Wars have been fought over politics, economics, territory, ethnic origin, race, religion and national pride. We may soon have to add a new reason: water, which is in increasingly short supply -- and sought after -- worldwide.

More than a third of the world's population lives in regions where water is scarce, and unless we take radical action immediately, in 50 years half will be living with shortages, depleted fisheries and polluted coastlines and groundwater. This could lead to violent confrontations over water sources, according to a study announced last month, a study sponsored by several international groups, including two United Nations organizations.

Waste and inadequate management are the main culprits behind growing water shortages, particularly in poverty-ridden regions, and the study proposes ways to reduce by half the projected water need to grow food in rain-fed and irrigated areas for an additional 2 billion to 3 billion people.

But the proposals amount to no more than vague, sweeping, pie-in-the-sky remedies typical of U.N. agencies -- "reform the state to improve the governance of water," and "deal with tradeoffs and difficult choices," for example. Certainly, they provide no roadmap for how to get from here to there. And, not surprisingly, the report ignores the fact U.N. agencies have made workable solutions more elusive.

Conspicuously absent is any mention of the need for new, gene-spliced crop varieties, thought by agricultural scientists to be critical to meeting future water shortages. Irrigation for agriculture accounts for roughly 70 percent of the world's fresh water consumption -- even more in areas of intensive farming and arid or semi-arid conditions. So introducing plants that grow with less water could free much of that essential resource for other uses. Especially during drought conditions -- which plague much of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and the United States -- even a small percentage reduction in water used for irrigation could result in huge benefits, both economic and humanitarian.

However, during the past decade, various U.N. agencies, including the two that sponsored the current report on water usage -- the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) -- have created major regulatory obstacles to using gene-splicing, sometimes called genetic modification or GM.

Gene-splicing offers plant breeders the tools to make old crop plants do spectacular new things. In the United States and at least 17 other countries, farmers use gene-spliced crop varieties to produce higher yields, with lower inputs and reduced environmental impact. Plant biologists have identified genes that regulate water utilization that can be transferred into important crop plants. These new varieties can grow with smaller amounts or lower-quality water, such as water recycled or containing large amounts of natural mineral salts.

Where water is unavailable for irrigation, the development of crop varieties able to grow under conditions of low moisture or temporary drought could both boost yields and lengthen the time that farmland is productive.

Aside from new varieties requiring less water, pest- and disease-resistant gene-spliced crop varieties also make water use more efficient indirectly. Because much of the loss to insects and diseases occurs after the plants are fully grown -- that is, after most of the water required to grow a crop has already been applied -- using gene-spliced varieties with lower post-harvest losses in yield means the farming (and irrigation) of fewer plants can produce the same amount of food. We get more crop for the drop.

But research is hampered by resistance from activists and discouraged by governmental overregulation -- including by the U.N. agency that sets international food standards, and by onerous, unscientific regulation of field trials under the CBD. In addition, a technical working group of the U.N. Environment Program is considering whether to recommend a moratorium on all field testing and commercialization of gene-spliced trees. That would be a devastating blow to efforts to preserve biodiversity and to prevent deforestation worldwide.

The U.N.'s periodic warnings of dire, impending shortages of water belie its actions, that are not only harmful to health and exacerbate water shortages but also make a mockery of the organization's own overblown Millennium Development Goals. The most ambitious objective, "to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger" by 2015, certainly cannot be accomplished without innovative technology -- which, in turn, cannot be developed in the face of bans and excessive regulatory barriers.

The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization calls for greater allocation of resources to agriculture, and then makes those resources drastically less cost-effective by gratuitous, unscientific overregulation of the new biotechnology.

The secretary-general of the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization announces that "integrated water-resources management is the key to achieving the Millennium Development Goals of securing access to safe water, sanitation and environmental protection," while a veritable alphabet soup of other U.N. agencies are making virtually impossible the development of gene-spliced plants that can grow with low-quality water or under drought conditions.

The regulation of gene-splicing (among other critical technologies and products) is a growth industry at the U.N., one that regularly defies scientific consensus and common sense. The result is vastly inflated research and development costs, less innovation, and diminished exploitation of superior techniques and products -- especially in poorer countries, which need them desperately, as the most recent U.N. report makes clear.

