Work and Climate Change Report

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shore

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polarbear

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work

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lime.png

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Issue 192

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Issue 192

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Print

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circular economy v 3

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lock in jobs

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energy-east-climate-cover

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vansci

avadkl — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 02:33:57 +0000

morejobs

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fail

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BC-Progress-Report-Cover

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FARMS-1-master675-v3

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Closing-the-loop

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wellhead-to-waterline-022014

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:10:55 +0000

greener-skills-and-jobs_9789264208704-en

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:27:15 +0000

energyeastreport

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:45:17 +0000

w3-logo

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TER-Global-Cover-300

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index

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:20:38 +0000

muzzle_scientists_canada_report_535_692

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windfall

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forests

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Print

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clc-logo

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clc-logo

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Rachel Notley

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Rachel Notley

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leap manifesto cover

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icftu september

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GreenCollarNation

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:16:52 +0000

Justin Trudeau

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:25:32 +0000

california legislative information

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:28:33 +0000

trudeau at CLC

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CUPE LOGO

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electric car

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ituc logo

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cop21 logo

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trudeau obama announcement

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:07:22 +0000

cover-DeliveringCommunityPower

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Electric car London 2013

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airplane

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KMpipeline_Tanker_Route_Salish_Sea_Map_small

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union jack

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Hurricane Sandy_Poweroutage_1

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logo acw wordpress

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thermometer and sun

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cropped transparent logo

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3 amigos waving

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darlington_nuclear_masthead

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paris-agreement-into-force-nov-4

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marakkesh

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canadian-public-policy-42-issue-s1-cover

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kmpipeline_tanker_route_salish_sea_map_small

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first-ministers

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 22:48:31 +0000

orcas-against-vancouver-skyline

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tesla-gigafactory

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 18:01:25 +0000

canada-150

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jobs-in-solar-vs-oil-and-gas-jan-2017

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toronto-womens-march-jan-2017

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toronto-womens-march-jan-2017

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scientists

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aerial-fire-truck

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justin-trudeau

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cover-expect-the-unexpected-300x225

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altepa

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extractedcarbon_thumbnail

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 20:21:30 +0000

ccpa_extractedcarbon_share

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Aerial view of the National Wind Technology Center; wind turbines

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climate-refugees

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 02:33:36 +0000

fort_mcmurray-fire

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fort_mcmurray-fire

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climate-refugees

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one-million-jobs-e1407607008390

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smart-thermostat

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coal transition coalition

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Flag_of_Australia.svg

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English_Bay,_Vancouver,_BC

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Green Budget Coalition cover 2017

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CCPA alternative budget 2017

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BC cleantech cover

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97d5e-cleantech_report_card_for_bc_2011

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climate change asthma graphic

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health care effects

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solar-power-1020194_1920

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infrastructure from Budget 2017

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clean energy transition takes hold cover

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Calgary_skyline _Kevin_Cappis

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Calgary_skyline _Kevin_Cappis

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climate march

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trumphardhat

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oil sands

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GO transit station

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Canada 2017 expert panel report building-common-ground-pdf

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WCEL env assessment summit cover

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emissions by province 2015

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Flag_of_British_Columbia.svg

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Scientists

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:21:36 +0000

Stop-Adani-Logo

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green bibliotechque

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solar-panel-house_4

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insulalater2-365x365

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bcinsulaors118-logo

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renewable energy investor briefing cover

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solar farm

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six nations development corporation

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Panels not pipelines by Abdul Malik

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Sudbury climate march

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green building and bike Vancouver

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Pembina Vancouver green-buildings-jobs-2017

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NEB Revenewables cover

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BWTUC logo

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double decker bus

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LNS at 2017 Washington Climate March

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NEB_banner1-e

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after the Sands

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Syncrude_mildred_lake_plant

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IRENA_REnewable Jobs 2017 cover

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Electric vehicles Wikimedia Commons 768x512

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3 revolutions in transportation Infographic_itdp

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Front de Seine at night as seen from Pont Mirabeau

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ILO 2017 conference

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UN Human Rights logo

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skinner 2017 inequality cover

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marie walker ILO VP 2017

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Electric vehicles Wikimedia Commons 768x512

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TopAsksCover-600x777

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BC minority-government-20170529

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Jeremy_Corbyn_speaking_at_the_Labour_Party_General_Election_Launch_2017

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labor for our revolution

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Toronto large

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geothermal

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walmart truck

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Columbia Institute jobs for tomorrow

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Dont Delay BlueGreen 2017 cover

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bc-green-map-jobs-2017

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bc-green-map-jobs-2017

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economic impacts san joachin

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solar installers on roof

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cost-of-pollution-in-canada(8)-1

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BCWildfire service

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Gender book cover

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Roadmap retrofits cover

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Roadmap infographic

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ituc logo

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Flag_of_British_Columbia.svg

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energy east pipeline map

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energy east map

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decent_work_in_the_green_economy-cover

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wind-energy-alberta

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union jack

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mckenna-catherine

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afl cio seal

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Darlington_Nuclear_Masthead

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Manitoba climate plan cover

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site-c-project-location-map

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BC Advisory Council

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 19:09:17 +0000

Hurricane Sandy Oct 29 2012

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LNS convergence meeting

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Lancet_twitter_card_options

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Lancet_twitter_card_5

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Gil McKeown Just Transition at COP23

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 16:43:32 +0000

cop23

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COP23-It takes roots Indigenous Network

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Tesla Truck

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hospital for sick kids

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sask-power-boundary-dam

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Fort McMurray infographic 2017

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Fort Macmurray Statistics Canada

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 17:50:18 +0000

Hurricane Harvey survey cover

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 17:52:35 +0000

pan-canadian framework on clean growth cover

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site-c-protest-camp

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site-c-project-location-map

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One-Planet-Summit-sign2-1024x605

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Stuck in neutral cover evehicles 2017

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thermometer and sun

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oecd-environmental-performance-reviews-canada-2017_9789264279612-en

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I love new york

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coal- from FOE

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UC Berkeley logo_laborcenter

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Theresa May 2018

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Hadrian Decarbonization cover

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UPS electric truck

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Ontario logo

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autonomous electric mining truck

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Parkland report big oil cover

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LEED office Burnaby Willingdon

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solar installers on roof

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 18:36:16 +0000

Circular economy cover

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kat-wynne-aut-car-e1510335222120

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autonomous vehicle

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uk MONEY

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 16:29:10 +0000

Greener Jobs Alliance

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 16:29:59 +0000

confronting climate_change

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trudeau-notley-20161129

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Kinder-Morgan-Protest_Mark-KlotzWikimedia-Commons-800x485

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no consent

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UPS electric truck

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budget_analysis 2018

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Carla-640px-270x270

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Climate@WorkCover

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WorkinaWarmingWorldCover

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ourtimes cover-Chris Jawara

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 19:22:27 +0000

downtown Calgary

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 20:40:55 +0000

Just Transition Vancouver event 2018

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 15:40:32 +0000

pick up truck

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 15:51:09 +0000

boyd cover the rights of nature

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 16:15:06 +0000

electric_bus_banner Winnipeg

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 21:12:50 +0000

clean economy alliance progress report ontario year 1

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 17:10:48 +0000

Quebec electric bus

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:46:51 +0000

Hassan Yussuff head shot

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tick_lyme_government of ontario

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:43:06 +0000

NAFTA Getting it right Council of Canadians

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 20:19:16 +0000

NAFTA-2-0-People-or-Polluters-cover

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Parkland canadas energy outlook_cover

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Less is more jobs map_20180501_TM

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 04 May 2018 16:09:05 +0000

FreelandChrystia

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 07 May 2018 16:31:24 +0000

nature climate change special issue mental health

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 May 2018 16:44:27 +0000

etuc logo

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 15 May 2018 15:06:19 +0000

ILO 2018 Greening with Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 16 May 2018 16:48:54 +0000

women solar installers

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 17 May 2018 18:35:34 +0000

women in training

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 17 May 2018 18:49:30 +0000

USEER May 2018 report

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 22 May 2018 16:10:55 +0000

unifor logo

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trans-mountain-pipeline

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 29 May 2018 20:35:22 +0000

g7 fossil fuel scorecard infographics_canada

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 21:18:51 +0000

G7 leaders 2018

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 21:24:59 +0000

Industriall logo

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IGMetall logo

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talk in tough times logo

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state of freight cover

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Doug Ford

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passive house exterior Vancouver

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 15:44:59 +0000

Mowat report community benefits agreements

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 17:13:46 +0000

workhorse electric van and drone

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electric school bus

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 16:08:03 +0000

CUPE LOGO

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:17:53 +0000

Generation energy council report

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 22:13:12 +0000

ccpa-bc_fossilpensions_june2018-thumbnail

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lighthouse in nova scotia

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 14:46:42 +0000

UK road-to-zero

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 16:35:40 +0000

black cabs

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 16:42:19 +0000

Tanker Bridge Blockade

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 18:39:32 +0000

keepcanada working

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 18:52:35 +0000

thermometer and sun

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:06:23 +0000

construction drinking water

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:30:38 +0000

Nova Scotia offshore drilling signs

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:00:15 +0000

union jack

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sweating office worker

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 18:54:43 +0000

tuc logo

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 18:55:32 +0000

MothersOfInvention_PressShot_11

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 19:47:13 +0000

Doug Ford clapping

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Print

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:14:33 +0000

wind turbine and cows

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 21:52:04 +0000

POSTES CANADA -Fourgonnettes marchepied entirement lectriques

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 16:25:42 +0000

cover-DeliveringCommunityPower

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 16:26:43 +0000

cover-DeliveringCommunityPower

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 16:27:25 +0000

earth from space

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 17:34:42 +0000

pick up truck

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 00:18:29 +0000

quebec solidaire logo

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:58:36 +0000

Aerial view of the National Wind Technology Center; wind turbines

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killer whales rainforest

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Rise for climate

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John Cartwright

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Radical realism

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Green Budget cover 2019

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Cutting the waste

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Ontario financial office cap and trade

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Renewable Energy

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electric car

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to feb climate strike

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pbologo

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ilo2019workforabrighterfuture

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ocasio cortez

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victoria harbour

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achieving paris goals teske cover

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sunrise movement

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Angus ReidI can help cc

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CAGBC trading up

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UK 2019 housing

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tiny house warriors

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LNS at 2017 Washington Climate March

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future of auto industry

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fridays for future strikes

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autostrategy_2019

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offshore wind Beothuk Installation Newfoundland

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Just Transition taskforce

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March 15 montreal

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march 15 vancouver2

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canada may 3 climate strike

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March 15 seth klein

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march 15 trudeau tweet

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budget2019

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Myths infographic vertical

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cccr temperatures

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BCenergySTEP_Logo_Nav

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golf electric

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briarpatch special issue

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smart prosperity map re construction report

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GM May 2019

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fridays may 3

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SUZUKI green new deal

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brookingsclean-energy-jobs_wages Figure2-final

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Cenovus-alex-pourbaix

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missing the bigger picture

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offshore oil rig

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francois legault

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Jason-Kenney Open for business

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MayElizabeth_GP

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european health report

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construction drinking water

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Canada Post Strike 20160705

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Climate-Change-Toolkit-for-Health-Professionals-2019-234x300

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Plastic-and-Climate-FINAL-

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turtle with bag

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polling the green new deal

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climate resistance handbook

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scheer-2019

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heating up backing downcover

