NEW CABINET

All ministries must be climate ministries

We have a new cabinet. There are some old faces in new roles, as well as some totally fresh ones. But, old or new, there is little doubt that the biggest challenge facing them is climate change. As our executive director Merran Smith said, “climate leadership means putting all hands on deck. It means every ministry considers the climate impact of every policy choice and every investment. It means every ministry is a climate ministry.”

We welcome Jonathon Wilkinson as the new minister of environment and climate change. As a former cleantech executive, I trust that he will recognize the energy transition is the greatest economic opportunity we have as a country. 

Meanwhile, Catherine McKenna has a new gig as minister of infrastructure and communities. Although a notably different file, its role in the fight against climate change is just as crucial (as many of the stories in week’s Clean Energy Review demonstrate). We look forward to working with Ministers Wilkinson and McKenna—and indeed the entire Cabinet—over the next few years. 

The language of change

“Climate shocks.” “Stranded assets.” “Stress testing.” Even some “analytical firepower.” The language used by the Bank of Canada to describe the impacts of climate change—and its plans to tackle it—is getting combative. And for good reason. As bank governor Stephen Poloz said, “everyone’s portfolio and... lending practices kind of converge on a different climate trend line... that could have significant consequences for financial systems.” But climate-proofing the economy isn’t just about testing its climate resilience—it must keep up with the global energy transition. As this op-ed from two Canadian financial leaders puts it, “global investors and financial institutions are not standing around.... If we delay, others will shape Canada’s economic future for us.”

Full speed ahead 

Climate-proofing our economy comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes in the shape of a high-speed passenger train. Via Rail and the Canada Infrastructure Bank are taking the next step in developing a rail link that will allow passengers to get from Quebec City to Toronto in three hours and 15 minutes. And while any transport that gets people out of cars and planes is a step up, it remains to be seen if the line will be electrified—an important feature of the energy transition.

Energy efficiency winners and losers

What’s better than a bit of friendly competition to motivate change? Energy Efficiency Canada has created an “efficiency scorecard,” which ranks provinces in order of their progress on all things energy efficiency. B.C. took the top spot, followed by Quebec, while Newfoundland and Saskatchewan brought up the rear. As the scorecard’s authors said in this op-ed, “[energy efficiency] creates jobs, improves affordability, and makes all industries more productive.”

A solution to the industry problem

Industries, like steel and cement, have a problem. They’re essential, but they're responsible for 10% of global emissions and typically require a lot of heat—over 1000C. Short of using an erupting volcano, that much heat is hard to come by without fossil fuels. Enter Heliogen. It’s essentially a bunch of really smart mirrors that concentrate the sun’s rays into one place, producing temperatures of over 1500C. The concept’s designer has described it as a “technological leap” in cutting emissions from the industrial sector.

California vs. carmakers

The car-shaped rift between California and President Trump grew a little wider last week as the state announced it will no longer buy cars from automakers that are backing the president’s efforts to weaken vehicle emission regulations and strip California of its ability to prevent this. GM, Fiat Chrysler, and Toyota are all on the golden state’s blacklist. As Governor Gavin Newsom said, “Carmakers that have chosen to be on the wrong side of history will be on the losing end of California’s buying power.”

The right side of history

When it comes to the right side of history, it looks like Canada, at least, is increasingly choosing it. Electric vehicle registrations totalled 43,655 in 2018 according to Statistics Canada—an increase of 115% from 2017. This is especially impressive when you consider that in 2011, only 518 electric vehicles were added.

The Cybertruck

And speaking of electric cars. The Cybertruck is here: Tesla’s hotly anticipated contribution to the pickup truck market. It comes complete with a 250- to 500-mile (400 to 800 km) range (depending on the model) and an “exoskeleton” similar to a spacecraft. The design is unlike anything we’ve seen before—well, unlike anything we’ve seen outside of an ’80s sci-fi movie or The Dark Knight. Love it or hate it, it’s radical (also described as “absurd, futuristic, brutalist”), it’s got impressive tech, and it’s getting people talking.

“Rein in the snark”

Coldplay announced last week that they won’t be touring their upcoming album, citing the carbon-intensive nature of performing around the globe. An admirable decision perhaps, given their last tour earned them US$520 million. But trolls will be trolls, and Coldplay appears to have been soundly vilified for doing “the most Coldplay thing ever.” Get over yourselves, people. As this columnist puts it, “if you rein in your snark, you'll realize Coldplay is doing something positive.”

Come work with us! 

Clean Energy Canada is seeking a Senior Analyst to join our policy team. In short: a systems thinker and skilled advisor up to the task of advancing our high standards for accurate and credible research, analysis, policy perspectives, and communications. For more details and information on how to apply, view the job posting here.

IMAGE & MEDIA CREDITS: Tesla