Earlier this week, Prime Minister Harper announced that he will introduce a “Clean Air Act” next week.

This is a copy-cat handle grafted from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In a Vancouver speech on Tuesday, Mr. Harper boasted of his environmental initiatives to date including: action to reduce the release of mercury into our surroundings; reductions in the release of toxic substances from base-metal smelters; tax incentives to encourage the banking of environmentally sensitive lands, investments in the development of renewable fuels, new infrastructure funding and tax credits to encourage greater use of public transit.

Ironically, Harper’s announcement of a pending announcement follows the declaration by British business tycoon, Richard Branson in late September that all future profits of his Virgin Group's transportation businesses, mainly airlines and trains, will be invested in renewable energy initiatives both within his own transportation companies and in new biofuel research and development projects.

The 10-year, $3 billion commitment follows the launch of his newest company earlier in September Virgin Fuels, which pledged to invest up to $400 million dollars in renewable energy initiatives over the next three years, starting with the California-based ethanol company, Cilion, Inc. Canada could take a page out of Branson’s book.

At the September Global Initiative Conference in New York City, former President Bill Clinton told his audience there is a staggering set of economic opportunities in the fight against global warming that will yield good return on investment, reduce the threat of climate change, create new jobs, start new businesses and promote a sustainable environment.

Here we have two global figures (Clinton and Branson) talking about climate change, global warming and economic opportunity putting their money and reputations on the line to make something happen.

Contrast that with Harper’s tentative approach to cleaner air and smog reductions. No where in Mr. Harper’s speech is there mention of global warming? Only once did he allude to a connection between air pollutants and climate change. Clearly, he speaks from the same environmental textbook as George W. Bush.

While Branson proposed changes to aircraft movements at busy airports and the way planes land that would cut the world's aviation emissions by up to 25 percent, Harper talks about smog and boasts his Clean Air Act as Canada’s first comprehensive and integrated approach to air pollution and greenhouse gases.

While Branson talks about research and development, Harper talks about enhanced regulation and enforcement. He promises to consult with industry, the provinces and territories for the next year, harvest new technologies and lay out a regulatory framework. He promises nothing by way of fundamental behavioral change or forward looking research and development of cleaner alternative fuels.

Following his Vancouver speech, Harper said he would introduce “intensity-based targets” over the short and long-term. The significance of “intensity-based” targets is that industry would only be called on to reduce emissions per unit of production.

Lowering emissions per unit of production will not reduce the total output of greenhouse gas emissions. For example, an electric power utility could lower its unit production emissions but build a second coal-fired plant that would increase overall emissions. Alberta could lower its emissions per barrel of oil from its tar sands production but expand its production and increase overall emission levels.

The Harper approach runs contrary to Canada’s commitments under the Kyoto Accord which calls for the total output of greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced. A report from Canada’s Environment Commissioner, Johanne Gélinas warns that if we fail to reduce our total output of greenhouse gases, emissions from Alberta’s tar sands alone could double by the year 2015. Mr. Harper’s response is that technology improvements will ultimately reduce emissions.

That’s not good enough.

We need absolute emission reduction targets. Intensity-based targets are the stuff of George Bush and the Republican Party. Intensity based targets are the brainchild of the oil industry, not the rationale of environmental protection advocates.

Mr. Harper’s preoccupation with smog suggests further that he is trying to create a smokescreen (no pun intended) with his planned announcement. Most Canadians are likely confused about the implications of global warming and don’t make the link between climate change and the emissions of C0² or greenhouse gases.

Smog on the other hand is visible and hangs dangerously over our big cities on hot summer days. A smog attack in Toronto can foment asthma attacks and bring death to the frail and elderly.

The Harper strategy is to shift the focus from greenhouse gases to smog. I suspect his next step will be to demand a reduction in automobile emissions and a cutback in pollution from coal-fired electricity generating plants in Ontario, all the while protecting his oil sands constituency in Alberta.

Contrast again with Richard Branson proposed changes to aircraft movements at busy airports and the way planes land under a plan he says would cut the world's aviation emissions by up to 25 percent. The Virgin Group chairman is proposing "starting grids" be set up at major airports which would allow a plane to be towed from its passenger boarding gate by a small, low emission tug and moved closer to runways before takeoff, reducing the time an aircraft’s engines are running.

Apparently this would reduce fuel consumption and on-the-ground carbon emissions for Virgin Atlantic aircraft by more than 50 percent ahead of take-off at London's Heathrow Airport and almost 90 percent at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.

Branson also proposed changes to the way air traffic is controlled and a more efficient way for planes to descend and save fuel. Branson’s proposals are designed to address global warming, not smog.

Oh that our Prime Minister could see his way clear to do the same.

W.E. (Bill) Belliveau is a Shediac resident and Moncton business consultant. He can be contacted at bill.bellstrategic@nb.aibn.com Atlantic Insight is a published Blog inventory of opinion articles published weekly in New Brunswick's print media as written by W.E. (Bill) Belliveau, who is a resident of Shediac, New Brunswick, and small business owner, operating his Moncton-based marketing consultancy, Bell Strategic. He can be reached by e-mail at bill.bellstrategic@nb.aibn.com