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billion-dollar-buyout Laxer

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climate emergency

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Industry 2030 just transition graphic

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bluegreen alliance

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Boundary Dam facility estevan

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lng-carrier-

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compendium re fracking

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doug ford scrap the tax

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Hurricane Harvey people walking in water

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New YorK Renews

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stampede ford 2019

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orcas against Vancouver skyline

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Greta Thurnberg

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victoria facebook post

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greta on sailboat

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mertins kirkwood2019 who is included

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18Strategies-for-Slider2

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BCclimate-risk-assessment

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Energy Information banner

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energy information sample

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POSTES CANADA -Fourgonnettes marchepied entirement lectriques

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tuc 2019 just transition

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canada flag

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minerals-sourcing-for-renewable-energy_COVER-300x425

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ocean law developments

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unifor-climate-strike sept2019

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petition-kids_michael-rubenstein-800

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financing the low carbon future

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flooding firefighter

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fast lane

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eac-logo_0_0

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Toronto small

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floating offshore wind

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env diefence re Oil-Lobbyin election

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california map PGE_outage_10-10-2019

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grassy narrows warning

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doug ford scrap the tax

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environnement jeunesse demonstration

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UN summit climate action 2019

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UN the heat is on

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green new deal squad

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trudeau election

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Larose plaintiffs 2019

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Statement+of+Claim+2019+10+25+FINAL

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image

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lighthouse in nova scotia

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vision for plastics

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plastic water bottles

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CUPE LOGO

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doctors DXR-logo-web

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cppib 2019 report

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ccpa-bc_fossilpensions_june2018-thumbnail (1)

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Fort Macmurray Statistics Canada

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Fort_McMurray fire

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firefighter

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firefight in smoke

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Nurses unions -GNU-Final-Cover

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Nurses climatechange-cover-368x480

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environmental justice social workers

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Australia offshore wind campaign

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appalachia

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white pines decomissioning

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failure-to-launch

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TUED 2019 conference

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sanders cortez

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lancet wildfires

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lancet children

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Parkland alberta coal_phaseout_cover

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climate video

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Institute for sustainable finance

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Renewable energy

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ecofiscal final 2019 report

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committee on climate change

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renewables 2020

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new canadian climate accountability act

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workforce 2030

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THRIVE+resolution+CLEAN

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path to net zero uk

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troubling incrementalism

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positive energy reports

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Quebec electric bus

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2020 energy scorecard

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block island windfarm

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About the Work and Climate Change Report

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Work and Climate Change Report began as part of the Work in a Warming World (W3) Project based at York University, Toronto. In 2016, the Work and Climate Change Report continues as part of the Adapting Canadian Work and Workplaces to Respond to Climate Change (ACW) research project, also led by York University, and which brings together 47 individual researchers and 24 partner organizations from 4 countries. The Work and Climate Change Report supports the research of the ACW project, which asks:

How best can Canada’s diverse workplaces adapt work to mitigate greenhouse gases?
In Canada’s present economic and social environment, what changes in law and policy, work design and business models, would assist the “greening” of workplaces and work?
What can we learn from other countries to clarify our understanding of strategic options?

Lead Investigator of both the W3 project and the ACW project is Professor Carla Lipsig-Mummé. Editor of the Work and Climate Change Report is Elizabeth Perry. To contact us, please send an email to acwinfo@yorku.ca .]]>

elizabethperry493

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Issue 19 | June 2013

Elizabeth Perry, Editor

Coralie Cameron, Co-Editor

Work and Climate Change Report

Monthly updates on research and new developments in green transition

for the economy, the workplace and public policy

The Work and Climate Change Report will be taking a Summer Break after this issue. Watch for us again in September.

The Work and Climate Change Report is a monthly online publication which alerts and informs academics, practitioners and students about important new research and legislation from Canada and around the world. WCR is published by the Work in a Warming World Research Programme, York University. For questions, comments, or if you wish to subscribe to our monthly report, please e-mail us at: w3info@yorku.ca Visit us at: www.workinawarmingworld.yorku.ca

International Conference

Work in a Warming World:

Labour, Climate Change, and Social Struggle November 29 - December 1, 2013 Toronto, Ontario Canada

The Work in a Warming World Community-University Research Alliance (W3) is organising a major international panel on the role of labour and work in the struggle to slow global warming.

Based in Toronto, Canada, the W3 conference is for labour and environmental activists, students, academic researchers, policy makers and the concerned public.

W3's conference goals are to:

bring together labour and environmental activists from the global north and the global south;
make path-breaking labour and environmental research on the climate struggle known to a wider public
create a platform for ongoing links between researchers and unions to develop ideas, strategies and tactics;
share best practices in greening work and workplaces;
bring labour and labour research to the forefront of greening the world of work;
identify opportunities for labour leadership in the struggle to slow global warming.

Global warming is a universal concern, perhaps the greatest challenge facing work, workers and the planet in the 21st century. Climate change is already changing how we work, what we produce, and where we produce it. It shifts employment within and between countries, regions and communities, creating millions of climate migrants in the global north and the global south, dislocating people and industries and futures. But as global warming ravages jobs, work itself produces significant greenhouse gases (GHGs). And as important as work is to slowing global warming, the role of work and workers has been strangely absent from policy and social science research. Labour and environmental movements have yet to effectively address the role of climate change in the world of work.

What role can workers and their unions play in slowing global warming?

For information on the Call for Papers and registration, see:

http://www.workinawarmingworld.yorku.ca/w3conference/ Contact: Ann Kim - ann_kim@yorku.ca

In This Issue:

W3 research published in Climate@Work; Ontario's Environmental Commissioner reports on GHG's; Upward Revision of the Social Cost of Carbon in the U.S.; Boreal Forest Agreement wounded by loss of 2 members; B.C. Agriculture and Climate Change;New websites dedicated to telling the Tar Sands story; Engineering and Climate Change Conference in Montreal; EU reforms for the Common Fishing Policy; Canada's Environmental Goods and Services Industry by the numbers; WorldWatch State of the World

UNION POSITIONS ON NORTHERN GATEWAY AND LINE 9 PIPELINES

The Joint Review Panel for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the National Energy Board, is reaching the final stages, with a report expected by the end of 2013. The written process was completed on May 31; final oral arguments will be heard in Terrace, B.C., beginning June 17 and lasting approximately two weeks. On May 31, the Government of British Columbia submitted a written statement opposing the current proposal and setting five conditions, including that First Nations treaty rights must be respected, and B.C. must receive its "fair share" of the fiscal and economic benefits of the pipeline construction and operation, as they first demanded in 2012. Receiving less coverage were the May 31 written submissions by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), the Alberta Federation of Labour, and the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union (UFAWU). All three unions oppose approval of the pipeline, arguing that refining jobs in Canada will be lost by shipping raw bitumen to Asia. The CEP position in support of Enbridge's West-to-East Line 9 pipeline project is more controversial. As reported by the Toronto Globe and Mail and the Montreal Gazette, the CEP in Quebec is part of a campaign by the Coalition in Support of Line 9 Reversal, which includes the Quebec Employers Council, Montreal Board of Trade, and the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. Representatives launched the coalition in Montreal on May 29, stating, "This project is essential for Montreal and the whole Quebec economy and has broad support from the Ontario and Quebec governments ... If refining does not remain competitive in Montreal East, then ultimately, there will be more closures and the specialized petrochemical plants will have to import their feedstocks or face closure."

LINKS: Full Joint Review Panel for Northern Gateway website is at: http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/hm-eng.html (English) and http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/hm-fra.html (French); all submitted documents are available under Section D: Intervenors/Intervenants. B.C. Officially Opposes Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline (May 31), and multiple links to related stories, at the CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/05/31/bc-northern-gateway-rejected.html Written submissions to Northern Gateway hearings: by CEP is at: https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/384192/620327/624910/785392/959884/D39-13-1_CEP_-_Final_Argument_of_CEP_%2800519679%29_-_A3I1H1.pdf?nodeid=959885&vernum=0 ; by Alberta Federation of Labour at (and see further details of their position in a separate Submission to the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future on The Study of the BRIK (Bitumen Royalty in Kind) Program (March 2013) at: http://www.afl.org/index.php/component/option,com_sectionex/Itemid,118/id,7/view,category/. Submission by the United Fishermen is at: https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/384192/620327/624910/697824/960959/D203-14-1_United_Fishermen_and_Allied_Workers%27_Union_-_CAW_-Final_Arg_May_31.13_-_A3I2A8?nodeid=960822&vernum=0 RE LINE 9: "Refinery union warns against TransCanada exports of crude through Quebec " in Globe and Mail (May 29,2013) by Nathan Vanderklippe at:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/refinery-union-warns-against-transcanada-exports-of-crude-through-quebec/article12244539/

"Line 9 pipeline reversal last chance to save 2,000 jobs: lobby group" in the Montreal Gazette (May 29) at: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Line+pipeline+reversal+last+chance+save+jobs+lobby+group/8451769/story.html

JOB CREATION BENEFITS OF ONTARIO'S PROPOSED WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

On June 5, the new Liberal government in Ontario proposed a new waste management strategy, launched with a public consultation period that runs from June 6 to September 4. Among the highlights: a proposed Waste Reduction Act which makes individual producers responsible for the end-of-life management of their products and packaging; creation of the Waste Reduction Authority to oversee activities and enforce compliance; phase-in of individual producer responsibility for paper and packaging supplied into the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sectors; expanded use of disposal bans to encourage recycling. The government press release emphasizes the job creation advantages of waste reduction, stating that "Recycling generates ten times more jobs than disposal", and "Every additional 1,000 tonnes of recycled waste generates seven new jobs." These estimates are drawn from The Economic Benefits of Recycling in Ontario, a report prepared for the Ministry of the Environment by consulting group AECOM in 2009, but not publicly released.

LINKS:

Waste Reduction Strategy notice in the Environmental Register is at:http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTE5NzM1&statusId=MTc5MTM2&language=en; Waste Management Strategy Document is at: http://www.downloads.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/env_reg/er/documents/2013/011-9262.pdf;

Text and debates concerning Bill 91, the proposed Waste Reduction Act, 2013 are at: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2818

LOCAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS PROMOTING GREEN GROWTH IN CHINA AND AROUND THE WORLD

A paper released on June 3rd by the International Centre on Trade and Sustainable Development "attempts to refocus the LCR debate around the ultimate question of whether this measure can play a role in achieving green industrial growth in general, and RE deployment and innovation in particular. " The authors set out the arguments for and against the use of LCR's, examine their use by China in the wind energy industry, and describe (in less detail) examples in Ontario, Quebec, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Croatia, the US, India, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey. A concluding section deals with the WTO role. Ultimately, the authors call for more rigorous research into the effect of local content requirement policies on the creation of jobs in the renewable energy industry.

LINK:

Local Content Requirements and the Renewable Energy Industry - A Good Match? By Jan-Christoph Kuntze and Tom Moerenhout is available at: http://ictsd.org/i/publications/165193/?view=details

OECD SEES JOB BENEFITS OF GREEN CITIES LIKE CHICAGO

This report presents case studies of urban green growth policies, four at city level (Paris, Chicago, Stockholm, Kitakyushu) and two at the national level (China, Korea), with a framework for analysis for different types of cities. It demonstrates the importance of urban policies for achieving national environmental policy goals and discusses policy goals and approaches - including the priorities of job creation and attracting business and workers. The case study of Chicago highlights that city's initiative to develop a regional specialty in green building and design, which in 2010 employed 45,000 people in direct and indirect jobs. Efficient public transport networks, such as in Paris, are valuable for their environmental contribution and to attract businesses and workers.

