"We are going to be working within Kyoto"

Yes, those are the words of Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, and welcome words they are. During the election, Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper said some unkind things about Kyoto, going so far as to suggest it was dead. So it's heartening to hear our new Environment Minister insisting we will work within it.

Kyoto is, of course, just a small first step. Greenhouse gases will have to be reduced a great deal more than the protocol requires if we are to avoid turning planet Earth into another Venus.

The challenge is formidable. Under the protocol, we have agreed to a six per cent reduction in greenhouse gas levels from 1990. Our performance so far is a 24 per cent increase, a disgraceful effort. Nonetheless, countries like the U.K. and Sweden are meeting their targets, and their economies keep humming along, so it not only has to be done it can be done. We simply must hope the Conservatives are better conservationists than the Liberals.