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Greenpeace Calls for Action on Climate in Federal Budget - Climate Crisis a Scientific Reality
TORONTO - On February 1, 2007 Greenpeace urged the Canadian government to heed the warnings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) , an international body of scientists, and take urgent action to fight the climate crisis.
"The IPCC report puts to rest any possible doubt about the science of
climate change. It has been caused by the burning of fossil fuels and
deforestation. We are the authors of our own destruction, but we have the
power to reverse the damage. It's just a matter of political will," said Dave
Martin, Greenpeace energy coordinator. "This is not a time for partisan
politics. The verdict of the scientific community is in, and the situation is
urgent. We need aggressive climate change programs in the upcoming federal
budget, designed to meet and go beyond our Kyoto commitment."
The report released today by the IPCC Working Group 1, entitled Climate
Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, is the first part of the IPCC Fourth
Assessment Report (AR4). IPCC Working Group 2 will report in April on impacts,
adaptation and vulnerability to climate change; Working Group 3 will report in
May on the mitigation of climate change, and the overall Synthesis Report will
be released in November.
"Prime Minister Harper has clearly recognized the political reality of
climate change, but now he should acknowledge its scientific reality and
urgency," added Martin. "He can start by meeting Canada's commitment to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. The elimination of
subsidies for the tar sands would be another good first step."
The IPCC is jointly sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization
and the United Nations Environment Program. Its reports represent a broad
consensus amongst 600 scientists and 154 countries around the world. The Third
Assessment Report (TAR) in 2001 found that "most of the observed warming over
the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas
concentrations". The draft summary of the AR4 concluded with stronger
statements: "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident
from increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, melting of snow
and ice, and rising sea level.... It is very likely that anthropogenic
(man-made) greenhouse gas increases caused most of the observed increase in
globally averaged temperatures since the mid 20th century."
Last week, Greenpeace unveiled a new report, Energy (R)evolution,
detailing a global energy scenario achieving a 50 per cent reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, while allowing increased energy consumption
and economic growth.
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Valuators Summit Comes to Vancouver
VANCOUVER - The words "sustainable," "green," and "eco-friendly" are being used to describe a number of products, services, and many major construction projects. What exactly do they mean? More importantly to investors, shareholders, and the consuming public, what is the true economic value of such a designation? The first discussion on exactly what that value is will be held in Vancouver on March 2nd at the Vancouver Valuation Summit.
In today's marketplace there is currently no standard for determining the
"value of sustainability". The word is held in high regard by marketers and
designers, but on the books, has no value. That is about to change as the
world's top professional valuators meet in Vancouver this March to open the
first formal discussion on the "value of sustainability" at the inaugural
Vancouver Valuation Summit.
BC's Premier Gordon Campbell will be one of several speakers attending
the summit, which will bring together the world's most influential bodies
responsible for valuation. Heads of the world's Green Building Councils, top
level surveyors and appraisers, and government and industry officials will
discuss and devise standards for valuing sustainability in business practices.
The conference discussions will launch the "Vancouver Accord," an initiative
that will embed sustainability in valuation standards and practice around the
world.
The completion of the Vancouver Accord will, for the first time, give the
business and financial sector the ability to place a hard, tangible value on
sustainability. It won't just be marketers and designers promoting "green" and
"sustainable" anymore.
What: Vancouver Valuation Summit
When: March 2, 2007
Where: Westin Bayshore Hotel & Conference Centre
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Environmental Concerns Now Driving GTA Commuters
Two Thirds Thinking of Quitting Jobs to Relieve Stress and Work Closer to Home, Study Finds
TORONTO - Commuting exacts a toll much heavier than even those on the roads realize, a new Greater Toronto Area commuter study shows.
Funded by Transport Canada, Living Green and SuiteWorks Inc., the GTA Commuter Behavior Study reveals concern for the environment, high stress levels, frustrations over lost family time and much more.
Among the highlights:
- Two-thirds think of quitting their jobs to work closer to
home;
- Most think about the environment and worry about the Greenhouse
Gas emissions they are adding to the atmosphere;
- Commuters are spending $200-$300 more per week on commuting
than they actually think;
- Most long-distance commuters "hit a wall" after five years and
want to stop commuting cold turkey.
>>
"This survey tells us a great deal about the busy lives of GTA
commuters," said Peter Bursztyn, Chair of Living Green, an environmental
organization based in Barrie. "Many have special challenges, struggling to
find time for their families, hobbies and community work. But what's
particularly revealing is the consideration these people give to the effects
of commuting on the environment."
Commuters travelling south to the GTA along the Highway 400 corridor were
invited to fill out an on-line questionnaire about their commuting attitudes
and patterns, as well as thoughts about telecommuting.
Aware of the busy lifestyle of these people, project organizers "drove"
them to the online survey, intercepting some 3,000 potential respondents at
gas stations, coffee shops, park 'n ride locations and other venues. Since 231
took the time to respond, the study is considered an accurate reflection of
the commuter population +/- 6%, 19 times out of 20.
"Each online survey took about 30 minutes to complete," said Peggy
Staite-Wong, co-author of the report and partner in The Resource Management
Consulting Group. "For such busy people, we were asking a lot of their time.
And they have provided us with tremendous insight into the reality of
commuting around the GTA or anywhere, for that matter."
To arrive on time to work, most of these Highway 400 commuters allocate
between 1 and 1.5 hours for their one-way travel, leaving home between 5 and 7
a.m. The average commute is 93 kilometres each way.
Most of these commuters worry about the environment and the impact their
cars have on the atmosphere. "This high level of environmental awareness is
something I am pleased to learn from this project," said Scott McCrindle,
Chairman of the GTA Commuter Behavior Study and Living Green member. "Our
respondents are obviously making the connection between commuting and
Greenhouse Gas emissions. It's imperative to support this kind of awareness."
Three quarters of respondents think about the impact of commuting on
global warming to some degree and one quarter are taking active steps to
reduce their contribution to global warming; 10 per cent are fully committed
to this cause.
Adds Mr. McCrindle: "23 per cent are carpoolers. Even if we take those
60 per cent who drive to work alone, this number is still much lower than
seven years ago. In a 2000 survey, it was 90 per cent."
Commuters view telecommuting and flexible work arrangements as
alternatives to commuting. Sixteen per cent of the respondents whose jobs are
compatible already work at home or at an office close to home at least one day
a week, the survey showed. Sixty per cent would consider telecommuting.
"While we know a lot about car pooling, there's a lack of awareness about
telecommuting and various distributed work models as another environmentally
sound alternative to commuting," said Ms. Staite-Wong. "What is leading edge
about this project is that an environmental group is working with business and
government to help find a solution to an environmental problem. This is a huge
step forward and part of a new model that will have to be adopted in the
future."
Adds John Cameron, President and CEO of SuiteWorks, a distributed work
solutions provider that offers professional office spaces closer to commuters'
homes, "Thanks to technology, a lot of people can do their work closer to
home, reserving just a day or two for meetings in the office. That way, they
can work without office distractions and they don't need to worry about
traffic or bad weather. And air pollution is reduced."
Surprisingly, driving expenses were not as much of a concern for most
long-distance commuters surveyed in the project. "Many of them are worried
about such things as rising gas prices and car maintenance," said Erich
Jacoby-Hawkins, of Living Green, "Still, most think they only spend $100-$200
per week commuting. In reality, they pay twice as much."
Based on the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) rate of $.43/km, the
weekly cost of the 200-kilometer round-trip is $430. This estimate is based on
the cost of operating fuel-efficient sedans that most respondents choose for
their commute.
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Millions To Go Hungry, Waterless - Climate Report
“Rising temperatures will leave millions more people hungry by 2080 and
cause critical water shortages in China and Australia, as well as parts of
Europe and the US, according to a new global climate report.
By the end of the century, climate change will bring water scarcity to
between 1.1 and 3.2 billion people as temperatures rise by 2 to 3 Celsius
(3.6 to 4.8 Fahrenheit), a leaked draft of an Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) report said. The report, due for release in April
but detailed in The Age newspaper, said an additional 200 million to 600
million people across the world would face food shortages in another 70
years, while coastal flooding would hit another 7 million homes. … Africa
and poor countries such as Bangladesh would be most affected because they
were least able to cope with greater coastal damage and drought, Graeme
Pearman, who helped draft the report, told Reuters on Tuesday. …”
[Reuters/Factiva]
“… Rising sea levels could flood seven million more homes, while
Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef, treasured as the world's largest
living organism, could be dead within decades, the scientists warn, the
The Age newspaper said. … Some 500 experts are meeting in Paris this week
ahead of the release on Friday of the IPCC's first report since 2001 on
the state of scientific knowledge on global warming. The report will be
followed in April by volumes focusing on the impacts of climate change and
on the social-economic costs of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases
blamed for global warming. …” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]
The Associated Press notes that “… The report by the IPCC, to be released
Friday, could influence what governments and businesses do to fight global
warming. It will be watched closely in the US, whose government stands
accused by many around the world of playing down the peril. … During the
meetings, science and politics will converge as climate experts work with
diplomats to finalize the wording of the panel's report, the first of four
major documents on global warming it is scheduled to release this year.