LINKS:

Green Growth and Cities is summarized, with ordering information, at: http://www.oecd.org/regional/green-growth-in-cities.htm#About_the_Publication

A working paper with more details about the Chicago labour market experience and green jobs is available from: http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/oecdworkongreengrowth.htm

NEWS AND NOTES

CLIMATE@WORK RELEASED Released in May 2013, Climate@Work, edited by Carla Lipsig Mumme, presents research by members of the Work in a Warming World project (W3). The focus of the book is on the Canadian scene and the current and potential role for workers and unions to contribute to a growing, green economy with good, green jobs. It examines six sectors in detail - construction, energy, transportation equipment, forestry, tourism, and the postal sector. Yet because of the global nature of the climate change struggle, the introductory section sets Canada in international context, looking at the role of international agreements, public policy, and the puzzling silence of English-language scholarly research on climate change and work. See the Fernwood Press website for a summary, list of chapters, and ordering information, at: http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/Climate-at-Work/.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ONTARIO'S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER

In the 2013 annual report of Ontario Environmental Commissioner, released on June 5, statistics are provided for GHG emissions on a sectoral basis, for transportation, industry, buildings, electricity, agriculture and waste. Transportation remains the biggest emitter of GHGs in Ontario, and passenger vehicles remain the greatest contributor. The Commissioner found that the government is likely to achieve only 60% of the reductions necessary to meet its own 2020 target for a 15% reduction from 1990 levels. He criticizes the lack of coordination between the province's Long-term Energy Plan and its Climate Change Action Plan, and cites the upcoming review of the LTEP as "an excellent opportunity to further integrate government policy on these two interrelated issues". He also states that putting "a price on carbon is the best tool I can think of" for improvement. Read Failing our Future, Review of the Ontario Government's Climate Change Action Plan Results Report at: http://www.eco.on.ca/uploads/Reports-GHG/2013/2013GHG.pdf, or the summary at: http://www.eco.on.ca/index.php/en_US/pubs/greenhouse-gas-reports/2013-ghg-failing-our-future

THE EFFECTS OF CARBON TAX, AND AN UPWARD REVISION OF THE SOCIAL COST OF CARBON

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office released a study on May 22 which reviews the existing literature on the economic impacts of a carbon tax, and explores three options for using the revenues from the tax: to reduce budget deficits, to decrease existing marginal tax rates, or to offset the costs to the most affected groups of people. Read: Effects of a Carbon Tax on the Economy and the Environment at: http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44223 or for a more detailed study of the effects on employment, see the May 2010 CBO Briefing Report How Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Could Affect Employment at: http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/105xx/doc10564/05-05-capandtrade_brief.pdf The 2013 CBO study discusses various studies which estimate the social cost of carbon - the value used by governments (including Canada's) to assess the benefits and costs of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. An important new report released by the U.S. Government in June revises the "official" U.S. social cost of carbon substantially, by between 50 - 60%. The first regulation to use this new SCC will be the U.S. emission standard for microwaves; it has also been recommended for use by the State Department in its consideration of the impact of the Keystone Pipeline. Read: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis - by the U.S. Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon Under Executive Order 12866 at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/inforeg/social_cost_of_carbon_for_ria_2013_update.pdf, and for background, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency article at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities/economics/scc.html 3RD ANNIVERSARY OF CANADA'S BOREAL FOREST AGREEMENT IS NOT A HAPPY ONE

Referring to the withdrawal of Canopy, a forest conservation group, from the Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) in April 2013, Greenpeace Canada stated: "Their departure from the CBFA is a consequence of the Agreement's inability to deliver greater protection for the Boreal Forest and a failure of its structure. The CBFA is simply no longer a credible tool for conservation." Read the Canopy press release at: http://canopyplanet.org/canopy-boreal-withdrawal/. And follow the continuing story about the expulsion of Resolute Forest Products in May with Environmental groups suspend further work with Resolute under Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (May 21) at the CPAWS website at: http://cpaws.org/news/environmental-groups-suspend-further-work-with-resolute-under-cbfa. Resolute was the subject of criticism by Greenpeace for its sustainability failings, for its treatment of workers, and disregard for Indigenous rights and communities. Read the report, Resolute's False Promises: The (un)Sustainability Report 2013 at: http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/resolutefalsepromises/

B.C. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY

A White Paper released in May by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, based at the University of Victoria, offers recommendations for public policy to support the agricultural industry in its necessary adaptation to climate change. The report builds on the findings of the BC Agriculture Climate Change Risk & Opportunity Assessment of 2012, published by the provincial government. Read: Strengthening BC's Agricultural Sector in the Face of Climate Change at: http://pics.uvic.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Strengthening%20BC%27s%20Agriculture%20Sector_0.pdf, and Climate Change Risk & Opportunity Assessment Reports (2012) for B.C. and its regions at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Climate Action Initiative website at: http://www.bcagclimateaction.ca/about/document-library/

TELLING THE TAR SANDS STORY - AN ALTERNATE VIEW

A new website by the Tar Sands Solutions Network offers a library of documents, videos, and news about Canada's oil sands and pipeline development from the point of view of its members: First Nations, environmental groups, landowners, farmers, scientists, community leaders, academics, and grass roots groups located throughout North America and in the U.K. See http://tarsandssolutions.org/. The network campaign website is at Oil Sands Reality Check at: http://oilsandsrealitycheck.org/.

WHILE HARPER COURTS EUROPEAN OIL MARKETS, OIL SANDS MONITORING REPORT RELEASED , ZAMA ALBERTA SUFFERS PIPELINE SPILL

In the same week that Stephen Harper faced protests from British environmentalists over his attempts to promote Canadian oil for European markets, at home, Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board is reported to have released a report which states that from 2010 to 2012, not a single oilsands company was able to meet the tailings reductions targets set out in the ERCB Directive 074, and the volume of tailings has increased, not decreased. However, the regulator will waive any penalties, arguing that the targets were probably "overly optimistic". Read "ERCB waives tailings penalties" in The Calgary Herald (May 12) at: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/ERCB+waives+tailings+penalties/8513087/story.html. And the spill of industrial wastewater from oil production near the northern Alberta town of Zama has drawn criticism of the regulators, including the ERCB, for their slow response. See "Zama spill spurs questions on Alberta pipeline safety measures"at the CBC website at:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/06/14/north-apache-cleanup-zama.html

ENGINEERING AND CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE

The 3rd Climate Change Technology Conference (CCTC 2013) was held in late May in Montreal, organized by the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) and ten of its member societies. Go to: http://www.cctc2013.ca/English/TechSessions.html for a full list of all the papers, most of which are highly technical, but include some general interest items such as Teaching Energy Industry at a University at: http://www.cctc2013.ca/Papers/CCTC2013%20EDU1-1%20Donev.pdf; Assessment of a Carbon Tax as a Policy Instrument at: http://www.cctc2013.ca/Papers/CCTC2013%20EDU1-3%20Yildez.pdf; and Funding Clean Technology Development at: http://www.cctc2013.ca/Papers/CCTC2013%20EDU1-3%20Yildez.pdf. SCALE OF CANADA'S ENVIRONMENTAL GOODS AND SERVICES INDUSTRY

On June 5, Statistics Canada released the results of the Survey of Environmental Goods and Services, 2010, showing that the revenues derived by Canadian manufacturers from the sales of environmental goods totaled just under $2.2 billion; sales of environmental services accounted for $1.7 billion. The Agency cautions against comparing the 2010 numbers with the previous survey (2008) because of changes to the questionnaire. See the Statistics Canada Daily (June 5) at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130605/dq130605c-eng.htm

EU REFORMS TARGET OVERFISHING In advance of World Ocean Day on June 8, and culminating a once-in-a decade reform process, the European Union announced on June 6th that it will implement major reforms to its Common Fisheries Policy. The goal is to end decades of overfishing, to rebuild dwindling fish stocks by 2020, preserve jobs in coastal areas, and make the industry more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. See EU Clinches Major Overhaul to Fisheries Policy (June 6, 2013) at: http://ictsd.org/i/news/bridgesweekly/165334/ and Europe adopts new Policy on Fisheries (Feb. 2013) at: http://ictsd.org/i/environment/153765/ SUSTAINABILITY OR SUSTAINABABBLE?

The Worldwatch Institute State of the World Report for 2013 released in May 2013 warns that with so much labeled as "sustainable," the term has become essentially "sustainababble". Most of the book is dedicated to defining clear sustainability metrics, with a final section exploring "tools" to deal with the "long emergency" that is coming. The Report includes contributions by 50 writers, researchers and activists. See a blog summarizing the book at: http://blogs.worldwatch.org/sustainabilitypossible/launching-state-of-the-world-2013-is-sustainability-still-possible/ or buy Is Sustainability Still Possible? State of the World Report, 2013 at: http://www.worldwatch.org/bookstore/publication/state-world-2013-sustainability-still-possible

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Youth Interested in Green Careers

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:14:27 +0000

World Youth Report released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on February 6, 2012 was based on a four-week consultation period, where youth around the world were invited to submit their opinions and comments. There was great concern that educational systems are not adequate and that the skills taught are not relevant. Many identified entrepreneurship as a preferred career path, and many were interested in innovation in green technologies and communications. Read the press release and summary at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41150&Cr=unemployment&Cr1=]]>

Oil Sands Pollution

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:18:51 +0000

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/02/22/oilsands-european-union-vote.html. A paper by University of Victoria scientists Andrew Weaver and Neil Swart calculates the climate impact of producing the oil sands. "The Alberta Oil Sands and climate", in Nature Climate Change was published online February 19, 2012 and is available (for a fee) at:http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1421.html. Neil Swart's website provides a summary of the paper and selected data at: http://climate.uvic.ca/people/nswart/Alberta_Oil_Sands_climate.html. For a discussion of the Weaver Swart paper, go to the Pembina Institute blog by P.J. Partington on February 27, at: http://www.pembina.org/blog/612. Another study, released by the American Geophysical Union in its Geophysical Research Letters on February 22, is unique in using satellite data to calculate the overall extent of the oil sands' air quality impacts including the giant dump trucks, huge refining facilities where the bitumen is processed, and more. Read a summary at: http://www.agu.org/news/press/pr_archives/2012/2012-12.shtml.]]>

Northern Gateway Pipeline Developments

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:19:24 +0000

Oil Spills and First Nations: Exploring Environmental and Land Issues Surrounding the Northern Gateway Pipeline. It provides a good explanation of the issues and the process underway with the Northern Gateway pipeline review. According to this document, environmental issues are paramount and job creation is a very minor concern among the First Nations. The report is available at: http://www.ceri.ca/images/stories/2012-02-15_Oil_Spills_and_First_Nations.pdf. The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union (CEP) presented evidence to the National Energy Board on January 31, calling for a delay in the decision on the Northern Gateway pipeline until a national energy policy is in place. The union includes a memo by Michael McCracken, principal of Informetrica Inc., who was retained by CEP to assess the potential impact of the Northern Gateway project. His report estimates 26,000 jobs would be lost if bitumen extracted in Alberta was exported rather than being upgraded in Canada. See the CEP Evidence at: http://www.cep.ca/sites/cep.ca/files/docs/en/120201_Northern_Gateway_Project_CEP_Evidence_00389312.pdf, and the Memorandum from Informetrica, titled Employment Consequences of Exporting Bitumen, at: http://www.cep.ca/sites/cep.ca/files/docs/en/120201_Northern_Gateway_Project_Attachment_A_00389307.pdf]]>

Green Career Guide Aimed at Women

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:20:04 +0000

The U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau, in early February 2012, released Why Green is Your Color: A Woman's Guide to a Sustainable Career. The career guide was written under contract to the Women's Bureau by Public Policy Associates, Inc. and Wider Opportunities for Women. It is designed for workers and educators, career counselors and training providers, and discusses a range of in-demand and emerging jobs, as well as job training opportunities and career development tools.

