I rather like Elizabeth May's analysis of Canada's latest (3rd) carbon emissions target. In summary, according to UNFCCC, Canada's emissions are/were:
1990 = 592 mega tonnes CO2e
2005 = 734 mega tonnes CO2e
2006 = 721 mega tonnes CO2e
This makes our Kyoto target: 1990 - 6% = 557 mega tonnes CO2e
The first Harper target: 2006 - 20% = 577 mega tonnes CO2e
The new Harper target: 2005 - 17% = 610 mega tonnes CO2e
By choosing this new baseline year they have weakened the target not by 3% but by nearly 6%!
So, if we ever hit this target, we will be above 1990 levels in 2020.
See the full analysis at -
http://greenparty.ca/blogs/7/2010-02-02/climate-shell-game