This week's meetings are not addressing how to tackle global warming. That
will be the subject of one of the panel's other reports later this year.
…” [The Associated Press/Factiva]
In related news, The FT reports that “Plans for an emergency summit of
world leaders to break the international impasse on cutting greenhouse
gases are being discussed by Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General. At the
summit, mooted for September, heads of state would discuss the possibility
of a successor to the Kyoto protocol on climate change, the main
provisions of which expire in 2012. Ban will fly to Nairobi on Tuesday to
discuss plans for the summit, which are at an early stage, with officials
from the UN Environment Program, the body charged with tackling climate
change. It would be among the first important commitments made by Ban
since he replaced Kofi Annan on January 1. …” [The Financial Times (UK)]
Elsewhere, “British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mexican President Felipe
Calderon on Monday called for tough, urgent action from the international
community on global warming. The pair vowed to work together to tackle
climate change in a joint statement following a meeting at Blair's Downing
Street office. … ‘Mexico has decided to strengthen its carbon fund with
additional human and financial resources to scale up its efforts to reduce
carbon emissions of greenhouse gases in all those areas. This scheme is an
example of how an emerging economy can play an active role in contributing
to solve a global problem,’ Blair and Calderon said in the text. The two
leaders promised to work together to meet challenges posed by
globalization, including through ongoing dialogue on the reform of
international economic institutions. …” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]
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U of Guelph Prof to Present Climate Change Report in England
Maybe he should have presented to the opening of 2007 Canadian Parlimentry Session.
Economics professor Ross McKitrick is part of a team of international scientists who will be presenting an independent summary of the latest United Nations report on climate change Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. in London, England. Other presenters include Andrei Illarionov, former advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and environmentalist David Bellamy.
The Independent Summary for Policymakers (ISPM) is a detailed overview of the 2007 UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report prepared by the Fraser Institute, of which McKitrick is a senior fellow. ISPM clearly lays out the state of current climate change knowledge.
McKitrick is also featured in stories from Saturday’s and January 29's Globe and Mail on climate change.
A faculty member at Guelph since 1996, McKitrick is the co-author of Taken By Storm: The Troubled Science, Policy and Politics of Global Warming. He specializes in the economics of environmental policy and has been studying climate change and related policy issues for about 15 years.
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Tree Canada appoints Michael Rosen as President; Chair of Board André Juneau and Vice-Chair Dorothy Dobbie also appointed
Ottawa - On January 29, 2007 Tree Canada announced Michael Rosen as its new President. The Board of Directors appointed Mr. André Juneau Chair (Cap-Rouge, Quebec) and Mrs. Dorothy Dobbie (Winnipeg, Manitoba) as the new Vice-Chair.
Since 2002, Mr. Rosen (a resident of Cantley, Québec, near Ottawa) has been Tree Canada Vice-President, responsible for project implementation and communications, including the carbon neutral programs under Grow Clean Air. He has helped direct Tree Canada's other programs including: Green Streets Canada, Operation ReLeaf, and Greening Canada's School Grounds.
Last month, following the devastating storms in British Columbia, Mr. Rosen launched B.C. Coast ReLeaf, an appeal to citizens and corporations to donate to re-planting Stanley Park. In just a few short weeks, the program has raised nearly $40,000 (for a list of previous and current ReLeaf programs across Canada, see www.treecanada.ca).
Mr. Rosen said his appointment comes at a time when Tree Canada has an opportunity to make an impact by expanding a number of important programs.
"I am honoured with the Board's decision and look forward to building upon the successful tenure of our Past President, Jeff Monty," said Rosen. "As the New Year unfolds for Tree Canada and its supporters, it is my sincere hope that all Canadians will work with us to establish a vibrant and healthy urban forest network."
At its last board meeting, the positions of Chair André Juneau and Vice-Chair Dorothy Dobbie were confirmed. Mr Juneau is the President of the National Battlefields Commission, a past Mayor of Cap-Rouge, Québec and a former employee of the Canadian Forest Service. Ms. Dobbie is the publisher of Pegasus Publications Inc. She is a well recognized Winnipeg businesswoman and a former Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South.
Mr. Juneau stated his delight at being named the new Chair of Tree Canada and suggested that existing co-operative partnerships were key to the future success of the organization. "In my role as Tree Canada Chair, it is vital that we do everything to assist our partners, public and private, community or municipal, understand the role of Tree Canada in promoting and improving our urban forests." Mr. Juneau added, "We encourage the Federal Government and the private sector to continue to work with us in implementing our programs such as Grow Clean Air for the benefit of all Canadians - coast to coast to coast."
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US SENATOR MCCAIN AND BRIT BLAIR SOUND NOTES OF OPTIMISM
Davos, Switzerland – US senator and possible presidential candidate John McCain told the closing session of the World Economic Forum that he expects the US congress to take action on climate change very soon, and the Bush administration to follow suit. “I admit that it is very late, and it may not be enough,” McCain said, “but I think that for the first time you are going to see some action on this compelling issue.”
Referring to an earlier question by a reporter suggesting that a failure in American leadership is now a given, McCain said that he could understand the frustrations expressed at Davos and other world meetings, but that the US also feels frustration at the international community’s failure to act on issues such as Iran, North Korea, Burma and others. Despite current world problems, McCain said he is still optimistic. “I still believe America’s best days are ahead of us,” he told participants in Davos.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair also sounded an optimistic note in his closing remarks. Blair said that the three key issues dominating the Annual Meeting in Davos – world trade, climate change and Africa – still hang in the balance, but he added that there had been progress on each that would have seemed unimaginable even a short time back. “What is really happening,” Blair told the participants, “is that nations – even the most great – are realizing that they cannot pursue their narrow national interests without invoking broader global values.” Blair expressed cautious optimism about the World Trade Organization negotiations after discussions in the last few days with US President Bush, Brazil’s President Lula and Germany’s Chancellor Merkel. On climate change, Blair described the new American attitude a “quantum shift.”
In two radical suggestions, Blair also recommended merging the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and dramatically expanding the UN Security Council. “A UN Security Council without Germany, Japan, Brazil or India, to say nothing of any African or Muslim nation,” he said, “will, in time, not merely lose legitimacy in the eyes of the world, but seriously inhibit effective action.”
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Environment and global warming top issues, Canadians say
Quebecers most willing to take drastic measures to limit greenhouse-gas emissions
TORONTO - Among all the issues facing the world today, Canadians are most concerned about the environment and global warming -mentioned by one-third of the population as top issues - far ahead of war (8%), turmoil in Iraq and the Middle East (6%), conflict in Afghanistan (5%) and poverty (5%), according to a new survey by TNS Canadian Facts.
The survey found that two-thirds of Canadians are more concerned about
global warming now than they were a year ago. This sentiment strengthens the
further back in time Canadians assess their views on the issue, with nearly
eight in ten saying they are more alarmed about global warming today compared
to three years ago.
"Ravaging storms in British Columbia, December's unseasonal temperatures,
and increased media attention on climate change have Canadians talking about
global warming and demanding action," said Richard Jenkins, vice-president of
TNS Canadian Facts.
In fact, Canadians have noticed increased coverage of global warming in
the media, with more than 80 per cent saying they have been hearing more about
it in the news recently compared to a year ago. The survey also found that the
environment and global warming are top concerns among all Canadians, even
among those who would vote Conservative if a Federal election were held today.
"Canadians of all political stripes are looking to the federal government
to provide a leadership role, and the political agenda turning green these
past two weeks is a reflection of that, but an important question is 'are
Canadians willing to change their behaviour?'" asked Jenkins.
"The results of our study suggest that a majority of Canadians are
willing to make some simple changes in their daily lifestyle to limit
greenhouse-gas emissions, but they are less prepared to take drastic action,"
he added.
The top three actions that Canadians are most likely to take to help the
environment are recycling (87% probably or definitely will), purchasing
appliances that are energy efficient (71%), and replacing traditional light
bulbs with environmentally-friendly ones (66%).
Activities that would reduce harmful emissions to produce energy - and
lower household utility bills - are also high on the list of steps that
Canadians say they are willing to take. These activities include turning down
the heat in the winter, using less air conditioning in the summer, and washing
clothing only in cold water.
Canadians are not as willing, though, to change their driving habits.
Taking public transit more often is an action that one-third of the population
say they definitely would not or probably would not do.