LINKS: Green Jobs for Women website at:http://www.dol.gov/wb/media/green.htm includes links to the career guide, transcripts from teleconferences in 2010, and details of regional training pilot projects. Why green is your color is available at: http://www.dol.gov/wb/Green_Jobs_Guide/ Green Jobs teleconferences, including PowerPoint presentations, fact sheets and transcripts of teleconferences are at: http://www.dol.gov/wb/media/Greenteleconferneces.htm#Industries ]]>

California Green Economy Grew Despite the Recession

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:21:04 +0000

Next 10 of San Francisco has published an analysis of California's "core green economy". While employment and business growth varies across the 15 green industry segments measured, there was overall employment growth of 1% in green manufacturing in 2009-2010, despite the recession. For the period 1995 to 2010, job creation in the clean energy/materials manufacturing sector increased by 53% while jobs in the rest of the manufacturing sector decreased by 18%.

LINKS: Many shades of green at:

http://next10.org/sites/next10.huang.radicaldesigns.org/files/MSOG_2012_M2.pdf

]]>

Climate Change, Oceans and Fisheries

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:21:42 +0000

In late February, the Global Partnership for Oceans was launched - a coalition of international organizations such as the UNEP, UNESCO, FAO, and non-governmental organizations such as WWF and Nature Conservancy, to address the challenges to oceans management and governance, including over-fishing, marine degradation and habitat loss. These are the same issues that were raised by the Royal Society of Canada in February in its comprehensive 300-page report, Sustaining Canada's Marine Biodiversity. Ten Canadian marine research scientists examined the state of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans as a result of overfishing, aquaculture "and all the things we do that drive climate change". The report explains the real and future threats to biodiversity, discusses Canada's international and national legal obligations and policies, and offers "seven recommendations for action that will take Canada from negligence to effectiveness in managing its fisheries and preserving marine biodiversity, for the benefit of Canadians and all the world's people".

LINKS: Global Partnership for Oceans website is at: http://www.globalpartnershipforoceans.org/ The full report, Sustaining Canada's Marine Biodiversity: Responding to the Challenges Posed by Climate Change, Fisheries, and Aquaculture is available at: http://www.rsc.ca/documents/RSCMarineBiodiversity2012_ENFINAL.pdf.

The 20 page summary document, which focuses on policy, is in English at:

http://www.rsc.ca/documents/RSC_MBD_1_3_25_Twenty-Five_EN_FORMAT.pdf and in French at: http://www.rsc.ca/documents/RSC_MBD_1_3_25_Twenty-Five_FR_FORMAT.pdf]]>

Employment in Renewable Energy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:22:19 +0000

State of Renewable Energies in Europe, a bilingual document in French and English, was released in February and compares the main statistics on the renewable energy market in the 27 European Union countries for the years 2009 and 2010. Official 2010 data will only be available by 2013, but the group responsible, EurObserv'ER, has proven to be remarkably accurate in its past estimates. It describes and quantifies 9 renewable sectors including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal. For each type of energy, and for each country, it provides estimates of direct and indirect job creation: it estimates total renewable energy based employment at 1.11 million people in 2010 - a 25% increase from 2009. The top employer is solid biomass, followed by photovoltaic and wind power. The final chapter focuses on seven EU regions which have particularly high amounts of RES investments in 2010.

LINKS: State of Renewable Energies in Europe is available at: http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/barobilan11.pdf, with more detailed data provided and searchable at the EurObserv'ER website at: http://www.eurobserv-er.org/ Related reports which discuss the market (but not employment) for renewables: Wind in power: 2011 European statistics (February 2012) from the European Wind Energy Association at: http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/ewea_documents/documents/publications/statistics/Stats_2011.pdf Global wind statistics 2011 (4 pages) is available from the Global Wind Energy Council at: http://www.gwec.net/fileadmin/images/News/Press/GWEC_-_Global_Wind_Statistics_2011.pdf]]>

Co-operatives as a Green Agent

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:23:04 +0000

A study by the Canadian Co-operative Association examines co-operatives that are creating and facilitating renewable energy development in Canada. Of the 71 such co-ops in Canada in 2010, 26% are in the biofuel sector, 22% in the wind sector, 3% in solar, 8% in biomass, 3% in hydro, and 28% in "varied". The report describes the organizational structure, stage of development, and geographical distribution, and lists each co-operative by name, address, and web address.

LINKS: Co-operatives helping fuel a green economy is at: http://www.coopscanada.coop/public_html/assets/firefly/files/files/Rpt_on_Renewable_Energy_Coops_FINAL_final_2.pdf]]>

Canadian Municipalities Invest in Infrastructure Projects to Boost Green Economy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:23:42 +0000

At its Sustainable Communities Conference, February 8-10, 2012, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities released a new policy document, Building Canada's Green Economy: The Municipal Role. The FCM states that municipalities build and operate most of Canada's environmental infrastructure, from water treatment plants to public transit to recycling and waste disposal services. In areas such as land-use planning, transportation, and building standards, municipalities have direct or indirect influence over 44% of Canada's GHG emissions.

Building Canada's Green Economy describes existing programs such as Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) and the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), which together have invested over $145 million in projects that have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 350,000 tonnes. In addition, a $550 million federal endowment to the FCM is reported to have been invested in capital projects which have yielded 32,650 jobs. The report also compares the potential job multiplier effect of municipal jobs vs. the oil and gas extraction industry: it estimates transit and passenger transportation operations would create over 20 jobs per million dollars invested. Extraction activities, the report states, generate roughly 3 jobs per million dollars invested, while support activities for mining, oil and gas extraction generate about 8 jobs per million.

LINKS Building Canada's Green Economy: The Municipal Role is available at: http://www.fcm.ca/Documents/reports/Building_Canadas_green_economy_the_municipal_role_EN.pdf Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Economy website is at: http://www.fcm.ca/home/issues/environment/the-green-economy.htm]]>

A Greener European Economy can Bring a Double Dividend

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:24:36 +0000

Towards a Greener Economy: The Social Dimension examines the green economy in the European Union, especially the labour market and employment aspects. It focuses on the 15 high carbon industries which produce approximately 85 per cent of production emissions, and which represent approximately 12% of employment. The core of the report is its discussion of the green policy measures currently in use in the EU, and the conclusion that a "double dividend" - greater decent work opportunities and a greener economy - is possible if environmental, economic and social policies are integrated in the right policy mix. The report concludes by identifying topics requiring further research. Towards a Greener Economy was released in November 2011, and is the result from the cooperation between the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion and the International Institute for Labour Studies of the ILO. LINKS: Towards a Greener Economy: The Social Dimension is available at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inst/research/ecinst/greensyn.pdf]]>

UK Publishes Landmark Climate Change Risk Assessment

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:26:16 +0000

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climate/government/risk-assessment/]]>

U.K. Unions and Local Governments can Contribute to Job Growth

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:27:17 +0000

The New Green Team was released. Researched and written by the Association for Public Services Excellence (APSE) for UNISON, the report was based on extensive interviews with local authorities. The research found "there is potential for huge expansion in new jobs and skills include Green Finance, Green Law, Architecture, Research and Development, Engineering, Assembly Technicians, Installation Technicians, Carpentry, Plumbing and Repair and Maintenance jobs". The document is available at: http://www.apse.org.uk/page-flips/2011/the-new-green-team/index.html.]]>

Four Scenarios for the Canadian Economy, Environment, and Competitiveness in 2025

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:28:24 +0000

Leading the Pack or Lagging Behind: A Foresight Study on Environmental Sustainability and Competitiveness is available at: http://www.horizons.gc.ca/doclib/2011-0092_eng.pdf. ]]>

Wind Turbines and Rural Ontario

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:29:46 +0000

http://www.ofa.on.ca/uploads/userfiles/files/ofa%20position%20statement%20on%20industrial%20wind%20turbines.pdf CAW Clean Wind Energy website at: http://www.caw.ca/en/10744.htm and the letter from President Ken Lewenza to MP Ben Lobb at: http://www.caw.ca/assets/pdf/lobb-wind_turbine.pdf]]>

Also at the Davos World Economic Forum: Labour's Demands

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:30:25 +0000

LINKS: Global 100 press release, January 25, 2012 is at the Corporate Knights website at: http://www.corporateknights.ca/sites/default/files/Global100Release_Final_Jan25%281%29.pdf For details on the research and methodology of the rankings, as well as current and past lists of companies, go to: http://global100.org/index.php Labour's five demands for jobs, growth and equity is at: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/l20.pdf]]>

Sustainable Corporations Ranking Released to Coincide with the World Economic Forum

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:40:02 +0000

The Global 100 claims to be "the most extensive data-driven corporate sustainability assessment in existence". Launched in 2005 by Toronto-based media company Corporate Knights, this annual clean capitalism ranking is announced each year during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Companies from around the world are ranked according to energy productivity, waste management, water use, CO2 emissions, and a "Clean Capitalism Paylink", which recognizes companies that link the remuneration of senior executives with the achievement of clean capitalism goals or targets. Six Canadian companies were listed in the world's top 100 sustainable companies for 2012: Suncor Energy (ranked 48th); Enbridge (71st); Encana (76th); Nexen (89th); Sun Life Financial (91); and Royal Bank of Canada (95th).]]>

Clean Energy Jobs in Obama's "Built to Last" Economic Policy

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:40:48 +0000

LINKS: Blueprint for an America Built to Last economic statement at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/blueprint_for_an_america_built_to_last.pdf]]>

Encouraging Clean Energy at State and Municipal Levels

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:42:00 +0000

A study of clean energy funds (CEFs) operated in 20 states in the U.S describes various models used by the funds to encourage the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, with short case studies of Massachusetts, California, and New York. Researchers conclude that, especially in the absence of coordinated federal policies, state-level clean energy funds can collectively become an important driver of national economic growth, if the CEF's re-orient themselves from a project focus to broader economic development objectives, linked and coordinated with other agencies and stakeholders in the clean energy industry. LINKS:

Renewable Energy: FIT for Cities Fact Sheet is at the Pembina Institute website at:

http://www.pembina.org/pub/2133; CLEAN Cities: A municipal financing option for supporting local renewable energy is at: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2306

Leveraging State Clean Energy Funds for Economic Development was released by the Brookings Institute at: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2012/0111_states_energy_funds/0111_states_energy_funds.pdf ]]>

