L'AQUILA, Italy - Less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Stephen Harper praised the G8 for its latest climate-change targets, his environment minister says those targets are "aspirational" and that Canada may not meet them.
Jim Prentice, in an interview with CBC from L'Aquila, Italy, said reducing emissions by 80 per cent by the year 2050 is an "aspirational goal."
The best-case scenario for the Harper government's climate-change program -- which does not yet have enforceable regulations in place -- is a reduction in Canada's greenhouse gas emissions of up to 70 per cent by 2050.
Prentice said Canada does not need to change its policy.
The Group of Eight industrialized countries also agreed in Italy that global average temperatures must not rise more than 2 C above pre-industrial levels.
Harper called the G8 agreement "a much stronger statement" than previous climate change communiques.
