How the government’s new procurement program could cut emissions and grow clean tech jobs
One of the commitments stated in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change was to “modernize procurement practices, adopt clean energy and technologies, and prioritize opportunities to help Canadian businesses grow, demonstrate new technologies and create jobs.” On April 7, Clean Energy Canada stepped up on this issue with a policy primer to suggest best practices from around the world: The Power of Procurement: How the government can drive growth, cut carbon and create jobs. Continue reading →
Two Marches in April: for Climate action and Science-Based Policy
The Labor Network for Sustainability paper, Jobs for Climate and Justice: A Worker alternative to the Trump Agenda, describes a Jobs for Climate and Justice Plan – a four-part strategy to defeat the Trump ideas, and develop a climate-safe and worker-friendly economy. Comments are invited, as is participation in Labor Contingent of the People’s Climate March in Washington D.C. on April 29. On April 22, the March for Science is also happening – with sister marches in 18 Canadian cities. The fight for the planet is closely intertwined with the fight for science-based policy and decision-making. A new report, Oversight at Risk: The state of government science in British Columbia reminds us that this is an ongoing battle in Canada as well as the U.S. Continue reading →
Reports re environmental regulation arrive to positive response – next up in May: the Expert Panel on modernizing the National Energy Board
The Government of Canada launched four reviews of government environmental and regulatory processes in June 2016, and recently, the appointed Expert Panels have begun to deliver their reports. The Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans was released on February 24 – to a welcoming review by West Coast Environmental Law. The Report of the Expert Panel on Environmental Assessment was released on April 5, and is open for public comment – only until May 5 at www.letstalkea.ca/. The report, Building Common Ground: A New Vision for Impact Assessment in Canada incorporates a fundamental idea in its title: what is now “environmental assessment” should become “impact assessment”. Both the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation (CELL) and the West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL) responded positively to the report. Next up in May: the Report of the Expert Panel regarding the Modernization of the National Energy Board, scheduled to be delivered to the Minister of Natural Resources on or around May 15, 2017. Continue reading →
Architects speak out for climate change mitigation and public advocacy
On April 17, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) issued a press release, announcing eight principles governing how architects can mitigate climate change, and urging the U.S. government “to protect policies designed to conserve energy and reduce carbon in the built environment”. The AIA’s Energy Leadership Group had also recently issued a commentary which summarizes and updates their long history of attention to sustainability. In August 2016, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) joined with 11 other organizations in an Open Letter to the federal government, with recommendations for a national plan for improving the energy efficiency of Canada’s buildings. Continue reading →
|
|
NEWS AND NOTES:
Canadian GHG emissions decreased by 2.2% from 2005, according to the latest report to UNFCCC
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) posted the National Inventory Reports of greenhouse gas emissions from most countries of the world in the second week of April 2017, including the National Inventory Report 1990–2015: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada. In 2013, Canada represented approximately 1.6% of total global GHG emissions. Canada remains one of the highest per capita emitters, although that is decreasing since 2005 and was the lowest yet in 2015, at 20.1 tons. Continue reading →
B.C. Election 2017: focusing on energy and the environment amid all those scandals
The sitting Liberal government of British Columbia, led by Premier Christy Clark, is facing an election on May 9, amid allegations of corruption – most recently, in “How Teck Resources benefits from being the largest BC Liberal donor” from West Coast Environmental Law (April 6). Despite the scandals, party platforms for the coming election were released: the Liberal party platform includes a promise to build the Site C dam; the Green Party pledged to increase B.C.’s carbon tax by $10 per tonne per year, reaching $50 per tonne by 2021; and the NDP committed to implementing the recommendations from the premier's Climate Leadership Team. West Coast Environmental Law has published a comparison of the climate change-related elements of the platforms of the three parties, and a scorecard. Continue reading →
Cap-and-Trade proposals for Nova Scotia – and beyond?
A discussion paper, Nova Scotia Cap and Trade Program Design Options, released in early March by the government of Nova Scotia, proposes the structure of a cap-and-trade system for the province, as required by the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. The Discussion paper proposes a plan which covers only those sectors required by the Framework, and grants free allocations to them, including Nova Scotia Power and the suppliers of fossil fuel. Although the Discussion paper states that Nova Scotia will “go it alone”, the Premier mused to CBC later that there is a chance of a regional Atlantic system. Continue reading →
EU Industry pledges no new coal plants as Australians mobilize to fight the giant Adani coal project
The Union of the Electricity Industry (EURELECTRIC), representing 3500 companies across Europe, released a statement on April 5, pledging that no new coal-fired plants will be built in the EU after 2020. Poland and Greece remain outside the agreement, and apparently outside the mainstream. Yet in Australia, environmentalists are waging an epic environmental battle against a giant, $16.5-billion coal mine adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, proposed by Indian energy conglomerate Adani. Government supporters, including the Prime Minister and politicians in Queensland, have argued that the mine would bring jobs and would not increase GHG emissions globally because Australian coal is cleaner than any other that India would be able to source from other countries; see an article in Climate Home for the rebuttal. Continue reading →
|
|
|
|
