The Worst Ecological Threat to Humanity? Yeah, right...

The 157 signatories to the Kyoto Protocol have agreed to hold future talks on post-2012 reductions in greenhouse gases.

Some people hail it as a broad step to secure the future, others are laughing it off as yet another waste of time and effort.

All I know - the hot air generated by 157 political delegations is a more acute threat to the world's environment than the emissions they're discussing.

The rhetoric is awesome. Canada's Environment Minister, Stephane Dion, claims the agreement is momentous: "You have upheld the trust the people of the world have placed in us," he said. "Facing the worst ecological threat to humanity, you have said: the world is united and together, step by step, we will win this fight."

Excuse me - the 'worst ecological threat to humanity?' Wow. That's ballsy.

Greenhouse gas emissions are more of a threat than the bubonic plague, influenza, or the lack of clean drinking water?

If Dion is serious about change instead of just making political points, he can address what concrete steps the Canadian Government will be taking in the future.

But he won't. Because aside from a few publicly funded commercials, they've done nothing. Which is partly why emissions are 24 per cent above 1990 levels. (Kyoto calls for six per cent reductions for Canada from 1990 levels by 2012 - meaning he has to bring total emissions down 36% - over a third - in only six years.)

'Threat to humanity?' Who knows. Maybe.

'Ridiculous hypocrisy and political doublespeak?' Absolutely.