Job Projections for Canadian Hydropower

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:42:54 +0000

A study released by HEC Montréal at the end of 2011 has projected that electricity generation projects already under consideration across Canada until 2030 would create 776,000 FTEs for construction firms and their suppliers, with a further 224,000 FTEs forecast to be created by increased spending by those directly or indirectly employed by the projects. The report was conducted at the request of the Canadian Hydropower Association (CHA) and conducted by a team of MBA students at the HEC Montréal. A total of 158 hydropower projects were identified across Canada, with 3 scenarios developed using Statistics Canada's Input-Output modeling. LINKS: Job Creation and Economic Development Opportunities in the Canadian Hydropower Market is available at: http://www.globe-net.com/articles/2011/december/27/hydropower-investment-could-create-a-million-canadian-jobs/ ]]>

Improving Energy Efficiency through Workplace Behaviour

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:43:36 +0000

LINKS: Greening Work Styles: An Analysis of Energy Behavior Programs in the Worplace (January 2012) is available at: http://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/publications/researchreports/b121.pdf]]>

Re Northern Gateway Job Creation

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:44:23 +0000

Fact sheets at the Enbridge website claim that, with an estimated capital cost of $5.5 billion, construction of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline will create about 62,700 person-years of employment across Canada over 3 years (5,537 person-years of employment on actual on-site construction; 17,227 person-years in companies that directly supply goods and services, and 39,930 person-years of spin-off employment).: Enbridge has an educational and training strategy to utilize local workers, and in November 2011, the company announced a commitment of $1.5 million in core funding for a Gateway Education and Training Fund to train Aboriginal people in pipeline construction skills. LINKS: Enbridge's Northern Gateway website at:http://www.northerngateway.ca/economic-opportunity/benefits-for-british-columbians/ provides an overview of the company's estimates for job creation, or See Socio-economic Fact Sheet at: http://www.northerngateway.ca/assets/pdf/Environment%20Protection%20and%20Socio-Economic%20Assessment/NGP-FS-06-004_Socio-Economic%20Benefits.pdf National Energy Board website for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Review Panel at: http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/hm-eng.html. (See the Public Registry for all official documents and submissions at: https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/384192/620327/customview.html?func=ll&objId=620327&objAction=browse&sort=-name&redirect=3). CBC Northern Gateway Pipeline: benefits vs. concerns January 10, 2012, with links to related documents at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/01/10/f-northern-gateway-pipeline.html]]>

Re Job Creation of the Keystone XL Pipeline

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:44:53 +0000

The Cornell Global Labor Institute has updated and re-released Pipedreams? Jobs gained, jobs lost by the construction of Keystone XL, which concludes that the oil industry claims of job creation in the U.S. are unsubstantiated and exaggerated. Pipedreams? states that 50% or more of the steel pipe to be used in the pipeline will be manufactured outside of the U.S.; jobs will be temporary; between 85-90% of workers be non-local or from out of state; and that in the long-term, jobs would be lost due to higher fuel costs in the Midwest, pipeline spills, pollution, and climate change impacts. The Cornell report specifically disputes The Perryman Report, commissioned by Transcanada Corporation, which estimates that "the $7 billion pipeline project is expected to directly create more than 20,000 high-wage manufacturing jobs and construction jobs in 2011-2012 across the U.S., stimulating significant additional economic activity". LINKS: Cornell University Global Labour Institute website, with links to other Keystone Pipeline documents, at: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/Keystonexl.html Pipedreams? Jobs gained, jobs lost by the construction of Keystone XL at: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_KeystoneXL_011912_FIN.pdf Transcanada Inc. website is at: http://www.transcanada.com/economic_benefits.html The Perryman Report, formally The Impact of Developing the Keystone XL Pipeline Project on Business Activity in the US: An Analysis Including State-by-State Construction Effects and an Assessment of the Potential Benefits of a More Stable Source of Domestic Supply is available at: http://www.transcanada.com/docs/Key_Projects/TransCanada_US_Report_06-10-10.pdf Keystone XL Pipeline archive of stories and related documents at the New York Times website at: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/k/keystone_pipeline/index.html]]>

Pipelines and Jobs in the News

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:46:11 +0000

LINKS: "Federal documents spark outcry by oil sands critics" (Jan 26, 2012) in the Toronto Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/federal-documents-spark-outcry-by-oil-sands-critics/article2316087/

Confidential federal tar sands strategy targets Aboriginal and green groups at:

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/Confidential-federal-tar-sands-strategy-targets-Aboriginal-and-green-groups/

Greenpeace cites Pan-European Oil Sands Advocacy Strategy, obtained by Freedom of Information legislation, and available at:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_0MqnZ4wmcMYjY0NjY4Y2MtOWQzMi00NmU0LThhNWMtNzExN2EwYWI5N2Ex&hl=en_US&pli=1]]>

Climate Change and Migration

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:46:47 +0000

http://www.cost.esf.org/domains_actions/isch/Actions/IS1101]]>

Change at the Pew Center

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:51:12 +0000

http://www.c2es.org/; the press release about the name change and new foci of activity is at: http://www.c2es.org/press-center/press-releases/C2ES-launch-announcement]]>

Energy Efficiency in the U.K.

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:51:50 +0000

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/green_deal/green_deal.aspx]]>

B.C. Business Leaders Support Carbon Tax

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:53:00 +0000

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/media/news/downloads/2011/Carbon_Tax_Open_Letter.pdf]]>

Quebec Cap and Trade Begins

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:53:45 +0000

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/quebec-goes-it-alone-with-cap-and-trade-climate-plan/article2273374/ The text of the draft regulation is available in the Quebec Official Gazette in English at: http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/changements/plan_action/projet-reglement/droits-emission-ges_an.pdf and in French at: http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/changements/carbone/reglementPEDE.pdf]]>

COP17, the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:54:15 +0000

http://unfccc.int/2860.php; for analysis and summaries of the conference, try the detailed and highly-readable report, On the Road Again, from the Wuppertal Institute at: www.wupperinst.org/en/cop, or a news report from The Guardian (UK) at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/05/business-must-get-ready-for-low-carbon-world. Environment Canada's position statements for the COP 17 are at: http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=E18C8F2D-1, and for the record, Canada's statement of withdrawal from Kyoto on December 12 is at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=FFE36B6D-1&news=6B04014B-54FC-4739-B22C-F9CD9A840800]]>

International Study of Biodiversity and Employment

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:56:20 +0000

LINKS:

The Social Dimension of Biodiversity Policy: Final Report for the European Commission, (231 pages) is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/biodiversity/pdf/Social%20Dimension%20of%20Biodiversity.pdf

]]>

What is the Role of ILO in Climate Change Adaptation?

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:56:56 +0000

Towards an ILO Approach to Climate Change Adaptation explores the implications of climate change, its impacts on the world of work, and the role to be played by the ILO. This report is a detailed description of the relevant ongoing work, including the Decent Work Agenda, Green Jobs Programme and Skills for Green Jobs. It also discusses future strategies and priorities for the ILO and identifies three clusters which can serve as a basis for the integration of initiatives: 1) Local resource-based infrastructure, Social Protection, Income and Local Development, 2) Re-skilling, Social Protection and Active Labour Market Policies, and 3) Disaster Risk Reduction and Access to a Range of Financial Services. LINKS: Towards an ILO Approach to Climate Change Adaptation. Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_169569.pdf]]>

Impact Analysis of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the U.S. Northeast

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:00:59 +0000

LINKS: The Economic Impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on Ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States: Review of the use of RGGI auction proceeds from the first three-year compliance period by Paul J. Hibbard, Susan F. Tierney, Andrea M. Okie, & Pavel G. Darling published by the Analysis Group at: http://www.analysisgroup.com/uploadedFiles/Publishing/Articles/Economic_Impact_RGGI_Report.pdf]]>

Professional Associations have a Role to Play in Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:01:48 +0000

LINKS: Professionals and Climate Change: How professional associations can get serious about global warming, written by Andrew Gage and published by West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL), a British Columbia "non-profit group of environmental law strategists and analysts dedicated to safeguarding the environment through law". Available at: http://wcel.org/sites/default/files/publications/Professionals%20and%20Climate%20Change_0.pdf]]>

Job Forecasts for Renewable Energy in Ontario

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:03:22 +0000

The Review of Ontario's Feed-in-Tariff program concluded its feedback phase on December 14, 2011. A joint submission to the Review by the Green Energy Act Alliance and Shine Ontario argues that the existing target of 13% of energy consumption from new renewables is too low to sustain job creation, and therefore proposes a target of 26% by 2018. This, it is claimed, would create over 300,000 full-time person-years of employment in manufacturing, development and construction and operational jobs. The report provides details about its job creation modeling for three renewable categories: 1) solar PV, 2) wind, and 3) biomass, biogas and hydro. The forecasts rely on the Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) tools developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Berkeley, California, as well as 2011 analysis by ClearSky Advisors and a 2010 report by Navigant Consulting for SkyPower. Shine Ontario is a new Ontario provincial solar industry and professional association composed of independent professionals, leading utility-scale solar and commercial rooftop solar project developers, photovoltaic module manufacturers, engineering construction firms and leading environmental organizations throughout Ontario. LINKS: Ontario Government FIT Energy Review website at: http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/fit-and-microfit-program/2-year-fit-review/ Green Energy Act Alliance and SHINE Ontario Submission is at: http://environmentaldefence.ca/sites/default/files/report_files/FIT.Review_Updated.pdf]]>

CAW Launches New Course Re Good Jobs in a Green Economy

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:04:05 +0000

http://www.caw.ca/en/10691.htm]]>

New Skills Training for Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy Jobs in the U.K.

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:05:51 +0000

RenewableUK, a renewable energy trade association, announced the creation of the Renewables Training Network (RTN) on October 6, 2011. With £600,000 support from private industry and matching investment from the UK government, the training network "will address critical skills shortages within the renewable energy industry", and according to the press release, the network is "paving the way for over 77,500 new jobs in UK wind, wave and tidal industries and supply chain within next ten years". This investment follows on a survey, Working for a Green Britain: Future Employment and Skills in the UK Wind & Marine Industries published by the association in July 2011. See the Training Network press release at: http://www.bwea.com/media/news/articles/pr20111006-1.html see Working for a Green Britain at: http://www.bwea.com/pdf/publications/Working_for_Green_Britain_V2.pdf ]]>

Economic Impact on Canada of GHG Emissions, and a Closer Look at the Forest Industry, Coastal Areas, and Human Health

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:07:25 +0000

Paying the Price: the Economic Impacts of Climate Change for Canada warns that unless global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and Canada invests in adaptation, the economic impacts of climate change on Canada could reach $5 billion per year by 2020, and between $21 and $43 billion per year by 2050. Because climate change impacts will differ by sector and by region, the report also considers adaptation strategies and provides estimates of economic impacts and cost-effectiveness of those strategies for three representative areas: timber supply, coastal areas and human health. Economic impacts are measured in changes to GDP, but the report does not specifically measure impacts on employment. Read Paying the price: the economic impacts of climate change for Canada (168 pages) at: http://nrtee-trnee.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/paying-the-price.pdf (English) and http://nrtee-trnee.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/prix-a-payer.pdf (French)]]>

Canada's Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainability Releases Audit Report

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:10:38 +0000

The report discusses the federal government's assessment of cumulative environmental effects of oil sands projects in northern Alberta, and its climate change plans under the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act. Among the findings: "decisions about oil sands projects have been based on incomplete, poor, or non-existent environmental information that has, in turn, led to poorly informed decisions". Regarding the climate change plans under the Kyoto Protocol, the Commissioner notes that the plans do not report the total amount of government funding, and that financial information for the individual measures is not reported consistently (and even that some of the measures do not include any financial information). In this report, the auditors determine the funding allocations associated with each measure in the plans, and conclude that the federal government allocated over $9.2 billion to implement its climate change plans.