"Despite the popular myth that B.C. is the greenest province, Quebecers
actually appear most willing among Canadians to make lifestyle changes. They
are more willing to reduce emissions from cars by walking, riding bicycles,
taking public transportation and carpooling more often," said Jenkins.
"And Quebecers are more prepared to take drastic measures, like
installing solar panels to heat and cool their homes, buying hybrid vehicles,
and spending 10 per cent more on products that have less of an impact on the
environment."
Despite the attempts of some to suggest that global warming is merely a
theory, Canadians aren't buying it, as more than eight in 10 interviewed in
the survey are convinced that global warming has been scientifically proven.
The poll also found that an equally high proportion of Canadians are hopeful
that global warming can be slowed.
For the survey, TNS Canadian Facts interviewed 1,009 nationally
representative Canadian adults by telephone between January 17 and 21. The
survey results are considered accurate to 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out
of 20.
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Members vote to merge Canada's forest sector research institutes
POINTE-CLAIRE, QC - Don Banks, Chairman of the Board of FERIC, Phil Latos, Chairman of the Board of Forintek, and Frank Dottori, Chairman of the Board of Paprican, are pleased to announce that the Boards and Member Companies of the three research institutes have voted in favour of a merger of the institutes effective 1 April 2007. The new Single Institute will be named FPInnovations.
The vote, held on 25 January, 2007, follows a previous vote by the
members of each institute in June 2006 to explore the creation of a new
structure to spearhead the activities of the three institutes. In September
2006, Dr. Ian de la Roche was named as President and CEO of the new structure.
During the intervening period, due diligence was successfully completed and
presented to the Boards and Member Companies which led to the positive vote in
January of this year.
"The process leading to today's favourable vote has given both the
members and the management teams of each institute the time necessary to
consider the opportunities and challenges that such a merger inevitably
presents," said Mr. Banks. "Under the strong leadership of Dr. de la Roche,
the new institute will now become a reality and will provide the Canadian
forest industry with one of the world's largest forest sector research
institutes."
"With this vote, the members of the three institutes are sending a clear
message that the Canadian forest industry is preparing to face global
competition and the economic and environmental challenges currently
presented," said Mr. Latos. "The importance of the industry in today's economy
is clear as it provides nearly 900,000 direct and indirect jobs across Canada.
By equipping the industry with a research institute of global significance, it
will be better positioned to compete on an international scale."
"In addition to spearheading the activities of FERIC, Forintek and
Paprican, FPInnovations will also provide technical direction for the Canadian
Forest Service's newly created Fibre Centre. This means that researchers along
the entire value chain will be better positioned to support industry in
developing the next generation of value-added products," said Mr. Dottori.
"Understanding the unique qualities of Canadian forests and determining how to
maximize the value of that resource is key to the industry's future success.
FPInnovations will play a significant role in assisting industry with this
challenge."
FERIC, the Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada, is a
non-profit research institute that develops and helps implement innovative and
safe forest operational solutions that provide members with long-term
competitive advantage, add value to their fibre supply and support sustainable
forest practices. FERIC specializes in areas of research related to the
harvesting of wood, transportation and forest road construction, silviculture,
and wildland fire operations. The Institute's research program is developed
with the guidance of regional advisory committees that include representatives
of all members and partners.
Forintek Canada Corp. is Canada's national wood products research
institute. Its mission is to develop scientific and technical knowledge,
application and solutions that will enhance the ongoing competitiveness of its
members and the Canadian wood products sector. Based on priorities set by its
industry and government members, it delivers technological solutions in such
areas as lumber, panels, and other value-added wood products manufacturing
processes or attributes, drying and protection, building systems, etc.
Forintek also conducts market and economic studies, and plays a key role in
the development of building codes and standards, both nationally and
internationally.
Paprican, the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada, is a leading
not-for-profit research and technology institute that provides valuable
technology transfer and cost-competitive research addressing both the
short-term and strategic needs of its Members. Its research programs are
driven by the high-priority technical issues of the industry such as product
quality and value, cost competitiveness, environment and sustainability.
Internationally recognized for excellence, Paprican operates laboratories in
Quebec and British Columbia, and is well positioned to offer services to the
global pulp and paper industry.
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CLIMATE SPECIALISTS URGE AID FOR INDIA AND CHINA
Davos, Switzerland – On January 25, 2007 China and India reaffirmed their support for steps to reduce the effects of climate change, while a leading insurance executive urged transfer of clean-energy technologies to the world’s two major emerging economies.
At a special session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2007, China’s Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice-Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, stressed that his country intends to follow the Kyoto Protocol, and urged speeding up negotiations and establishing concrete emission targets. While China intends to try to keep its emissions low, Zhang said, cement and steel production in China is highly energy intensive, and only around half as efficient as technologies used in the west. To meet its targets, Zhang said, China would need help from the industrialized world.
Montek S. Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, reported that India is increasingly turning to nuclear power to cut its emissions, and that India’s strategy is similar to that of China. But India also expects to suffer from the effects of global warming, he said. “It’s clear that business as usual is not going to work,” Ahluwalia declared. His formula: “We should work within the existing system and build on it.”
Jacques Aigrain, Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Re, noted that investments to control climate change are considerably less than the cost of risk-adjusted consequences. “Waiting and seeing because one element or another is not certain is not a valid answer,” said Aigrain. “No shareholders would tolerate this in business. Why should the people tolerate it from us?”
Aigrain stressed that it is essential to transfer clean-energy solutions to both India and China. They need to use coal, so they need access to clean coal-based energy technologies. Market solutions will prevail, Aigrain said, and he encouraged politicians not to hide behind global agreements. “Global agreements are the best way to get nowhere,” he said. “It’s true in business and even more true in international politics. Let’s take concrete steps, like the ones in California.”
California has voted to reduce its emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, representing roughly 174 million tonnes of carbon reduction, reported Fabian Núñez, Speaker of the California State Assembly.
Steve Chu, Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, reported that the snow pack in California’s Sierra mountains has decreased 30% to 90%. “That is our water supply,” Chu pointed out. ”Even a decrease of 20% leads to severe water shortages in California. A decrease of 50% means that our agriculture will be gone, and beyond that we cut into our drinking water.” Chu added that rising sea levels are now at the upper range of what was predicted five or ten years ago. Science has to come forward with new solutions to climate change, ranging from renewable fuels to carbon sequestration, he declared.
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Latest Call for Clean Technology Funding Applications Announced by Sustainable Development Technology Canada
OTTAWA - Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a Government of Canada foundation that finances and supports the development and demonstration of clean technologies, on January 24, 2007 announced it is accepting Statements of Interest (SOI) for its eleventh round of funding. The closing date for submissions is March 14, 2007.
SDTC encourages the submission of technology solutions designed to
improve sustainability for all Canadian economic sectors including energy
exploration and production, power generation, energy utilization,
transportation, agriculture, forestry, and waste management. SDTC actively
seeks applications for technology innovations that deliver clean water, clean
soil, clean air, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Technologies
that are designed to deal with more than one of these environmental issues
simultaneously are encouraged.
SDTC also recently released the second in a series of SD Business Case
Reports(TM) which identify priority investment areas in biofuels, hydrogen and
cleaner conventional fuels. The SD Business Case Reports represent only some
of SDTC's areas of interest. Applicants are invited to submit technological
solutions in all areas of sustainable development. To read the reports please
go to www.sdtc.ca/en/knowledge/business_case.htm.
To date, SDTC has allocated $241 million to 109 clean technology
projects. An additional $617 million has been leveraged from project consortia
members, for a total portfolio value of $858 million. In recent years the
venture capital market has increased its participation in this leveraged
funding.
"Venture capitalists are paying close attention to the clean tech market,
and companies that go through SDTC's due-diligence and funding process are
viewed as being well prepared to secure VC funding," said Vicky J. Sharpe,
President and CEO, SDTC. "In the first two quarters of 2006, 49 per cent of
venture capital funding in Canada's clean energy sector went to SDTC funded
companies."
The SOI is used for preliminary screening and is subject to a competitive
review process by SDTC and a panel of independent experts. The applications
are evaluated on the basis of fit with SDTC's mandate, adherence to selection
criteria, and to ensure they include necessary technology, marketing, and
business capabilities.
Applicants presenting the most compelling technology projects will be
invited back to submit a detailed, full proposal for consideration toward
funding.
Applications for funding may be made through the online SOI application
system, at http://www.sdtc.ca/en/funding/advice/soi_application.htm. Prior to
submitting an application, applicants are advised to read "Applications
Advice" at: http://www.sdtc.ca/en/funding/advice/index.htm
SDTC holds two rounds of funding each year, beginning with SOIs in
January and August. The next call for SOIs will open August 22, 2007.