Journalist Claudia Rosett has asked "whether in this age of fascist movements, terror tactics, and weapons of mass murder, we can afford the indulgence of coddling as our leading global institution this sorry excuse for what was meant to be an honest forum for free and peace-loving nations." We cannot. Henry I. Miller, a physician and fellow at the Hoover Institution, headed the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Biotechnology, 1989-93. Barron's selected his most recent book, "The Frankenfood Myth," one of the 25 Best Books of 2004.

Copyright 2006 The Washington Times

-- Deloitte survey finds Canadian companies recognize the issue, but have not made action a top priority --

Toronto — Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions management remains on the back burner for more than half of emitting Canadian companies, according to a recent Deloitte survey, the GHG Emissions Management Survey 2006.

The survey of 80 Canadian respondents shows that 50% of companies do not include GHG emission management in their overall risk management policy or strategy, despite 80% ranking GHG emissions management as an issue of moderate to critical importance.

Rather than taking a total company approach to emissions management, primary responsibility continues to rest with most organizations’ head of environment or sustainability, with only 53% having board of directors involvement.

“To date, most Canadian companies have taken the path of least resistance when it comes to GHG emissions management,” says Valerie Chort, partner and national leader of Deloitte’s Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability group. “The survey results suggest many companies are not considering all of the risk factors associated with GHG emissions management.

Mitigation and adaptation strategies go beyond technical considerations and include, for example, environmental, emissions markets, and organizational risk factors. Companies need an integrated approach that includes internal mitigation options, external trading options, and adaptation requirements.”

Those companies that are taking actions are doing so to:

· Establish policy leadership (58%).
· Manage enterprise risks (37%)
· Increase energy efficiency (24%),
· Improve overall environmental stewardship (22%)

Regulatory uncertainty a barrier

One of the biggest challenges emitting companies currently face is the uncertainty related to potential government regulations governing carbon emissions. While 80% of companies have taken steps to understand their current GHG emission intensity or total emissions, regulatory uncertainty makes it difficult to implement mitigation strategies.

In addition, most survey respondents acknowledged that the lack of specific accounting and tax guidance has affected their ability to evaluate GHG management plans. The pressing nature of this issue is highlighted by the fact that over 50% of survey respondents are actively involved in public policy discussions, and another 28% are monitoring policy developments and getting involved as required.

Emissions management requires investment

When it comes to implementing GHG management plans, the message is mixed. On the one hand, over two-thirds of survey respondents indicated they have the capabilities to establish policies (79%), complete inventories (91%), and identify their abatement options (67%). On the other hand, most organizations also indicated they lack the internal resources and skills to engage in external market mechanisms, alter their operations, or position the company to make appropriate physical investments. Given these findings, companies may need to strengthen their resources going forward, if an energy trading scheme is introduced.

Companies have not yet developed detailed protocols for GHG emissions management. In keeping with their stated capabilities, 93% of respondents believe they have raised awareness about GHG emission issues throughout the organization. Similarly, many respondents have established organizational responsibilities (72%) and developed baselines (84%).

The challenge arises when it comes to moving beyond these initial steps. Survey responses showed that most companies (71%) have not established clear budgets for executing carbon reductions, have not set emission abatement targets or schedules (60%), and do not have systems of disclosure in place (65%). In many cases, plans are developed but have not gained visibility beyond the plan’s initiators, nor have they resulted in coordinated actions and policies.

“Despite the inherent uncertainties, companies should take action now,” suggests Pat Concessi, partner with Deloitte’s Global Energy Markets group. “Companies can develop robust plans that will stand them in good stead for a variety of outcomes. Developing plans now will create more options for meeting future requirements.”

About the survey

Deloitte’s GHG Emissions Management Survey was sent to 220 Canadian large GHG emitters. The majority of the 80 survey respondents was from the oil and gas, manufacturing, and power generation sectors. Fifty-six percent of the respondents considered themselves Large Final Emitters (LFEs) as defined by Environment Canada, 36% did not, and 8% were unsure.

OTTAWA - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Environment and the Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced the addition of 32 land-based species and 10 aquatic species to Schedule 1, the list of species protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

"I am very pleased that we are taking action [August 24] to protect and save some very precious species from the north pacific right whale and the ancient murrelet to the green sturgeon. We are listing an incredible array of species that are currently in jeopardy," said Environment Minister Rona Ambrose. "Protecting species at risk, helps us to ensure a safe future for our wild life and wild places and will allow future generations to enjoy and experience their presence."