See the Audit report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development at: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/docs/parl_cesd_201110_00_e.pdf (English) and http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/docs/parl_cesd_201110_00_f.pdf (French)
The reaction of the Pembina Institute is at: http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2276

]]>

Ontario Government Launches Review of Feed-in Tariffs

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:11:39 +0000

http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/fit-and-microfit-program/2-year-fit-review/]]>

How do International Labour Unions Conceptualize the Jobs vs. Environment Debate?

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:15:40 +0000

LINKS: Rathzel, Nora & Uzzell, David. 2011. "Trade unions and climate change: The jobs versus environment dilemma". Global Environmental Change 21 (4): 1215-1223. Available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/7307/2/Microsoft Word - GEC_Jobs-Environment.pdf]]>

New CAW Policy on Transportation puts Sustainability as a Priority

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:16:28 +0000

LINKS: We make it move: a vision for sustainable transportation at: http://www.caw.ca/en/10639.htm Press release about the Transportation conference at: http://www.caw.ca/en/10643.htm]]>

Greenbuild Conference in Toronto: October 4-7, 2011

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:18:11 +0000

Construction Looking Forward survey for 2011 was released in April 2011 and forecasts offer a detailed nine-year scenario of workforce supply and demand by trade, province and region. LINKS: Press release of the McGraw Hill Construction Green Jobs report is at: http://www.construction.com/AboutUs/2011/1004pr.asp Canada's Construction Sector Council (March 2011) Green Sustainable Building in Canada: Implications for the commercial and residential construction workforce can be ordered at no cost from: http://www.csc-ca.org/en/products/green-sustainable-building-canada-implications-commercial-and-residential-construction-work Construction Looking Forward 2011 National and Provincial reports are available at: http://www.csc-ca.org/en/products/2011-construction-looking-forward-forecast-reports-and-highlights]]>

Wind Energy Plan for B.C.

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:20:39 +0000

WindVision 2025: A Strategy for British Columbia, was released by the Canadian Wind Energy Association at its annual conference in Vancouver on October 4th. CanWEA believes that the share of wind energy as a percentage of total generation in the province can increase from the current 250 MW (megawatts) - or 1 % of electricity demand - to 5,250 MW, or 17 %, by the year 2025. If this is achieved, the Association projects over $3.7 billion of direct benefits to BC communities during the construction phase alone, generating an estimated 22,500 person-years of employment during construction, and 7,500 person-years of employment over the 20 to 25 year lifespan of the wind energy projects. LINKS: Windvision 2025 is available at: http://www.canwea.ca/pdf/canwea-bc-windvision-web-e.pdf The accompanying review of the plan by consultants ClearSky Advisors is available at: http://www.canwea.ca/pdf/clearsky-review-windvision-bc.pdf]]>

Canadian Marine Renewable Energy Industry Sets out its Vision and Strategy; Nova Scotia Develops Policies and Legislation

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:21:27 +0000

Charting the Course: Canada's Marine Renewable Energy Technology Roadmap sets a vision of becoming a world leader in marine energy,with a generating capacity, installed by Canadian industry, of 75 MW by 2016, 250 MW by 2020 and 2,000 MW by 2030, with an annual economic value of $2 billion. Regarding the skills demands of the industry, the report states that the marine renewable energy sector is applying general electrical engineering, ocean engineering, and marine operations expertise from other sectors. "As the sector grows, it is unclear whether future needs can be met through the training and expertise developed in other sectors alone. Building a marine renewable energy-specific knowledge base that addresses the specialized needs of the sector can focus efforts to establish a Canadian advantage". Specifically, the document calls for action to set up trades and technology programs in all aspects of marine renewable energy at community colleges between 2011 and 2016, while developing university programs in the same time frame. The goal is that by 2020-2030, 70% of skilled workers in the industry will come from Canadian community college and university programs.

In a report released to the public on September 21, Robert Fournier of Dalhousie University provided the government of Nova Scotia with a compilation of the views from public consultations on offshore wind and tidal energy in the province, and has made 27 recommendations for the future of marine renewable energy policy and legislation. In discussing the advantages of Nova Scotia for marine energy production, Fournier points out that in addition to the obvious natural advantage of the strong tides of the Bay of Fundy, "The Halifax-Dartmouth area is widely acknowledged to be among the top 5-6 global centers of marine-related research. These human skills are an important resource contributing to all facets of a fledging marine renewable energy initiative". The government has already accepted Dr. Fournier's recommendations and is in the process of developing a Marine Renewable Energy Strategy and new legislation. This swift action is in line with Nova Scotia's Renewable Electricity Plan and regulations, which lay out a legal requirement to achieve 25% renewable electricity supply by 2015, using only environmentally-friendly sources such as hydro, wind, solar, biomass, and tidal.

LINKS: Charting the Course: Canada's Marine Renewable Energy Technology Roadmap is available at: http://www.oreg.ca/web_documents/mre_roadmap_e.pdf The Fournier Report, Marine Renewable Energy Legislation: A Consultative Process. Report to the Government of Nova Scotia is available in English at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/resources/spps/public-consultation/marine-renewable-energy/Fournier-Report-English.pdf In French at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/resources/spps/public-consultation/marine-renewable-energy/Fournier-Report-French.pdf For a library of international documents concerning marine energy, please visit the Ocean Renewable Energy Group library at: http://www.oreg.ca/index.php?p=1_50]]>

A Call for Policy Changes to Create More and Better Jobs in Canada's Energy Sector

elizabethperry493 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:24:28 +0000

LINKS:

Climate Change and the Canadian Energy Sector: Implications for Labour and Trade Unions is available at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives website at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/climate-change-and-canadian-energy-sector For an earlier analysis by Calvert and Cohen, see their chapter (pages 48- 80) in What Do We Know? What Do We Need to Know? The State of Research On Work, Employment and Climate Change in Canada (Final Report)(2010) at the W3 website at: http://warming.apps01.yorku.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/What-do-we-know-full-report-final.pdf See commentary on the report on Keith Brooks' blog at BlueGreen Canada at: http://www.bluegreencanada.ca/node/117

]]>

Feed-in Tariff Programs and the WTO

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:27:56 +0000

LINKS: Feed-in Tariffs for Renewable Energy and WTO Subsidy Rules: an initial legal analysis by Marie Wilke of the ICTSD is available at: http://ictsd.org/i/publications/112508/]]>

Website to Monitor Country Actions on Mitigation

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:28:57 +0000

http://insights.wri.org/open-climate-network/2011/09/open-climate-network-launches-website-track-national-progress-climate-c]]>

Fife Wind Farm to Fund Apprenticeship Training

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:30:15 +0000

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2110580/fife-wind-farm-hails-green-apprenticeship]]>

Keystone Pipeline Protest Includes a Concern for Lost Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:30:57 +0000

LINKS: Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union Backgrounder on Keystone XL at: http://www.cep.ca/docs/en/110922-keystone-xl-backgrounder-e.pdf National Energy Board Reasons for Decision regarding the Keystone Pipeline, case OH-1-207, issued in September 2007. Note chapter 9, which summarizes the socio-economic arguments made by CEP, the Alberta Federation of Labour, Parkland Institute and Dr. Laxer at: https://www.neb.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/418396/446070/478070/477791/A1A4H2_-_Reasons_for_Decision_OH-1-2007.pdf?nodeid=477856&vernum=0 (English) https://www.neb.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/418396/446070/478070/477791/A1A4H3_-_Motifs_de_d%E9cision_OH-1-2007.pdf?nodeid=477859&vernum=0 (francais)]]>

Workplace Education Regarding Climate Change for B.C. Public Sector Workers

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:31:32 +0000

LINKS: Press release describing the initiative at: http://www.pics.uvic.ca/assets/pdf/news/MR_Short_Courses_29August2011.pdf Climate Insights 101 course at: http://www.pics.uvic.ca/insights/]]>

Jobs in the U.S. Recreational Tourism Sector

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:32:17 +0000

This report from the Center for American Progress reviews recent research in the United States on the direct, indirect, and induced jobs created by the conservation economy-recreational tourism, renewable energy, land restoration, and sustainable forestry and land management. The report estimates the size of the current job market in each of these sectors, with the disclaimer that these numbers are likely underestimated because of a scarcity of research on jobs in

restoration and forest management. The size of this sector is impressive, even if it is underestimated: recreation and tourism on Department of the Interior Lands is estimated at 388,000 jobs, with an additional 224,000 jobs on Forest Service Lands. The report makes 15 policy recommendations to encourage further job creation, including a call for increased effort to track the number of jobs and the economic impact of land conservation on rural communities.

LINKS: The Jobs case for Conservation: Creating opportunity through stewardship of America's public lands by Jessica Goad, Christy Goldfuss, and Tom Kenworthy is available at the Center for American Progress website at: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/pdf/public_lands.pdf ]]>

Solar Industry Shows Superior Job Growth

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:33:05 +0000

The most recent survey of the Canadian solar photovoltaic sector comes from the Canadian Solar Industry Association, in a report they commissioned from Clear Sky Advisors Inc. and released in July 2011. The Economic Impacts of the Solar Photovoltaic Sector in Ontario 2008-2018 states that the solar PV sector in Ontario provides 8,200 full-time jobs in 2011, and is projected to create over 74,000 jobs by 2018. As the report acknowledges in its scenarios, these projections depend on political support for long range energy policies.

LINKS: National Solar Jobs Census 2011 press release is at: http://www.thesolarfoundation.org/sites/thesolarfoundation.org/files/2011%20Jobs%20Census%20Topline%20Release%20FINAL.pdf The Solar Foundation homepage is at: http://thesolarfoundation.org/home/rich-history-bright-future Solyndra company press release of August 31 2011 is at: http://www.solyndra.com/news

"In Rush To Assist A Solar Company, U.S. Missed Signs", from the New York Times, September 23, 2011 at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/us/politics/in-rush-to-assist-solyndra-united-states-missed-warning-signs.html?_r=1&hp

PV Status Report by the European Commission Joint Research Centre is available at:

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/refsys/pdf/PV%20reports/PV%20Status%20Report%202011.pdf

The Economic Impacts of the Solar Photovoltaic Sector in Ontario 2008-2018 is available at: http://www.cansia.ca/sites/default/files/economic_impacts_of_the_solar_photovoltaic_sector_in_ontario_2008-2018_july_26_0.pdf]]>

A Plan and Green Jobs in a Greener Sector: British Columbia's Forestry Industry

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:33:50 +0000

LINKS: "Making the Case for a Carbon Focus and Green Jobs in BC's Forest Industry" by Ben Parfitt is available from a link at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/greenforests BC forestry missing out on great green job potential at:

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/bc-forestry-missing-out-great-green-job-potential is a conversational summary of the report by the author.