About SDTC
Sustainable Development Technology Canada is a foundation created by the
Government of Canada that operates a $550 million fund, leveraged 2-3 times by
project partners, to support the development and demonstration of clean
technologies - solutions that address issues of clean air, greenhouse gases,
clean water, and clean soil to deliver environmental, economic and health
benefits to Canadians.
An arm's length, not-for-profit corporation, SDTC fills the void in the
innovation chain between research and commercialization - helping clean
technology developers move through the development and demonstration phases,
in preparation for commercialization.
SDTC encourages collaboration among private, financial, academic, public
sector partners and with all levels of government to build a sustainable
development infrastructure in Canada.
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Climate And Word Trade At The Heart Of Debates At Davos Forum
“‘Shaping the Global Agenda: The Shifting Power Equation.’ Such is the
theme chosen this year at the World Economic Forum (WEF) which opens
Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland and which lasts for five days.
The 2,400 participants from 90 countries, including 24 governmental heads
of state and 85 ministers, will debate climate change, but also questions
linked to the holdup in World Trade Organization (WTO) talks, without
forgetting other great risks weighing upon the world economy. In addition,
they will discuss subjects of a more diplomatic dimension, such as the
situation in the Middle East. …” [Les Echos (France)/Factiva]
“… German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently holding both the
chair of the Group of Eight group of top industrialized nations and the
presidency of the EU, is expected to outline her international agenda.
Most of the sessions, however, cater to the needs of company bosses, who
will tackle topics like activist investment funds, the recent commodities
boom and the rise of new internet technologies. Among the business leaders
at this year's WEF will be the bosses of more than 70 of the world's 100
largest companies. They will be joined by technology pioneers, social
entrepreneurs running not-for-profit companies, and campaigners from
organizations like Greenpeace, Oxfam and Islamic Relief. …” [BBC News
Online]
“… Meanwhile British Prime Minister Tony Blair was preparing to raise the
issue of climate change and aid to Africa later in the Forum's meeting,
which is due to end on Sunday. Blair is due to line up alongside pop icon
Bono, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Microsoft billionaire Bill
Gates and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to press home a message
about ‘delivering on the promise of Africa’ on Friday. …” [Agence France
Presse/Factiva]
“… The one issue on which progress is possible at Davos - trade - will be
discussed behind closed doors. More than 30 trade and agricultural
ministers are expected, including the US trade representative, Susan C.
Schwab, and the chief European negotiator, Peter Mandelson. On Saturday,
the ministers will gather to try to revive the stalled Doha round of
global trade negotiations. After reports of a renewed focus on reaching a
deal in the US and Europe, there is cautious optimism that Doha could get
a breath of new life in Davos. …” [The New York Times/Factiva]
“France Tuesday damped rising hopes that global trade talks could be
restarted when ministers gather at Davos this weekend. Christine Lagarde,
French trade minister, said no breakthrough should be expected in the Doha
round of trade talks, despite WTO head Pascal Lamy's comment Tuesday that
full-scale activity’ might begin after the meeting of the WEF. …” [The
Financial Times (UK)]
“… The meeting is also to focus on securing global energy supplies,
including the development of more alternative fuels, particularly in light
of oil prices that surged in 2006 before settling in recent weeks, supply
disruptions from Russia and attacks on oil pipelines in Iraq and Nigeria.
…” [The Associated Press/Factiva]
The International Herald Tribune notes that “… An increasingly global
world has exacerbated the need for multilateral action, but it has also
shaken the very foundations of the multilateral system: Authority is
leaking away from international institutions and from the Western powers
that have traditionally led them, leaving the world short on leadership at
a time when it is increasingly vulnerable to catastrophic shocks. … But
beyond each individual problem, said officials and executives in Davos …
looms perhaps the greatest challenge: How to engineer collective action in
a world where America is too weak to dominate but too strong to be
disregarded; where old and new powers compete for influence and resources;
and where a technological revolution has empowered ordinary citizens and
those who want to influence them. One by one, the state-based institutions
created in the wake of two world wars have seen their influence recede as
the rise of powers like China, India and Brazil shift the economic balance
and resource-rich countries like Iran and Russia flex their muscles. …”
[The International Herald Tribune]
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Springtime for ethanol
By Alexei Barrionuevo
WASHINGTON — The Renewable Fuels Association, the ethanol industry’s major lobbyist, works out of cramped offices that it shares with a lawyer near Capitol Hill.
Pictures of ethanol plants from its 61 board members hang everywhere. “We’re about to run out of wall space,” said Bob Dinneen, the association’s president.
The association may only have six staff members but it is now bursting with energy, a far cry from the early days when its founder, a South Dakota farm boy who was convinced America needed to break the stranglehold of foreign oil, quit in frustration after four years.
After three decades of surviving mostly on tax subsidies, the industry is poised tonight to get its biggest endorsement from on high that it has a long-term future as a home-grown alternative to gasoline.
In his State of the Union address, President Bush is expected to call for a huge increase in the amount of ethanol that refiners mix with gasoline, probably double the current goal of 7.5 billion gallons by 2012.
While the details of the proposal are not known, 15 billion gallons of ethanol would work out to more than 10 percent of the country’s current gasoline consumption, and is far beyond the current capacity of about 5.4 billion gallons.
At least half of the new ethanol would come from corn, signaling the administration’s support to the Midwest farm states that have benefited the most from the recent ethanol boom.
For an industry once dominated by the will of a single powerful producer, Archer Daniels Midland, ethanol has come a long way, joining the oil industry and producers of major agricultural commodities as an entrenched political force in Washington. And it now enjoys a powerful role in presidential politics because of Iowa’s status as one of the first states to select delegates to the parties’ nominating conventions.
But with dozens of new ethanol plants coming online this year, the ethanol lobby is facing a critical point. The political reality is that corn’s days as the chief crop for making the fuel may be numbered.
Corn-based ethanol can only marginally reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. But it does little, if anything, to improve energy efficiency, and the mounting concern of some politicians is that relying on corn is leading to collateral damage in other parts of the agricultural economy and threatening the nation’s status as the leading corn exporter. The big increase in the works may mean consumers would end up paying more at the supermarket.
So the ethanol lobby and its political supporters now face the challenge of trying to maintain the momentum of ethanol’s feel-good story before the potential negative consequences of the rapid ramp-up become all too apparent.
Clutching the reins these last five years is Mr. Dinneen, a longtime Washington lobbyist who joined the association in 1988. He recalled his early years there as a pitched war with the oil industry. “I would wake up in the morning and try to think of a way to vilify the oil guys,” he said.
Today, to keep the ethanol train moving, ethanol makers are cozying up to the oil industry, forming political alliances and enlisting executives from companies like Chevron as they race to make a quicker transition to cellulosic ethanol made from nonfood crops, like switchgrass.
Otherwise, public support could turn against the fuel, which yields a third less energy than petroleum-based gasoline and still relies on a federal subsidy of 51 cents a gallon to remain competitive.
“We are no longer debating whether this makes sense, if this public policy should be pursued,” Mr. Dinneen said. “The discourse now is how much ethanol can we produce, how quickly can we produce it and what is the pathway for greater production of domestic renewables.”
That pathway, at the moment, relies on commercializing cellulosic ethanol made from crops like switchgrass or wood chips, which today is twice as expensive to produce as ethanol made from corn.
Some analysts, though, believe that politics has already trumped economics. “Once we have a corn-based technology up and running the political system will protect it,” said Lawrence J. Goldstein, a board member at the Energy Policy Research Foundation. “We cannot afford to have 15 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol in 2015, and that’s exactly where we are headed.”
Mr. Goldstein said that rather than speed up the process of producing more ethanol, Congress should “step back and reflect on the damage we have already done.”
By contrast, ethanol advocates in Congress are pushing to accelerate research into cellulosic sources with the stated goal of speeding the timetable for when corn can be supplemented — or supplanted — as the chief ethanol crop.
“We need additional funds for transitioning to making more energy crops for our national security,” Senator Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat and the new chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in an interview earlier this month.”
The agriculture secretary, Mike Johanns, said there will be an “adjustment period“ for ethanol that will last a few years. But he is confident that more corn will emerge to ease the pain of higher grain prices, as seed companies improve yields and farmers shift their acreage from other crops. “When you look at the whole constellation of issues, and advancements that are out there, it is a very encouraging time for agriculture,” Mr. Johanns said in an interview.
The race to crack the code to produce cellulosic ethanol more efficiently has attracted dozens of researchers, venture capitalists and even the interest of major oil companies like BP and Chevron. Vinod Khosla, a major venture capitalist who has poured money into seven different start-up companies, has been pushing Washington lawmakers to set more aggressive targets to ensure that the demand for corn moves beyond corn. “If I am going to take the risk, the market has to be big,” Mr. Khosla said.