Last fall the Governor in Council (GiC), on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, acknowledged receipt of 46 COSEWIC species assessments. This action initiated the nine-month timeline for the GiC to decide on whether or not to add the species to SARA, or refer the assessments back to COSEWIC. Of the 46 species, 33 were terrestrial species and 13 were aquatic species. That number increased to 18 aquatic species by treating each population of six white sturgeon populations as a separate species. Eight aquatic species will not be listed at this time, including five populations of beluga whales, the porbeagle shark and two populations of white sturgeon.

"Our focus continues to be the long-term health of these aquatic species," said Minister Hearn. "We will continue to enforce the protections offered by the Fisheries Act, while pursuing action plans to help these species recover. This approach allows us some flexibility to ensure that we don't negatively affect the fishing industry as we focus on helping these species make a comeback. These are both worthwhile goals, and I believe they can both be achieved."

The rationale for not listing these aquatic species is highlighted in the backgrounder (see below).

The Verna's flower moth will not be listed at this time, but be referred back to COSEWIC for further information and consideration, given the limited information on this species.

The implementation of the Species at Risk Act reinforces the Government of Canada's commitment to ensure the protection for species at risk and their ecosystems.

The notice of the addition of 32 land-based species and 10 aquatic species to Schedule 1, the list of species protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II September 6, 2006.

Related Backgrounders:

Rationale for recommendations to not list species under the Species at Risk Act
www.ec.gc.ca/press/2006/060612_b_e.htm

Species at Risk Act Listing Process
www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/listing_e.cfm

42 New Species Listed under SARA
www.sararegistry.gc.ca/regs_orders/RIAS_0606_e.cfm

"The good news is the system worked -- Government working with Industry allowed BP to find anomalies before a major incident occurred," said NACE President David Webster. "The advantage of an effective corrosion control program is that it protects people, assets, and the environment from the detrimental effects of corrosion."

BP began a phased shut down of the Prudhoe Bay oilfield after detecting internal pipeline corrosion. The government and BP determined there was a problem after a spill in March and stepped up its corrosion control inspection process. In the course of this monitoring, they found indicators of corrosion.

Corrosion Cost to the U.S.

Corrosion is a naturally occurring phenomenon, and it affects a great deal more than the oil industry, reports a NACE study, "Corrosion Costs and Preventive Strategies in the United States," which was released in 2002.

According to the study, corrosion costs the U.S. $276 billion a year -- approximately 3.1% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That amounts to $1,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country.

This staggering number keeps thousands of NACE certified corrosion professionals busy on a daily basis, working to implement current corrosion-control practices and technologies. The results of these efforts save the U.S. economy billions of dollars each year. However, many industries are unaware of the tremendous economic benefits that the application of corrosion prevention technologies can provide.

"Somewhere between 20 and 30% of this $276 billion could be saved if industry fully availed itself of current corrosion control technologies and resources," said Tony Keane, Executive Director for NACE International. "The challenge is in making industry, the public, and the government aware of what is available to the extent that it will invest in the needed levels of corrosion control."

The NACE study also revealed that the Production and Manufacturing sector -- which includes oil and gas exploration -- comprises 14.6% of all corrosion in industry. The number is dwarfed, however, by the cost of corrosion in utilities industries, which is a whopping 34.7% of that total.

"When there's a leak in a water pipe, it's not news, because it does not pollute the surrounding environment," said Keane. "Water is one of our most precious natural resources and it seeps out of corroded pipes around the nation every single day. If the nation's citizens were paying for tap water what they pay for fuel, the attention on water would be much different."

From a public perspective, BP's shutdown is a far cry from a major catastrophe, and represents nothing more than inconvenience. "It's a safety precaution similar to those taken when a mechanical problem is detected on a plane prior to departure," said Keane. "The flight would be halted until the problem was resolved. It's a minor inconvenience suffered in the best interests of public safety and the environment."

NACE International is a professional association dedicated to promoting public safety; protecting the environment; and reducing the economic impact of corrosion. Established in 1943, NACE International has more than 16,000 members worldwide and offers technical training and certification programs, sponsors conferences, and produces industry standards, reports, publications, and software.