]]>

Forthcoming ILO Study on Skills for Green Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:35:33 +0000

Watch for an important new report, Skills for Green Jobs, to be released by the ILO Green Jobs Programme on October 15, 2011. It will examine the experiences of 21 developed and developing countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, India, South Korea, South Africa, France, Germany, Spain, U.K., and the U.S. Canada is not profiled. This comprehensive work identifies the sectors most affected by the shift to green restructuring, the changing and emerging occupations in major economic sectors, as well as gender implications. It concludes that, while a few new occupations will emerge in the transition to a greener economy, "massive change" will occur in existing occupations, and at all levels of occupations, across all sectors. Of note for further research: discussions of "Measuring and classifying green jobs and related skills", and "Identifying skill needs: Evaluating existing systems and tools". The report concludes that successful transition to a greener economy will require efficient re-training and skills upgrading, especially for the disadvantaged in the labour market. A key message is the need for coherence and coordination of environmental and skills policies. LINKS:

Summary and links to Skills for Green Jobs are available at: http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/forthcoming-publications/WCMS_159585/lang--en/index.htm. This webpage also provides links to detailed country study reports for each of the 21 countries summarized in Skills for Green Jobs.

]]>

United Nations 2011 World Economics and Social Survey

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:36:57 +0000

The Great Green Technological Transformation is available at: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wess/wess_current/2011wess.pdf. The report focuses on three themes: transition to renewable sources of energy; promotion of small-holder agriculture and environmentally-intelligent farming technology; and development of new technology to reduce disaster risk to adapt to climate change.]]>

International Renewable Energy Industry

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:37:33 +0000

Renewables 2011: Global Status Report was released in July by the Renewable Energy Global Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21). Since 2005, this annual has benchmarked market and industry trends (including investment flows & national policies) for all renewable energy sectors: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric. Note the table re:employment in renewables, by sector in Chapter 3. Renewables 2011 at: http://www.ren21.net/Portals/97/documents/GSR/REN21_GSR2011.pdf

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Australian Legislation Includes Carbon Pricing

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:38:14 +0000

The Australian government released drafts of several bills, including a carbon pricing mechanism, in a Clean Energy Legislative Package on July 28, 2011. See Securing a Clean Energy Future: the Australian Government's Climate Change Plan, and especially Chapter 5, Supporting Jobs, at: http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Consolidated-Final.pdf

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Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks in Canada and the U.S.

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:39:03 +0000

LINKS: Environment Canada. Consultation Document for Discussion of the Main Elements of the Proposed Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Engines at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/default.asp?lang=En&n=E826C69F-1 United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Regulations and Standards website compiles links to regulations and background information at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/climate/regulations.htm Canadian Trucking Alliance submission re the GHG reduction plan at: http://www.cantruck.ca/imispublic/Environment1/AM/ContentManagerNet/ContentDisplay.aspx?Section=Environment1&ContentID=8373]]>

Oil Sands Monitoring

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:40:02 +0000

http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=714D9AAE-1&news=DA1E8CBC-D0A6-4304-A1DD-A9206D0818AB See the full plan at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=56D4043B-1&news=7AC1E7E2-81E0-43A7-BE2B-4D3833FD97CE]]>

Quebec Cap and Trade

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:40:50 +0000

On July 6, the government of Quebec tabled regulations for a cap-and-trade system, based on the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) model. A 60-day consultation period is underway. The planned implementation of the system will be January 1, 2012, with only the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon trading required in year one. Read Dale Marshall's remarks from the David Suzuki Foundation website at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/climate-blog/2011/07/quebec-takes-next-step-towards-a-cap-and-trade-system/]]>

Ontario's Feed-in Tariff Program Moves Closer to Arbitration at the WTO

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:41:26 +0000

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds412_e.htm]]>

Education and Competency Standards for Green Occupations in Canada

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:43:27 +0000

LINKS: Post-Secondary Environmental Education in Canada at: http://www.eco.ca/pdf/ECO-Secondary-Education-RPT-2011.pdf Competencies for GHG Professionals: National Occupational Standards at: http://www.eco.ca/pdf/2009-NOS-for-Greehouse-Gas-Professionals.pdf Building Operators Scoping Study: 2011 Labour Market Research Study at: http://www.eco.ca/pdf/2011-Building-Operator-Scoping-Study.pdf]]>

Modelling the Impact of Clean Energy Innovation

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:44:26 +0000

LINKS: The Impact of Clean Energy Innovation: Examining the Impact of Clean Energy Innovation on the United States Energy System and Economy at: http://www.google.org/energyinnovation/The_Impact_of_Clean_Energy_Innovation.pdf]]>

Detailed Data and Policy Recommendations for the U.S. Clean Economy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:45:12 +0000

Sizing the Clean Economy, published by the Brookings Institute in July 2011, claims to be "the first study of the U.S. clean economy to provide timely information that is both comprehensive enough in its scope and detailed enough in its categorization to inform national, state, and regional leaders on the dynamics of the U.S. low-carbon and environmental goods and services "super-sector" as they are transpiring in regions and metropolitan areas". Of the U.S. green economy between 2003 to 2010, the report finds: Clean economy jobs are predominantly in manufacturing (26%, compared to 9% green jobs in the economy as a whole) and provide more opportunities with better pay for lower-skilled workers. Highly trained innovators-scientists, engineers, and architects-are disproportionately demanded by the clean economy. 64 percent of all current clean economy jobs and 75 percent of its newer jobs created between 2003 to 2010 congregated in the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The report's discussion and policy recommendations emphasize the need for detailed regional and local market labour market information. LINKS: Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment at: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/Programs/Metro/clean_economy/0713_clean_economy.pdf]]>

Green Expectations

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:46:09 +0000

LINKS: Green Expectations: Lessons from the US Green Jobs Market, published by the Institute for Public Policy Research in the U.K. at: http://www.ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2011/07/green-expectations_July2011_7756.pdf ]]>

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Jobs, Groth and Warmer Homes: Economic Stimulus of Investing in Energy Efficiency Evaluated in the UK

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:10:34 +0000

Jobs, Growth and Warmer Homes: Evaluating the Economic Stimulus of Investing in Energy Efficiency Measures in Fuel Poor Homes. Final Report for Consumer Focus by Cambridge Econometrics can be found at: http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/files/2012/11/Jobs-growth-and-warmer-homes-November-2012.pdf]]>

Stewarding the Green Agenda - the Role of Union in the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy and the Green Skills Agenda

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:13:41 +0000

Stewarding the Green Agenda provides recommendations for the trade union role in the transition to a low carbon economy and the green skills agenda, and describes how trade unions in the U.K. are currently leading or 'stewarding' the transition through dialogue and advocacy with government. The report was commissioned by the TUC's Unionlearn and conducted by Capacity Global. Stewarding the Green Skills Agenda can be found at:

http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications/stewarding-green-skills-agenda

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Comprehensive Assessment on Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability in Europe Released

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:14:52 +0000

Climate Change, Impacts and Vulnerability in Europe 2012. This report assesses observed and projected climate change and associated impacts on ecosystems, society and human health in Europe based on more than 40 indicators. Compiled by about 100 authors and contributors, it is the most comprehensive assessment on climate change impacts in Europe so far. Read the press release in all official EEA languages at: http://www.eea.europa.eu/pressroom/newsreleases/climate-change-evident-across-europe The full Report is available at: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/climate-impacts-and-vulnerability-2012/]]>

Global Coal Risk Assessment Report Released

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:17:05 +0000

Global Coal Risk Assessment: Data Analysis and Market Research, a working paper by Ailun Yang and Yiyun Cui, was released by the World Resources Institute on November 20. Using estimates from the International Energy Agency, the report states that global coal consumption reached 7,238 million tonnes in 2010. Original research by the authors shows that 1,199 new coal-fired plants with a total installed capacity of 1,401,268 MW are being proposed globally, in 59 countries. China (with 363 proposed new coal plants) and India (with 455) together account for 76% of the proposed new coal power capacities. Canada ranks 13th in current consumption and has no proposed coal projects; the U.S. has 36. See summary at:

http://insights.wri.org/news/2012/11/new-global-assessment-reveals-nearly-1200-proposed-coal-fired-power-plants

Full Report at:http://pdf.wri.org/global_coal_risk_assessment.pdf ]]>

Ontario Weakening its Push to Reduce GHG Emissions?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:17:45 +0000

A Question of Commitment, on December 4th, the 2012 edition of his annual review of the government's Climate Change Action Plan. The report points out the weakening of policies meant to reduce GHG's in the province, including the Green Commercial Vehicle Program cancellation despite achieving reductions that were 350% higher than expected; cuts to the Electric Vehicle Programs; High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes delayed; and the absence of a plan to join the Western Climate Initiatives' emissions trading program. The report, A Question of Commitment, can be found at: http://www.eco.on.ca/index.php/en_US/pubs/greenhouse-gas-reports/2012-greenhouse-gas]]>

Jobs in U.S. Solar Industry Increasing

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:18:23 +0000

National Solar Jobs Census report, which found that the U.S. solar industry currently employs 119,016 Americans. This figure represents the addition of 13,872 new solar workers and a 13.2% employment growth rate over the past 12 months. 86% of the nearly 14,000 new solar workers added since August 2011 represent new jobs, rather than existing positions that have added solar responsibilities. The report, produced by The Solar Foundation and in partnership with BW Research and Cornell University, was released on November 14th, 2012, at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council's Clean Energy Workforce Education Conference in Albany, NY. National Solar Jobs Census Report is available at: http://thesolarfoundation.org/sites/thesolarfoundation.org/files/TSF%20Solar%20Jobs%20Census%202012%20Final.pdf]]>

Sustainable Energy for All: the Business Opportunity

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:18:56 +0000

Sustainable Energy for All: The Business Opportunity. The reports identify priority activities and challenges for businesses to support the UN Secretary-General's Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative. The reports are based on research and interviews with more than 70 companies and cover 19 industries. Key priority areas for action identified include: improving energy efficiency in operations; increasing the use of renewable energy; reusing waste streams; and increasing in stakeholder engagement and advocacy. The full report, Sustainable Energy for All: the Business Opportunity is available at: http://www.accenture.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDF/Accenture-Sustainable-Energy-for-All-The-Business-Opportunity.pdf#zoom=50 with individual industry reports available from: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/Environment/Environment_Guidance_Material/sefa_industry_focused_reports.html]]>

Canada's Climate Change Policy Ranks Worst in the OECD Countries

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:19:37 +0000

The Climate Change Performance Index for 2013 was released this month at the Doha climate talks. The report compares the top 58 CO2 emitting nations in the world- the countries listed being responsible for 90% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. The Index compares emissions trends, emissions levels and climate policies, and Canada ranked last overall. Published by Germanwatch and the Climate Action Network Europe, the Climate Change Performance Index for 2013 full report, as well as links to tables and maps can be found at: http://germanwatch.org/en/5698 ]]>

The Green Budget Coalition Releases Recommendations for 2013

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:20:29 +0000

The Green Budget Coalition's Recommendations for Budget 2013 was released in November, with the following "feature recommendations" for the federal budget: 1) Subsidy Reform in the Extractive Industries; 2) National Conservation Plan: Securing Canada's Natural Advantage for Future Generations; 3) Strengthening Canada's Environmental Law and Science Capacity; and 4) Green Infrastructure in First Nations Communities. Regarding the reform of extractive industries such as oil and gas, the Coalition proposes three changes: enable the Canadian Exploration Expenses (CEE) subsidy only for unsuccessful exploration; remove the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance (ACCA) for the mining sector; and do not renew the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) for flow-through shares. The report includes a table, which costs each recommendation; for example, the subsidy reforms, they estimate, would combine to produce a savings of approximately $345 million per year. The Green Budget Coalition (GBC) was founded in 1999, and brings together sixteen leading Canadian environmental and conservation organizations.