The Renewable Fuels Association is trying to balance the competing concerns. The organization was not always interested in rapid expansion, particularly if that meant allowing competition for A.D.M. from sources like Brazilian sugar. David Hallberg, the association’s founding president, said he left after four years in the job partly because he grew tired of disputes with A.D.M. executives over the future direction of the industry.
“I thought my job was to grow the industry to be as large as it could be,“ said Mr. Hallberg, who denied he was forced out. “That isn’t what our bigger members always wanted.”
By the time Mr. Hallberg left the organization in 1985, oil prices had plummeted to $9 a barrel, making ethanol uneconomic as a fuel. The industry turned its efforts toward selling ethanol as an oxygen enhancer for gasoline that could lift octane and reduce carbon monoxide.
With the influence of Dwayne O. Andreas, A.D.M.’s longtime chief executive and now chairman emeritus, Congress passed the federal excise tax in 1978 that gave ethanol its primary subsidy, a credit worth 51 cents per gallon of ethanol, or $21 per barrel of oil. Mr. Andreas had powerful friends in Congress, including Senator Robert J. Dole, a Republican from Kansas who rose to majority leader and who pushed consistently over the years to retain the ethanol subsidy.
In those early days the influence of Mr. Andreas and A.D.M.’s generous contributions to both Republicans and Democrats kept ethanol alive. The company also held greater sway within the organization because of its great weight as an ethanol producer. Even today, at around 25 percent of total ethanol capacity, A.D.M. remains the largest maker.
At first, the ethanol producers had few allies. The National Corn Growers Association was agnostic about ethanol at best, and the American Farm Bureau opposed ethanol, worrying that it could raise the price of livestock feed and cut into exports, Mr. Hallberg said.
That began to change in the late 1980s when the groups began to work together to supply ethanol to some 30 cities as a gasoline additive in the winter months. Those months were also when A.D.M.’s wet mill corn processing plants made more ethanol.
While the ethanol and corn forces preferred their wintertime plan, they later threw their support behind a federal proposal to implement a reformulated gasoline with an “oxygenate” — either ethanol or methyl tertiary-butyl ether — in nine of the country’s smoggiest cities. The program took effect in 1995.
Ethanol’s big breakthrough came over the battle to ban M.T.B.E. After gasoline spills in California revealed that M.T.B.E. could corrode groundwater, the Renewable Fuels Association and the corn growers were among those pushing ethanol as an environmentally safer alternative.
California banned M.T.B.E. in 1999 and requested a waiver from the federal oxygenate standard, arguing it could make a cleaner-burning gasoline without ethanol. President Bush rejected the waiver, spurring an ethanol construction miniboom.
In 2001, Mr. Dinneen took over as president, focused on reaching détente with the oil industry. To win approval for the renewable fuels standard, he eventually cobbled together an unlikely coalition of consumer groups, the American Petroleum Institute and environmentalists like the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The fuel standard Congress approved in 2005, which called for a ramp-up of ethanol use to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012, ended up lighting a fire under the industry. When oil prices shot over $50 a barrel, ethanol became profitable, and then President Bush set off an industry building boom when he said last January that “America is addicted to oil.”
It helped that the mix of ethanol’s advocates had been changing. About a decade ago farmers began investing in ethanol plants; today more than half of the 110 ethanol plants in production are at least partly owned by farmers. The ownership by farmers brought home the rural benefits of the ethanol industry more directly.
The association’s expanding board, which is 10 times the size it was some 20 years ago, has also become more diverse and less beholden to the business agendas of its biggest members.
As ethanol expands, Mr. Dinneen dismissed the concerns of some economists that its explosive growth could threaten exports and livestock prices, and that a potential investment bubble could burst before cellulosic ethanol has a chance to hit the market.
“I don’t get all that worried that we are building too fast,” he said. “I am not bright enough or foolish enough to try to control the market.”
Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
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US Chief Executives Urge Bush To Tackle Global Warming
“Some of corporate America's largest companies, including Alcoa, General
Electric and DuPont, urged US President George W. Bush and Congress on
Monday to act swiftly to tackle global warming.
The chief executives of nine US corporations, who formed the United
States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), displayed a united front as
they called on Bush to support mandatory caps on businesses' greenhouse
gas emissions. ‘It's time for the nation's political leaders to come
together and act,’ Duke Energy chief executive Jim Rogers told reporters
at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington. GE chief
executive Jeffrey Immelt also called for action to cut greenhouse gases,
which many scientists blame for global warming, saying: ‘We should have
goals that are visible.’ The corporate chieftains issued their call to
arms a day before the US president makes his annual State of the Union
speech. Some pundits believe Bush may address climate change in his
remarks. …” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]
“… ‘We can and must take prompt action to establish a coordinated,
economy-wide market-driven approach to climate protection,’ the executives
said in a letter to President Bush. They have formed a group - the USCAP -
which they intend to use to push for mandatory caps on greenhouse gases to
cut them by more than 60 percent by 2050. …” [BBC News Online]
“… The executives, representing major utilities, aluminum and chemical
companies and financial institutions, said the cornerstone of climate
policy should be an economy-wide emissions cap-and-trade system. Members
of the group include chief executives of Alcoa Inc., BP America Inc.,
DuPont Co., Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar Inc., General Electric Co., and
Duke Energy Corp. At a news conference, the executives said that mandatory
reductions of heat-trapping emissions can be imposed without economic harm
and would lead to economic opportunities if done across the economy and
with provisions to mitigate costs. Many of the companies already have
voluntarily moved to curb greenhouse emissions, they said. But the
executives also said they do not believe voluntary efforts will suffice.
…” [The Associated Press/Factiva]
“… Both GE and BP Plc, parent of BP America, are at the forefront of a new
breed of companies that want to be big players in a new clean, or low
carbon, economy fashioned by concerns over climate change…”
[Reuters/Factiva]
The Financial Times notes that “… In his past five State of the Union
speeches, Bush made no reference to global warming. [Tuesday] night he
will make an explicit link between the demands of energy security and the
environment, says Tony Snow, White House spokesman. ‘Energy and
environmental policy are linked, for the simple reason that the president
has talked about getting rid of an addiction to oil, and looking for
alternative sources of energy which do not contribute to greenhouse gases
or global warming.’ The fact that Bush is even talking about his actions
on climate change, and will set out how his own policy helps address it,
marks a profound departure from the past. Yet there remain doubts about
whether the White House is willing to embrace more radical energy
efficiency initiatives, or abandon its policy of the first six years of
seeking to expand the supply of domestic oil. …” [The Financial Times
(UK)]
In related news, “Dozens of lawmakers from around the world will use a
meeting next month in Washington to sound out each other on ways to combat
global climate change. … The February 14-15 meeting of about 80 senior
world legislators, Elliot Morley, a British member of parliament said,
will offer a forum to test ideas about climate change policy without the
pressure of arriving at a binding agreement. … The meeting will feature
Democratic US Senators Joseph Biden, Jeff Bingaman and Barbara Boxer;
Republican Senators Larry Craig and John McCain; and independent Senator.
Joe Lieberman; Japanese National Security Adviser Yuriko Koike; British
Environment Secretary David Miliband; and Indian Parliament Member Rahul
Gandhi. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to appear by video.
…” [The Associated Press/Factiva]
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that “Slowing climate change by cutting Western
living standards and energy consumption must be supplemented by the use of
science to find new energy sources, one of the world's best-known
economists said on Monday. Jeffrey Sachs, special adviser to the UN on the
Millennium Development Goals, said the belief by many environmentalists
that the solution to solving climate change by solely slashing energy
consumption of rich nations was inaccurate. ‘If we go down the road of
saying that the solution to the problem is the drastic cut on the living
standards of the rich countries, we will not reach a solution ... nor will
we be analytically accurate in what we are doing,’ said Sachs. ‘What we
are looking for are technological changes so that we can all continue to
have increased living standards with the poor countries closing the gap
with the rich countries,’ Sachs told a conference on sustainable
development in New Delhi. …” [Reuters/Factiva]
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Government's environmental deluge all about image, says Green Party leader
VANCOUVER- Green Party leader Elizabeth May said today that the federal government's recent deluge of climate change announcements shows that it is coming to grips with its image crisis but is no closer to understanding the climate crisis.
"In the absence of firm targets for emissions reductions that reflect a
real commitment to meeting our Kyoto obligations, this is just public
relations," said Ms. May.
She was referring to three recent events where the government announced:
$230 million over four years for research on clean energy technologies;
$1.5 billion over 10 years to clean up conventional energy sources and develop
renewable energy technology; and $220 million over four years to encourage
energy-efficient renovations of homes and small businesses.