MONTREAL - New data presented in the latest Taking Stock report from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) show that industrial chemical releases fell by 20 percent in North America between 1998 and 2003, including a reduction in releases to air of 21 percent.

Released today, the annual report compiles data from the Canadian National Pollutant Release Inventory and the United States' Toxics Release Inventory that are matched to provide a North American picture of industrial chemicals in the environment. It finds that almost three million tonnes of chemicals were released and transferred in 2003, the most recent reporting year of data analyzed by the CEC, by 23,816 facilities.

A first look at data on pollution prevention by industry also offers some encouragement. Facilities from Canada and the United States that reported pollution prevention activities, ranging from equipment modifications to process changes and materials substitution, showed reductions from 2002 to 2003 in releases and transfers.

Conversely, facilities in Canada not reporting pollution prevention activities showed a net increase in releases and transfers. The facilities in the United States without pollution prevention activities had a smaller decrease than their counterparts.

"It is encouraging to see the reductions in releases and transfers of chemicals in our environment, and that pollution prevention efforts offer the promise of even further reductions," says William V. Kennedy, executive director of the CEC. "We hope this evidence will prompt more industrial facilities to embrace pollution prevention activities over end-of-pipe solutions."

The report also takes a special look at the cement manufacturing industry. It finds that although they are relatively few in number (156), cement manufacturing facilities are a significant source of some criteria air contaminants (256,123 metric tonnes of NOx and 200,393 metric tonnes of SO(2)) and persistent bioaccumulative toxics (7,648 kg of mercury and its compounds to air).

Comparing the releases and transfers of cement facilities in Canada, Mexico and the United States was more difficult, due to differences in individual reporting methods between countries. For example, cement facilities in Canada reported releases and transfers of 25 substances, while in the United States, facilities reported releases and transfers of 79 substances. The differences, however, may be due to several factors, including the fuels and raw materials, processes, and pollution control devices used, and the methods employed to estimate releases and transfers.

The next edition of Taking Stock will feature data from Mexico's new Pollutant Release and Transfer Register, the Registro de Emisiones y Transferencia de Contaminantes (RETC). The Mexican pollution reporting system lists 104 chemicals that must be reported by industry in Mexico.

Do you have a question about a particular facility, industrial sector, province or state? The Taking Stock Online web site www.cec.org/takingstock allows users to customize reports by chemical, facility, sector or geographic region.

Young people challenge their community to meet 5% conservation target

Orangeville, ON - A group of young people concerned with energy conservation held an announcement this afternoon to get citizens of Orangeville to reduce their energy use by at least 5 %. On hand to help launch the campaign was Ontario's Chief Energy Conservation Officer, Peter Love, Drew Brown, Mayor of Orangeville, and George Dick, the President of Orangeville Hydro.

Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said the Ontario government was, "pleased to financially support a program which increases conservation awareness and can result in a significant energy saving for the Orangeville community. I want to recognize 'Reduce the Juice' for its continuing efforts to help build a conservation culture."

The 'Reduce the Juice Project' is a door-to-door campaign that aims to ask Orangeville residents to make a pledge to lower their electricity consumption by 5% this summer. The group consists of local university and high school students who are all trained in energy conservation techniques. The students will go door-to-door teaching people the many ways to save electricity. Last year's pilot in Shelburne saw a 5% reduction in electricity consumption attributable to the campaign.

"Whether it's making the change from incandescent light bulbs to energy saving compact fluorescent ones, or raising the thermometer on your air conditioner by two degrees, there are lots of easy ways to be more energy efficient," said Pheobe Lusk, an RTJ Team Leader and fourth year student at the University of Guelph.

Love also shared his enthusiasm for the program. He said programs like these are good examples of how conservation can thrive when citizens make the simple changes to their everyday lives.

"Last year, when we supported the 'Reduce the Juice' initiative in Shelburne, we saw that it had the potential to grow into something better, which is why we have provided support for this year's expansion into Orangeville. We're pleased to see students and homeowners in Orangeville adopting a culture of conservation, and look forward to seeing more communities across the province reduce the juice."

TORONTO - At a special joint meeting last night, the Roundtable on the Environment and the Roundtable on a Beautiful City requested Toronto City Council to adopt the Toronto Green Development Standard 2006.

