels.

- $25 million in aid to states for permitting activities on greenhouse gas emissions.

- $7 million to develop New Source Performance Standards to control greenhouse gas emissions from some major stationary sources.

- Adds $6 million to support regulatory programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from mobile sources.

For the record, to date we’re being outspent about 14 to 1 by the Obama administration (per capita).