"We applaud recycling," said Ms. May, "but reviving watered-down Liberal
programs the government killed in last year's Budget is no substitute for a
genuine effort to meet our legally binding obligations under the Kyoto
Protocol."
May called on the government to reinstate the cancelled EnerGuide for
Homes program, with subsidized home energy audits by certified professionals
and increased rebates to home-owners once retrofits have been completed and
verified. The EnerGuide for Low Income Households initiative, which pays the
full cost of energy-saving home retrofits for low-income earners, should also
be restored.
The Green Party says Canada can meet its Kyoto targets with a combination
of ecological fiscal reform, removing perverse energy subsidies such as the
$1.3 billion a year going to tar sands development, expanding renewable energy
programs, regulating to improve vehicle fuel economy and energy efficiency in
large appliances and working with the provinces and territories to improve
energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings.
The party's climate change critic, Guy Dauncey, said the targets of
recently announced government initiatives, such as the renewable energy
programs, were too limited to have a significant impact on Canada's greenhouse
gas emissions.
"The European Union's goal is that 20 percent of its energy should come
from renewable sources by 2020," said Dauncey, "and here we have Canada aiming
for 3.4% of our electricity from new renewables by 2017.
"Even by this government's standards, that's setting the bar very low."
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Architects call on Federal Government to stop sending mixed messages and get serious on the environment
OTTAWA - The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada pointed out today that while with great fanfare the Federal Government publicly issues announcements about funding energy efficiency, it quietly cuts programs.
As evidence RAIC points to the recent announcement on the Natural
Resources Canada web site indicating that all funding for the Commercial
Building Incentive Program (CBIP) for New Buildings is now fully subscribed.
The notice was posted January 21 2007.
"A radical statement so early in the year. Even more stunning considering
recent announcements," said RAIC President Vivian Manasc, FRAIC. "Canada's
Architects are disappointed. The built environment accounts for almost half of
all greenhouse gas emissions. Considering that Architects across Canada have
between $40 to $50 billion worth of projects 'on the Boards', and that
buildings last for 50 to 100 years, the Government's lack of real commitment
is appalling. We think it is time they got serious and raised rather than
eliminated incentives to increasing energy efficiency."
The RAIC is commited to reducing greenhouse gases and in November 2006
became part of the 2030 Challenge, a global initiative officially which calls
for all new buildings and major renovations to reduce their fossil-fuel
greenhouse gas-emitting energy consumption by 50 per cent immediately,
increasing this reduction to 60 per cent in 2010, 70 per cent in 2015,
80 per cent in 2020, 90 per cent in 2025, and finally, that all new buildings
be carbon neutral by 2030.
"That would mean that by 2030 the construction and operation of buildings
will no longer require the consumption of fossil fuel energy or emit
greenhouse gases," says Manasc.
Architects know that buildings can be designed to operate with far less
energy than today's average - at little or no additional cost. This can be
accomplished through proper siting, building form, glass properties and window
location, material selection and by incorporating natural heating, cooling and
ventilation and day-lighting strategies.
The RAIC is in good company joining the American Institute of Architects,
the US Green Building Council, the US Conference of Mayors, and American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers in supporting
this urgent mandate for a carbon neutral built-environment by 2030.
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CLIMATE CHANGE HIGH ON THE AGENDA AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING IN DAVOS
Shift in business attitude reflected in programme
Davos, Switzerland, – With 17 sessions on climate change at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting this will be one of the "greenest" ever at Davos. The Meeting, which began January 23, 2007, will be held under the theme ‘The Shifting Power Equation’ and sees more than 2,400 global leaders, among them more than 800 CEOs, meeting for five days in the Swiss Alpine town. Among the sessions on environmental issues taking place at the Meeting are: The Legal Landscape around Climate Change; Make Green Pay; The Security Implications of Climate Change; Economics of Climate Change; culminating with a plenary session entitled ‘Climate Change: A Call to Action’. Among the panellists for that session are Republican presidential frontrunner John McCain, Senator from Arizona, USA; Lord Browne of Madingley, Group Chief Executive of BP; Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice-Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China; and Montek Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission.
For each of the 17 climate change sessions, the Forum has worked to gather together the world’s top academics, business leaders, NGO representatives, UN agency chiefs, politicians and many others to contribute to the discussion and help explore where high impact partnerships can be struck and how practical changes can be effected. Broadly, the sessions fall into four categories: policy, legislative and governance challenges; market and financing challenges; the challenge of leadership and the need for behavioural change; and the development and uptake of innovation. CNBC and BBC are also televising live debates on climate change from the Meeting.
Dominic Waughray, Head of Environmental Initiatives at the Forum, says “We are getting huge demand from our members to place climate change and issues of environmental security at the very heart of the programme of the World Economic Forum. The Forum has already been instrumental in getting business voices heard at the very centre of global decision-making on climate change but the programme at this year’s Annual Meeting shows just how crucial business leaders believe these issues are and just how serious they are in finding real solutions in partnership with governments and leading NGOs. The companies represented at the Annual Meeting have a combined turnover of about US$ 10 trillion – nearly a quarter of global GDP – so catalysing their deeper engagement in this issue can only be a good thing for all of us.”
Moreover, the concern of leaders gathering at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is backed up by a poll of participants from the Meeting. The poll carried out by Gallup International shows that a remarkable change has occurred: the doubling of those who rank environmental protection as a priority for world leaders. Warnings of the effects of climate change appear to be hitting home with protecting the environment being a concern that one in five respondents (20%) think leaders should concentrate on (see Figure 3) – a considerable increase from last year’s survey, when only 9% rated this as a priority.
Participants also have the opportunity to offset their carbon emissions during their participation in the Meeting through an engagement with the Forum’s own climate change awareness-raising and offsetting programme, the Davos Climate Alliance (www.davosclimatealliance.org).
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Making Canada a "Clean" Energy Superpower
OTTAWA - Canada's self-declared billing as a global energy superpower is missing one word-"clean"-according to Mission Possible: A Canadian Resources Strategy for the Boom and Beyond.
Released January 22, 2007 by The Conference Board of Canada, this final report of a
three-year research program-The Canada Project-is perhaps the most
comprehensive attempt in the past two decades to reimagine the Canadian
economy.
"Canada's vast energy resources create a conundrum. Global demand for oil
and gas resources can make us a global energy superpower, but it could also
damage air quality, strain water use and add to greenhouse gas emissions,"
said Gilles Rhéaume, Vice-President, Public Policy. "To achieve sustainable
prosperity, Canada must invest in renewable energy, concentrate on
conservation and energy efficiency and take advantage of new technologies to
reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions."
<<
For Canada to become a clean energy superpower:
- Industry must invest in new energy supplies, pipelines and power
lines, as well as technologies and processes that minimize
environmental effects;
- Governments must provide financial incentives to develop and
implement new technologies and processes that have fewer
environmental impacts, such as carbon sequestration or clean coal
technology;
- Governments must create an emissions trading system that provides
flexibility in achieving environmental goals;
- Governments need to implement regulatory reforms that make approvals
more efficient; and
- Governments need to introduce new regulations that reduce the impact
of energy production and consumption on climate change.
>>
Mission Possible: A Canadian Resources Strategy for the Boom and Beyond
discusses the futures of four key Canadian resource sectors-forest products,
agri-food, mining and energy. This report is Volume II of a four-volume set
entitled Mission Possible: Sustainable Prosperity for Canada. It is the final
report of The Canada Project, a three-year program of research and facilitated
dialogue that seeks to help improve our standard of living and position in
North America and the world. This research was funded in part by the Social
Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), an independent federal
government agency that funds university-based research in key areas of
Canada's social, cultural and economic life.
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Canada's aging water and wastewater systems in desperate need of new investment and management
TORONTO - Cash-strapped governments across Canada need to encourage private investment in water and wastewater systems if the nation wants to better protect public health and the environment, urges a new report from The Fraser Institute, an independent research organization with offices across Canada.
While the exact number of Canadian communities with substandard water and
wastewater systems is unknown, problems across the country have been well
documented, says the report, Water and Wastewater Treatment in Canada: Tapping
into Private-Sector Capital, Expertise, and Efficiencies. Names such as
Walkerton, North Battleford and Kashechewan represent the most serious
failures of drinking water delivery systems while significant amounts of
wastewater on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts are discharged into
receiving waters with little if any treatment.
The report points out that the failure of Canadian water systems is due
primarily to the age of the systems, a growing population that exceeds the
capacity of the systems, poor management and ill-trained staff, lax
regulation, and a lack of capital and operating funds.