A recent report to both roundtables, Making a Sustainable City Happen: The Toronto Green Development Standard 2006, has proposed the adoption of enhanced targets for site and building design that address matters of environmental sustainability. It proposes an integrated set of targets, principles, and practices to guide the development of City-owned facilities and to encourage green development in the private sector.

"The City is taking a significant step towards a more sustainable urban design standard," said Mayor David Miller. "The Green Development Standard is particularly of use since it applies to both new building construction and existing building retrofit. This is another example of the different ways we are building a better city both literally and figuratively."

The Toronto Green Development Standard is a "made-in-Toronto" approach that was created from a review of City guidelines and targets, private rating systems such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Green Globes, and the experiences of cities from around the world. The Toronto Green Development Standard would be a voluntary program in the initial year of implementation, while further study and consultation is conducted.

"To create a strong and health community for tomorrow we need to embrace technologies and principles that will make the best use of our resources," said Deputy Mayor Pantalone, Chair of the Roundtable on Environment. "The Green Development Standard outlines how our community can address everything from water and air quality to green space through design practices."

"A clean and beautiful city can only be created through the leadership of our government and the will of the community," said Deputy Mayor Bussin, Chair of the Roundtable on a Beautiful City. "The City of Toronto should adopt the practices outlined in the report and begin pilot projects in our neighbourhoods."

The full report is available from the City's website at: http://www.toronto.ca/environment/greendevelopment.htm

COLLINGWOOD - At the General Council meeting of Ontario's 36 Conservation Authorities on June 26th in Toronto, Conservation Ontario thanked all of the partners that participated in the successful development of the software called "CANWET(TM)" (CAnadian Nutrient and Water Evaluation Tool). Greenland International Consulting (Greenland) was retained by the Ontario Government to develop CANWET(TM) (Version 1), which was completed in 2004. The partners included Greenland, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and Kawartha Region Conservation Authority. The modelling tool can be used for source water protection, nutrient management and water allocation programs by identifying areas and sources that contribute higher levels of contaminants. It will also empower resource agencies to take corrective action and better manage water budgets and sustain nutrient loading targets.

For further information about the CANWET(TM) (Version 1) project, see
http://www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/projects/watershed_pp.html.

On a related topic, the Province of Ontario announced in October 2004, as part of an Inter-governmental Action Plan (IGAP), an investment of $1.5 million to undertake Assimilative Capacity Studies (or an "ACS") within the Lake Simcoe and the Nottawasaga River Basins. The ACS included an examination of the ability of the 650,000 ha drainage area to accommodate the impacts of various forms of land use with a particular emphasis on urban development. The ACS assembled substantial background information and developed modeling tools that were used to evaluate potential impacts of various development scenarios on the Lake Simcoe and the Nottawasaga River Basins.

Greenland was retained for the ACS consultant team. The ACS project was completed in May 2006. Greenland provided a significant in-kind contribution to complete the ACS by developing a "new" version of CANWET(TM). Version 2 was used by Greenland during the ACS to develop integrated water budget, Best Management Practices and assimilative capacity GIS-based models of Simcoe County, Cities of Barrie and Orillia, Regions of York, Dufferin and Durham.

Following the completion of the ACS, Greenland used CANWET(TM) (Version 2) to examine (for the Government of Ontario's growth management deliberations) a variety of other land use proposals within each watershed; assess existing and future storm water and wastewater infrastructure impacts on the Lake Simcoe and Nottawasaga River Basins; and, examine potential impacts on surface water quality of approved, but un-built, development areas.

Further CANWET(TM) enhancements are underway by Greenland in partnership with Federal and Provincial Government agencies, as well as Canadian and U.S. universities. The completion of CANWET(TM) (Version 3) is scheduled for the spring 2007. Celebrating its 12th anniversary, Greenland International Consulting (www.grnland.com) combines traditional engineering with emerging technologies and a conservationist ethic. Greenland delivers sustainable solutions for civil and environmental engineering projects in water resources; municipal infrastructure; environmental management; monitoring; information systems; and, research and development.

“While economics, demographics and finance are critical to cities, water pipes and toilets became a dominant topic at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver Canada,” reports Agence France Press.

“Bad water causes a third of the worlds human disease, stalls economic development, wreaks havoc on the environment and causes local and regional conflicts, experts said. Slum dwellers suffer most directly, said experts at several events, but everyone and every place in the world is affected by waterborne pollution and infection. Water shortages even deter investment and fuel illegal migration. …

[A]ccurate information about water is lacking, said analyst Eduardo Moreno, Chief of the Global Urban Observatory for UN-HABITAT. He reports that 95 percent of cities provide water. ‘This official data is misleading,’ he said, suggesting that treated water is available to only 37 percent of Africans, 71 percent of Latin Americans and 70 percent of Asians. Several speakers said while there is no quick fix, the key to providing safe and potable water is to involve all stake holders. …”

Business News Americas (Chile) adds that “Brazilian representatives presented a proposal at the Forum requesting subsidies from international organizations for infrastructure and basic sanitation in developing countries, local daily Estado de São Paulo (Brazil) reported. … The proposal - drafted by the administration of President Lula da Silva - is basically for increased financial grants for developing countries to perform works. It also calls on developing countries to create favorable fiscal policies for foreign subsidies by excluding funds from budgetary restraints. …”

The Canadian Press writes that “international aid agencies rush in to help after natural disasters, but often don't deal with the causes or find ways of reducing the damage should disaster strike again, the World Urban Forum was told Wednesday. And, the Vancouver conference was told, no one is paying enough attention to the fact that natural disaster areas often become breeding grounds for crime if reconstruction efforts don't go right. Those were the common messages that emerged from a two-hour dialogue that brought 1,000 people together to talk about security and safety in the planet's growing cities.

Those issues have moved to the top of the list for developing countries. Water and sanitation were once the priorities for countries asking for international aid, said Thomas Melin, head of the urban-development department at the Swedish International Development Agency. Now, crime and violence are what they want help with most. …’ Many speakers emphasized that natural disasters are no longer natural disasters. They are caused by everything from bad corporate practices, like strip-mining and clearcutting which produce floods, to inadequate planning and building standards in high-risk zones. …”

The Globe and Mail (Canada) reports that “cities fearing dangerous streets might learn something from an East African municipality that works with a separate youth council to promote safety, delegates at the World Urban Forum heard Wednesday during a discussion highlighting three urban cities. Mayor Adam Kimbisa of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, described his Safer Cities plan, as a way of integrating young voices in the city by listening to a separate youth city council headed by a young mayoral counterpart. … The initiative was one example of a move that politicians are making towards establishing social cohesion following mass immigration. Kimbisa joined Brazil's Secretary of International Relations Eduardo Guimaraes, who represented Curitiba, and Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan in offering snapshots of how the three cities have dealt with rapid population growth brought by immigration. …”

Reuters writes that “the world's focus on security in Afghanistan's cities has come at the expense of fixing its housing and other urban needs, the country's Urban Development Minister said on Wednesday [at the Forum]. Mohammad Yusouf Pashtun said that while violence has been increasing in parts of the war-torn country, international donors need to recognize that repairing Kabul and other Afghan cities will also make them safer. … Pashtun said the capital of Kabul has suffered the dual strains of war refugees returning from other countries and an influx of rural poor relocating in search of education and economic opportunities. Afghanistan also needs help to deal with potential natural disasters such as earthquakes. …

International donors have left most of the rebuilding up to the private sector, but a lack of international planning support means it has focused on commercial construction, and the expansion of Kabul is now ‘haphazard’, he said. Pashtun said he understood the fears of development agencies to work in unsafe cities, but he criticized the international media and said they were making the country look more violent than it was. …”

The Monitor (Uganda) notes that “… the forum under the theme, Our

Future: Sustainable Cities - Turning Ideas into Action is jointly sponsored by the Canadian government and the UN-HABITAT for human settlement and is attended by over 15,000 from 150 countries. …”

Toronto – Environmentalists, human rights groups and First Nations from Northern Ontario brought a unified message to Queens Park on June 20, asking for no more logging and mining in the Northern boreal forest without the prior informed consent of Aboriginal communities and without the identification and protection of ecological and cultural values through credible land use planning before logging and mining goes forward.

The environmental group ForestEthics also released a map showing a number of controversy areas across Ontario, and illustrated a growing trend of escalating First Nation and environmental concerns due to government mismanagement and irresponsible corporate behavior.

"There is a crisis in Ontario's boreal forest. This government is mismanaging the last of our great northern forests and ignoring First Nations rights and title. To add insult to injury, they are sitting back and watching the last caribou habitat disappear," said Tzeporah Berman, program director of ForestEthics. "We have reached a crucial moment in Ontario where political leadership is grossly overdue."