"For many years, local governments have refused to raise water prices to
sustainable levels, thereby starving their water systems of much needed
capital for upgrades," said Elizabeth Brubaker, Executive Director of
Environment Probe and author of the report. "Clearly we can't count on the
status quo to meet the challenges facing our water systems. Governments need
to consider the benefits provided by private investment and private
expertise."
Brubaker says the estimated cost for maintaining, refurbishing, and
expanding Canada's water and wastewater infrastructure in the coming decades
could be as much as $90 billion, an investment the public sector has been
unable or unwilling to provide.
By encouraging private investment, public funds would be freed for other
purposes. Financial risks would be transferred from the public to the private
sector, and private capital has historically been used more efficiently than
public capital.
Although Canada has limited experience with privately funded water
infrastructure, there is clear evidence of success. Moncton, New Brunswick saw
immediate benefits from private involvement when it contracted USF Canada to
finance, design, build, and operate a state-of-the-art water filtration plant
in 1998. That plant was built for at least 25 per cent less than the city had
planned to spend.
In the wake of the deficiencies in the public utility commission that
operated the Walkerton systems when tainted water killed seven people and
sickened 2,300, Walkerton and the surrounding municipality of Brockton
recently concluded a service agreement with Veolia Water Canada. The fixed-fee
contract, renewable after five years at the municipality's discretion,
includes operations, maintenance, and management of the municipality's three
drinking-water systems and its wastewater treatment plant.
The report also suggests the federal government can play a significant
role in facilitating private-sector involvement by encouraging private
operation or oversight of Canada's worst run water facilities - those on First
Nation reserves. Across Canada, the federal government can educate
decision-makers and the public about the benefits of private involvement, and
help develop models for the effective economic regulation of water and
wastewater services. It can also enforce existing health and environmental
standards, prompting municipalities to seek assistance from those with greater
expertise and ensuring that those providing that expertise perform
satisfactorily.
Although people often associate privatization with deregulation, or a
loss of control, the privatization of water utilities does not in any way
imply deregulation. On the contrary, it goes hand-in-hand with a new focus on
regulation, Brubaker said.
"A private owner or operator is inherently more accountable - to
provincial regulators, the public, municipal governments or the market. The
optimal model for success is private financing and operation with public
regulation."
Water and Wastewater Treatment in Canada: Tapping into Private-Sector
Capital, Expertise, and Efficiencies will appear in the forthcoming book, A
Breath of Fresh Air: Market Solutions for Improving Canada's Environment, to
be published by The Fraser Institute later this year.
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Canada's New Government Launches $300-Million ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative
TORONTO - The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, unveiled his Government's plan to invest approximately $300 million over four years to promote smarter energy use and reduce the amount of harmful emissions that affect the health of Canadians. At the Metro Home Show in Toronto, the Minister announced the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative, which will encourage Canadian homeowners, businesses and industry, and the building/renovations sector to use energy more wisely.
"It's time to recognize that the largest untapped source of energy is the
energy we waste," said Minister Lunn. "I am pleased to announce that this
ecoENERGY package includes direct financial support to help Canadians, small
business and industry make wise choices that save energy and money, while
helping to clean up our environment."
The ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative has the following three components:
<<
- The $220-million ecoENERGY Retrofit program will offer homeowners,
along with smaller businesses and organizations, the support and
information they need to retrofit their homes, buildings and industrial
processes.
- The $60-million ecoENERGY for Buildings and Houses will encourage the
construction and retrofit of more energy-efficient buildings and
houses.
- The $20-million ecoENERGY for Industry program aims to accelerate
energy-saving investments and the exchange of best practices
information within Canada's industrial sector.
"There are more than 13 million homes and 380,000 buildings in this
country. They use 30 percent of our energy and are responsible for almost
30 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. Canada's industries account
for 38 percent of energy demand and are responsible for 34 percent of our
greenhouse gases," said Minister Lunn. "These are challenges that we must
address."
These ecoENERGY components are specifically designed to provide incentives
for retrofitting existing houses, small-building and industry stock, to raise
the bar for new construction, and to continue collaboration with industry on
efficiency improvements. They reinforce extensive Energy Efficiency Act
amendments already included in the Government's Clean Air Regulatory Agenda
that will tighten regulation of a wide range of consumer products and
equipment. Program details, including information about how to apply for
ecoENERGY grants, will be available when the program starts in April 2007.
Today's announcement is the third in a suite of ecoENERGY Initiatives to
help Canadians use energy more efficiently, boost renewable energy supplies
and develop cleaner-energy technologies. The other initiatives are the
$230-million ecoENERGY Technology Initiative that funds the research,
development and demonstration of clean energy technologies, and the ecoENERGY
Renewable Initiative, a $1.5-billion investment to boost Canada's
renewable-energy supplies.
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CONSERVATIVE POWER FAILURE IN YEAR ONE
Friends of the Earth pans Conservative green energy announcement
On January 19, 2006, the Conservative government rolled out their ecoEnergy announcement on green power, heralding their one cent per kilowatt power production incentive.
"The ecoEnergy Renewable Power program lacks spark and energy. It is no more than a regurgitated Liberal plan with a few less bucks and one less year," says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth-Canada. "I am shocked and appalled that there is less on the table for renewable power production."
Ms Olivastri continues, "This announcement confirms a 'Conservative Power Failure' for their first year in office. We expected the Conservatives to up the ante on green power. Instead, it was a lost year. Government programs were in disarray, and there were no clear market signals to investors and purchasers."
Ms Olivastri points out that there is plenty to inspire any government or party that wants to put aside ideology and build from existing leadership on green power. Alberta offers one of many examples:
ENMAX Energy Corporation has grown its green electricity sales, called GREENMAX, into one of North America's largest offerings.
The former federal government made the very first purchase of green electricity in Canada in 1997 from ENMAX Calgary for a 10 year agreement to produced 12,000 megawatt hours of electricity that displaced more than 10,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.
Starting in 2007, the City of Calgary is buying 75% of their electricity from renewable sources, scaling up to 90% in 2012. The City's plans will reduce greenhouse gases by 262,000 tonnes annually, a 30% reduction.
Calgary's Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system, "Ride the Wind," is powered 100% by green electricity and reduces greenhouse gases by 26,000 tonnes annually.
"With Canadian cities, businesses and citizens all inspired to switch to green power, why isn't every political party in Canada committing to tripling the former target for green power. We want to see a program that provides incentives for the production of 12,000 MW, not 4,000 MW, as we heard today," challenges Ms. Olivastri.
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Canada's New Government Launches ecoEnergy Technology Initiative
OTTAWA - The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment, today announced the ecoEnergy Technology Initiative-a $230-million investment in the research, development and demonstration of clean-energy technologies.
"Canada is an emerging energy superpower," said Minister Lunn. "But our
real challenge is to be a clean-energy superpower. To do this, we must address
the fact that the greatest source of untapped energy is the energy we waste.
We must also increase our use of renewable energy and develop the science and
technology to make conventional energy cleaner."
"As part of our environmental agenda, Canada's New Government is
introducing this important initiative to protect Canadians' top priority-the
environment-while building a competitive and sustainable economy," said
Minister Baird.
While Canada's Clean Air Act forms the backbone of the government's
environmental plan, the ecoEnergy Technology Initiative will foster the next
generation of clean technologies to break through to emissions-free energy
production and energy use.
The $230-million ecoEnergy Technology Initiative will accelerate the
development and market-readiness of technology solutions in clean energy. It
will ensure that Canadians and future generations have clean air, water, land
and energy. This is real change for real results.
"Canada's New Government encourages industry and the provinces to further
invest in science and technology to deliver real results for the production of
clean energy," said Minister Lunn.
The new Initiative is a focused, integrated approach built on key
priorities that include carbon dioxide sequestration, clean coal, clean oil
sands production and renewable energy. Priorities will be further developed
with provinces and industry partners through consultations.
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UN 'Should Take Lead On Climate'
“The top UN official on climate change says the failure of world leaders
to agree on global warming means it is time for the UN to take the lead.