She added the premier's very own provincial forestry committee encouraged the government to issue a moratorium on any further resource development in the northern boreal until land use planning was implemented. Not only did McGuinty ignore the recommendation, he has since approved a diamond mine that has an ecological footprint four times the size of Toronto, and plans to extend industrial logging further north than ever before into the Valhalla Forest, an unlogged, intact area that is critical caribou habitat.

At the same time, the requests for a moratorium on logging and rights and title of Grassy Narrows have not been honoured as logging continues at Grassy Narrows despite a peaceful three-year logging blockade by the Grassy Narrows First Nation and an independent assessments that wood supply and logging in their traditional territory is unsustainable.

"We have watched Abitibi Consolidated and Weyerhaeuser clearcut our land, destroy our traditional ways of life, and had our trap lines are disappear," said Steve Fobister, Band Council Member of the Grassy Narrows First Nation. "The Ontario government just looks the other way and refuses to address our concerns."

This month, Amnesty International reported on the situation in Ontario to the United Nations. The report can be found at www.amnesty.ca/resource_centre/news/view.php?load=arcview&article=3456&c=Resource+Centre+News

"Amnesty International is increasingly concerned that the right of Indigenous peoples, such as the Grassy Narrows First Nations, to hunt, trap and gather food and medicinal plants on their territories is not adequately recognized or protected in Ontario," stated Craig Benjamin of Amnesty International Canada.

" Expecting Cabinet approval this week (it was referred to Cabinet in September 2005)

" The Dufferin Quarry is on the Niagara Escarpment in the middle of the Greenbelt

" The Niagara Escarpment is a World Biosphere Reserve

" The proposal is to extend the 1,156 acre quarry by over 20% (250 acres)

" The Niagara Escarpment Commission has raised serious questions about the proposed expansion

More information can be found at http://www.niagaraescarpment.org/

In a commentary published in today's Les Echos (France, 06/12) World Bank Chief Scientist, Robert Watson writes: "Addressing the needs of 1.6 billion people without access to basic energy services - 500 million of them living in Sub-Saharan Africa - is key for promoting economic growth and poverty reduction. Rich and poor countries, together, share a responsibility to ensure that the global community can meet the energy needs of the poor, and at the same time reap the double dividend of robust growth and a healthy planet.

Climate change and climate variability are no longer a question for the future, but an imperative to avoid new economic and human disasters, which we know will disproportionately affect developing countries, and vulnerable populations in these nations.

During the 1990s, an average of 200 million people per year from developing countries were affected by climate related disasters, eroding the capacities of whole communities to improve their livelihoods, and set back the fight against poverty. Models of agricultural production suggest serious losses by mid-century with huge differential effects between rich and developing countries. Developing countries often have economies that are heavily dependent on agriculture, forestry, and natural ecosystems where the impacts of climate variability and change are likely to be the greatest.

Rich and poor countries alike need to apply energy-efficient technology to cut future greenhouse gas emissions and to meet the energy needs of the developing world. OECD countries are scheduled to replace over a third of their existing power plants by the year 2030, including nearly all coal-fired plants. This represents, potentially, a great opportunity to do better, to producing energy more efficiently and in a way that does less damage to the climate.

In addressing climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require improvements in fossil-fuel technologies, developing non-carbon energy technologies, and increasing end-use efficiency. Within the fossil-fuel domain, several avenues appear promising, including fuel cell technologies, which offer significant potential for cogeneration at the scale of a single commercial building; gasification of coal through partial oxidation to produce synthetic gas, and technologies to capture and store emitted carbon dioxide at the site of energy production, which would allow the continued use of fossil fuels with little or no emission of carbon into the atmosphere.

Non-carbon energy technologies include nuclear energy and various forms of renewable energy - small- and large-scale hydropower, wind, solar, biomass, and others. New technologies that lower the cost or improve the efficiency of these non-carbon-emitting forms of energy could allow them to substitute for a large share of the energy now provided by fossil fuels.

Many of the technologies to adapt to and cope with the climates of the future already exist. More drought-resistant crops are probably grown in nearby drier areas; flood control technology can be imported from regions already coping with flooding; and innovative construction techniques for wind resistant and cool housing are being used. However, these technologies must still be transferred, and people accustomed to their use. A new generation of standards and approaches in irrigation, hydropower, land zoning, flood mapping, road construction, coastal infrastructure, etc, will be needed to reflect the emerging conditions of climate uncertainty.

Achieving reliable, clean, and efficient technology is key to the global solution This means spanning the 'valley of death' - or the financing gap between researching new, clean technologies, demonstrating that they work, and making them commercially viable so that they can be scaled up and applied worldwide.

Getting a venture to the position where it is successful and can produce a commercial product is an arduous task, where entrepreneurs face the dangerous convergence of high cash demands and low ability to raise it.

There is no shortage of appropriate technologies that can be deployed in the short term to reduce carbon emissions. Transversing the 'valley of death' requires an intelligent blend of public and private sector investment, targeting the most promising innovations; to create incentives for private sector investment, including through market-based instruments and carbon finance, and the need for appropriate frameworks to provide incentives in R&D for the next generation of clean energy technologies."

OTTAWA - Canadian farmers are embracing environmentally friendly practices for growing crops, according to an Ipsos Reid survey released today. The survey shows that farmers want to do the right thing for the environment and most have adopted beneficial management practices (BMPs) to manage their fertilizer and manure use. Ninety-eight per cent of farmers surveyed said that it was important to manage their farms in a way that protects the environment. According to the survey, most crop farmers in Canada use at least one recommended BMP to manage crop nutrients (fertilizer and manure) in an environmentally responsible manner. Soil testing and minimum tillage (reducing soil disturbance) are the most commonly used BMPs.

"Fertilizer products are essential to Canadian agriculture and the production of wholesome food. Farmers who use beneficial management practices protect the environment by applying fertilizer at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place," said Chris Moran, Executive Director of the Grain Growers of Canada and Chair of the Crop Nutrients Council.

"This study confirms that farmers are good environmental stewards, working hard to manage nutrients for their crops in a responsible manner," agreed Brian Besley, farmer and Chair of AGCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned About Resources and the Environment).

While protecting the environment is a priority, many farmers believe there are also net economic benefits from employing BMPs, the survey found. The main reasons cited for using BMPs are to make more efficient use of fertilizer and to improve soil quality.

While farmers believe there are some economic benefits from employing BMPs, one of the main reasons cited for not undertaking a specific BMP was the cost of adoption. Of the farmers who were concerned about the cost of using BMPs, about eight in 10 would like some financial assistance from government to improve their environmental stewardship.

"Canadian farmers have been engaging in environmental stewardship for a long time because they believe it is the right thing to do. But they have been bearing the cost of those initiatives mostly alone," said Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. "It is time for consumers and governments to recognize that agricultural environmental stewardship is a public good that benefits everyone, so the costs must be shared by everyone."

The survey also found that manure is a commonly used source of nutrients on Canadian farms. Six in 10 farmers surveyed apply manure to their fields, although only about a third of farmers who primarily grow field crops use manure. About four in 10 farmers follow a manure management plan. The main reasons for using a manure management plan are for more efficient use of manure/fertilizer, government mandate, and/or to maximize yields. Only a small percentage receive any government financial incentive to assist them with their manure management planning, however the majority of those using a manure plan support the idea of the government providing financial incentives for manure management planning.

"Manure nutrient management planning is an important practice being increasingly adopted by livestock producers across the country. Not only do producers see an improvement in environmental performance on the farm, a major driver for change, they also recognize that good nutrient management keeps costs down and profits up," said Cedric MacLeod, Environmental Programs Coordinator with the Canadian Pork Council.

Ipsos Reid, a leading Canadian research company, conducted a telephone survey of 1,000 crop farmers across Canada between February 21 and March 15, 2006, on behalf of the Crop Nutrients Council. The results are considered accurate to within +/- 3.4%, 19 times out of 20.

The purpose of the survey was to gain a better understanding of Canadian farmers' attitudes toward BMP's related to managing crop nutrients, particularly the economic costs and benefits. The Crop Nutrients Council received $69,500 from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program to conduct the survey. ACAAF is a $243 million federal funding program aimed at helping Canada's agriculture and agri-food industry to capture new market opportunities. The survey data will be used by the George Morris Centre to build economic models that show how the use of BMPs affects farm profitability.