Yvo de Boer, head of the UN Climate Secretariat, wants a summit of world
leaders to talk about what happens when the Kyoto Protocol expires in
2012. Despite rising sea levels, there is no agreement on how to deal with
global warming's long-term threat. In fact, de Boer says, the process is
getting more and more stuck. De Boer says it is vitally important for the
world to agree on how carbon emissions should be curbed after 2012. But,
he points out, there are so many different countries with different needs:
developing nations, for example, want their economies to grow and they do
not want to take any action that might make them uncompetitive; while the
US and Australia have backed away from even endorsing Kyoto. De Boer says
only the UN can bring all the competing groups together. …” [BBC News
Online]
“… Ban Ki-moon, who took over as the UN chief on January 1, met de Boer on
Monday and told him that ‘the need to act is urgent and the basic
scientific consensus on climate change is well established,’ UN Associate
Spokesman Farhan Haq said. Ban has repeated several times that climate
change will be a priority on his agenda. De Boer said Ban did not say yes
or no to taking on a leadership role. ‘I think the Secretary General has
to make the assessment whether he would have enough backing, enough
support, to fulfill that kind of role,’ he said. …” [The Associated
Press/Factiva]
“… De Boer said Ban emphasized during their meeting that the consequences
of warming were going to be very serious and that the cost of action now
would be much lower than the cost of inaction later. Ban also told de Boer
he would try to raise the issue in his various meetings with world
leaders. Ban went on to mention global warming in a meeting with US
President George W. Bush in Washington later on Tuesday, telling reporters
in Bush's presence that he hoped to work closely with the US to address
climate change, among other pressing world issues. …” [Reuters/Factiva]
“[The United State’s] top Democrat and Republican on the Senate's Foreign
Relations Committee have introduced a resolution calling on the US to
return to international talks on climate change, illustrating bipartisan
support for action on the issue in Congress. The resolution, introduced
Tuesday by committee Chairman Joseph Biden and its ranking Republican,
Richard Lugar, says the consensus within the scientific community of a
human role in global warming should compel the US to take a lead in
reducing emissions. …” [The Associated Press/Factiva]
“US President Bush will outline a policy on global warming next week in
his State of the Union speech but has not dropped his opposition to
mandatory limits on greenhouse-gas emissions, the White House said on
Tuesday. ‘It's not accurate. It's wrong,’ White House spokesman Tony Snow
said regarding media reports suggesting that Bush would agree to mandatory
emissions caps in an effort to combat global warming. Such caps could
require energy conservation and pollution curbs….” [Reuters/Factiva]
Meanwhile, Les Echos writes that Paris will host a conference on the
environment from February 1 to 2 in order to mobilize the creation of an
organization capable of coordinating specifics and reflecting upon global
norms. [Les Echos (France)/Factiva]
La Tribune notes that “… Promoted by Jacques Chirac as a means to raise
awareness of the dangers which threaten ‘the great ecological balances of
the planet,’ the Paris conference will specifically mark the launch of a
French campaign in favor of a global organization for environment,
following the example of the World Trade Organization, able to write rules
and coordinate international action which are currently shattered. …” [La
Tribune(France)/Factiva]
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Plants point the way to coping with climate change
Roses flowering at Christmas and snow-free ski resorts this winter suggest that climate change is already with us and our farmers and growers will need ways of adapting.
Scientists studying how plants have naturally evolved to cope with the changing seasons of temperate climates have made a discovery that could help us to breed new varieties of crops, able to thrive in a changing climate.
The importance of the discovery is that it reveals how a species has developed different responses to different climates in a short period of time.
Researchers at the John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich, UK have been examining how plants use the cold of winter to time their flowering for the relative warmth of spring. This process, called vernalization, varies even within the same plant species, depending on local climate. In Scandinavia, where winter temperatures can vary widely, the model plant, Arabidopsis has a slow vernalization response to prevent plants from being 'fooled' into flowering by a short mid-winter thaw. One particular gene, named FLC, delays flowering over the winter and the research team discovered how cold turns off FLC and what keeps it off during growth in spring. In the UK plants only need four weeks of cold to stably inactivate FLC, allowing plants to start their spring flowering early. Arabidopsis plants in Sweden have a mechanism that requires 14 straight weeks of winter cold before FLC is stably inactivated. This prevents the plants flowering only to be hit with another month of harsh winter weather.
Research leader at JIC, Professor Caroline Dean, explains: "We studied levels of the FLC gene in Arabidopsis plants from different parts of the world expecting to find regional variations that correlated with how much cold was required to switch FLC off. We discovered that FLC levels in autumn and the rate of reduction during the early phases of cold were quite similar in Arabidopsis plants from Edinburgh and N. Scandinavia . However, we found big variations in how much cold was required to achieve stable inactivation of FLC. FLC was stably silenced much faster in Edinburgh than it was in N. Scandinavia and a genetic analysis showed that differences in the FLC gene itself contributed to this variation."
Professor Dean said: "It looks like the variation in this mechanism to adapt the timing of flowering to different winter conditions has evolved extremely quickly. We hope that by understanding how plants have adapted to different climates it will give us a head-start in breeding crops able to cope with global warming."
The JIC scientists worked in collaboration with a team at the University of Southern California and were funded by the UK's main public funders of biological and environmental sciences, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council.
Professor Julia Goodfellow, BBSRC Chief Executive, commented: "As well as working to prevent climate change we need to be able to harness natural methods to adapt food crops to cope with changed and hostile climates around the world. This is an example of how basic science can make a practical difference."
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EU Plans New Emission Cuts To Fight Global Warming
“The European Union should cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 20 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels as part of a new energy policy to fight climate change, the EU's Executive Commission said on Wednesday Janauary 10, 2007.
The Commission called on developed nations around the world to cut
emissions of gases blamed for global warming by 30 percent by 2020, saying
the EU would go beyond its unilateral target if others followed suit. The
EU's new target is more ambitious than an existing one for an 8 percent
cut in emissions in the 2008-2012 period adopted by the 15 members of the
EU before its 2004 enlargement, but which several countries are already
struggling to meet. …” [Reuters/Factiva]
“… The EU's executive arm has presented the initiative as the launch pad
for an industrial revolution which would make Europe energy-efficient
without hurting economic growth. … Until now energy policy has been
largely conducted along national lines, but recent oil price spikes and
disruptions of Russian gas shipments last year have focused leaders' minds
on an ambitious joint EU approach. Despite the backing of EU leaders for a
joint approach to energy challenges, many members have dragged their feet
about opening energy markets to competition, sought individual deals with
Russian gas giant Gazprom and have flouted their obligations towards the
emissions trading scheme. …” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]
“… The EU's civil service wants more investment in renewable energy,
arguing that the old fuels have a political as well as clear environmental
cost. The need has been given greater urgency by Russia's oil row with
Belarus, which has hit EU states Germany and Poland. The report demands
that at least 20 percent of energy comes from renewables by 2020. Without
such investment and energy efficiency measures, the report predicts that
EU energy imports will rise from 50 percent of consumption to 65 percent
by 2030, requiring increased reliance on potentially unpredictable
sources. While the report remains neutral on the issue of nuclear power,
it does warn that any significant reduction - as planned by some EU states
- will make the other objective of cutting greenhouse gas harder. …” [BBC
News Online]
“… The EU energy strategy will be debated by environment ministers of the
bloc's 27 nations on February 20 in Brussels. … The EU has repeatedly
called on the US and other major world polluters to join its fight for
reducing emissions. … The commission also called for increasing the EU
budget for climate, energy and research, and for improving the EU's
emissions trading program … . …” [The Associated Press/Factiva]
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Safety-Kleen Canada Inc. wins Recycling Council of Ontario's Platinum Sustainable Technology Award
Provincial Minster of Environment Laurel Broten will announce a draft regulation with the intent of banning the practice of burning used motor oil in space heaters today January 11, Breslau. Currently, about 10 million litres of used oil generated in the province is burned in over 700 space heaters primarily in Southern Ontario.
The ban will protect health, improve air quality and encourage recycling.
Minister Broten will be joined by Fred Florjancic, President and CEO of Safety Kleen System Inc.
Safety-Kleen Canada Inc. ("Safety-Kleen"), Canada's largest used motor oil re-refiner and collector of used oil, used oil filters and industrial solvents, has won the Recycling Council of Ontario's Platinum Sustainable Technology Award for its used motor oil re-refining operations in Breslau, Ontario (near Kitchener-Waterloo).
Re-using and recycling of energy intensive materials can make an enormous contribution to reducing waste, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs and investment in local economies.
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Global warming concerns about to force North American governments to declare war on carbon emissions, according to CIBC World Markets report
TORONTO - All jurisdictions in Canada and the U.S. will have carbon dioxide (CO(2)) regulations in place by the end of the decade to address global warming concerns, forecasts a new report from CIBC World Markets.
The report predicts that every province and state in North America will
follow the lead of California and implement not only a CO(2) emissions cap but
also an emissions trading system that will allow larger polluters to buy
emissions credits from other firms whose emissions are less than what is
allowed under the cap.
"While North America has ignored implementing the Kyoto Accord, public
concern about global warming is growing," says Jeff Rubin, Chief Strategist
and Chief Economist at CIBC World Markets. "I expect this will force
governments to declare war on carbon emissions on their own terms. As that
campaign unfolds, the economy's largest emitters of CO(2) will become
increasingly dependent on the economy's greenest firms for emissions credits."
The report states that the carbon abatement policies aimed at addressing
climate change will have the greatest impact on the energy sector. This will
have a signif | |