LINKS: Recommendations for Budget 2013 is available at: http://www.cela.ca/sites/cela.ca/files/876GBCRecommendationsBudget2013.pdf Archive of past annual recommendations is at: http://www.cela.ca/collections/justice/green-budget-coalition

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New Tools for Employment Counsellors Focus on Green Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:21:54 +0000

A report, titled Emerging Green Jobs in Canada released in summer, 2012 provides insight into the changing labour market and its potential for entry-level employment in the green economy. The report consists of a two-part literature review on the green economy and specifically on the renewable energy and energy conservation sectors and the skills needed to secure entry-level positions for job seekers. It includes tools for employment counsellors and job developers, including an inventory of training programs and employers, an online and interactive map of renewable energy and energy conservation projects across Canada, and case studies on five successful green jobs training programs. The report was published by the Green Skills Network with the support of the Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC).

Also useful to employment counsellors are two new profiles added to the Green Careers series by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in September 2012: Careers in Environmental Remediation (#8) and Geothermal Energy (#9). Both reports follow the template of this Career Guide series by defining and describing the work, identifying the major occupations, and providing job descriptions, current labour force statistics and wage information, and training requirements for each occupation. Also from the summer 2012 issue of the BLS Occupational Outlook Quarterly, an article titled Electric Vehicle Careers: On the Road to Change.

LINKS: Emerging Green Jobs in Canada Report, released in Summer 2012: http://ceric.ca/files/PDFs/Emerging%20Green%20Jobs%20in%20Canada.pdf Green Skills Network Website: http://www.firstwork.org/wp/2010/06/green-skills-network-main/ US BLS Career Guide #8, Environmental Remediation:

http://www.bls.gov/green/environmental_remediation/remediation.pdf

Career Guide #9, Geothermal Energy: http://www.bls.gov/green/geothermal_energy/geothermal.pdf The article Electric Vehicle Careers: On the Road to Change is available at: http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2012/summer/art02.pdf

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Climate Change and New Organizational Landscapes

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:23:13 +0000

The journal of Organization Studies has released a special issue for November 2012 titled Climate Change and the Emergence of New Organizational Landscapes, by Guest editors Bettina B. F. Wittneben, Chukwumerije Okereke, Subhabrata Bobby Banerjee and David L. Levy. The editors state in their introductory article: "Given the urgency of the problem and the need for a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy, there is a pressing need for organization scholars to develop a better understanding of apathy and inertia in the face of the current crisis and to identify paths toward transformative change." The issue includes such articles as "Hippies on the Third Floor: Climate Change, Narrative Identity and the Micro-Politics of Corporate Environmentalism" by Christopher Wright, Daniel Nyberg, and David Grant of the University of Sydney, Australia. LINK: Organization Studies, (November 2012) v. 33 #11 is available at the Sage website: http://oss.sagepub.com/content/current

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Northern Gateway Pipeline Hearings Ongoing

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:23:56 +0000

A new study, Potential Economic Impact of a Tanker Spill on Ocean- Based Industries in British Columbia, looks at the potential economic impact of a tanker spill on B.C.'s ocean-based industries. Ocean-based industries are vitally important to the coastal communities of northern B.C., where 30% of the local population has some form of employment linked to the industry. The authors consider the potential economic costs of a hydrocarbon spill from a tanker along the proposed shipping routes, something that has not previously been quantified. Three scenarios, including no impact, medium impact and high impact are calculated in the report. The findings show how a medium impact spill would mean that 30%, 16% and 33% of the projected output value, employment and contribution to GDP of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project could be lost to the spill. In the case of a higher impact spill, the percentages of the projected benefits from the Enbridge Northern Gateway project that could be lost to the spill are 49%, 52% and 70%, respectively. The results take into account the market-based value of four ocean-based industries and do not account for clean up, litigation and other cultural, social and environmental damages. LINKS: The report Potential Economic Impact of a Tanker Spill on Ocean Based Industries in British Columbia, by Ngaio Hotte and U. Rashid Sumaila of the Fisheries Centre, UBC can be found at: http://www.fisheries.ubc.ca/publications/potential-economic-impact-tanker-spill-ocean-based-industries-british-columbia A summary of the issues from the Globe and Mail can be found at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/enbridge-opponents-spar-over-pipelines-risks/article6221920/

The full schedule of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Joint Review Panel hearings, with links to transcripts, can be accessed at: http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/prtcptngprcss/hrng-eng.html

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Governments Urged to be More Aggressive on Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:24:29 +0000

Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must Be Avoided, was released by the World Bank on November 19. The report, prepared for the bank by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Climate Analytics, says global mean temperatures are now about 0.8°C above pre-industrial levels and are set to be 4°Celsius warmer by end of this century. The report warns the world is on track to a "4°C world" which will be marked by extreme heat-waves and life-threatening sea level rise. Adverse effects of global warming will be most damaging to the world's poorest regions, and likely to undermine development efforts and goals. The World Bank suggests governments must be more aggressive in tackling climate change if the worst effects are to be avoided.

LINKS:

See the full report, Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must Be Avoided at: http://climatechange.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/Turn_Down_the_heat_Why_a_4_degree_centrigrade_warmer_world_must_be_avoided.pdf A summary of the report can be found at: http://climatechange.worldbank.org/content/climate-change-report-warns-dramatically-warmer-world-century An overview of the data in the form of an infographic can be viewed here: http://climatechange.worldbank.org/content/4-degree-warmer-world-we-must-and-can-avoid-it-infographic

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Doha Convention Update and Emissions Gap Report

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:25:10 +0000

DOHA CONVENTION UPDATE & EMISSIONS GAP REPORT

The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place from 26 November to 7 December 2012 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha, Qatar. The Doha Summit faced a number of significant challenges, as this year marks the end of the first phase and the need to extend the Kyoto Protocol before it lapses at the end of the year. According to a summary compiled by the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions, some of the key decisions include: the adoption of an amendment to the Kyoto Protocol establishing a second round of binding greenhouse gas emission targets for Europe, Australia and a handful of other developed countries; finalized decisions under a parallel negotiating track launched in 2007 in Bali that produced new mechanisms on finance, review, adaptation and technology, as well as voluntary emission pledges from 94 countries; the beginning of a new phase in which all the major issues will be negotiated within a single track called the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action; the Durban Platform calls for an outcome with legal force "applicable to all" starting in 2020. Related to the Doha Convention, The Emissions Gap Report 2012 has been released, coordinated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Climate Foundation. The report includes an update on global GHG emissions estimates, an estimate of emissions consistent with the 2° C target in 2020, 2030 and 2050, as well as a look at progress being made in certain parts of the world leading to substantial emissions reductions, and how successful initiatives can be scaled up.

LINKS:

The official UNFCCC website is at: http://unfccc.int/meetings/doha_nov_2012/meeting/6815.php

For a background paper on Canada at Doha by Clare Demerse and P.J. Partington, from Pembina Institute released on November 26, see: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2394

A helpful summary of G8+5 Country Climate Change Positions by Climatico can be found at: http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/11/Summary-of-G8+5-Climate-Change-Positions.pdf A summary of the outcomes of the Doha Conventions written by the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions the can be found at: http://www.c2es.org/docUploads/c2es-cop-18-summary.pdf The Emissions Gap Report 2012, is at: http://www.unep.org/pdf/2012gapreport.pdf Emissions Gap summary and accompanying documents available from:

http://www.unep.org/publications/ebooks/emissionsgap2012/ ]]>

Report Makes the Case for Shifting Subsidides from Oil and Gas to Renewable Energy to Crete Jobs and Address Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:26:11 +0000

More Bang for our Buck from Blue Green Canada is a report describing the job creation potential of investing the $1.3 billion in federal subsidies, now given to the oil and gas sector, in renewable energy, energy efficiency and public transit. The results show that six to eight times more jobs could be created:18,000-20,000 jobs in clean energy sectors vs. 2,300 jobs in oil and gas. The report questions the current pace of expansion of the oil sands industry and calls for a plan to transition to clean energy. The global job market in renewable energy is growing, and the report documents the fact that approximately 5 million people were employed in the sector worldwide last year. LINKS: More Bang for our Buck: How Canada Can Create More Energy Jobs and Less Pollution, full Report:

http://bluegreencanada.ca/sites/default/files/resources/More%20Bang%20for%20Buck%20Nov%202012%20FINAL%20WEB.pdf

Brief summary and graphic: http://bluegreencanada.ca/more-bang-for-our-buck

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A Defence of Green Stimulus

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:27:47 +0000

New Labor Forum, Robert Pollin of PERI defends the results of the green stimulus program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), arguing that it was envisioned as a 5-year program, but was judged after 2 years in the U.S. election campaign of 2012. See his 4-page article, Getting Real on Jobs and the Environment: Pipelines, Fracking, or Clean Energy? at http://www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/other_publication_types/magazine___journal_articles/Pollin--Getting_Real_on_Jobs-Environment---NLF_9-12.pdf.]]>

Public Approval of Carbon Tax Slipping in B.C.

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:32:22 +0000

In an online survey of British Columbians commissioned by the Pembina Institute and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions at the University of Victoria, 79% of respondents stated that they are concerned about global warming. A majority are willing to pay more carbon tax if the revenue is directed toward social programs such as health care, education, or reduction of greenhouse gas pollution; 70% would oppose carbon tax increases if the revenue were used to reduce taxes on corporations. In general though, support for the B.C. carbon tax has dropped by 12% since 2011, according to this survey. See http://pics.uvic.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/MR_Carbon%20Tax%20Poll_19Oct2012_0.pdf for more information.]]>

TUC Continues its Focus on the Green Economy

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:33:45 +0000

Green Economy Study. Downloadable resources are available at http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-21611-f0.cfm. For more information about the TUC, see the latest Green Workplaces newsletter at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-21567-f0.cfm. ]]>

Environmental Activists Gather in Ottawa

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:34:26 +0000

http://www.wearepowershift.ca/about-1, including videos of some of the speeches (Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben). For thoughts on the relationship of the labour movement and environmental activists, read "Pondering Powershift 2012: What's up with Canada's Blue-Green Alliance?" by Joel Davison Harden in the latest issue of Our Times at http://ourtimes.ca/Between_Times/article_242.php. A manual published in Summer 2012 by the Labor Solidarity Network in the U.S. offers specific guidance to reduce such blue-green tensions. Jobs Beyond Coal: A Manual for Communities, Workers, and Environmentalists by Jeremy Brecher is "intended for communities, unions, environmentalists, native tribes, public officials, and anyone involved in or affected by coal retirement campaigns." It outlines strategies and techniques to help those campaigning for renewable energy to win support and reduce opposition from workers, unions and communities. See http://report.labor4sustainability.org/coal_2012.pdf.]]>

Regional Case Studies of Alternative Energy Lead to a Vision

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:34:58 +0000

LINK: Regional Energy, National Solutions: A Real Energy Vision for America is available at http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/RER_full.pdf ]]>

U.S. Case Studies of Energy Efficiency as a Job Creator

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:36:04 +0000

An October report by the American Council for an Energy- Efficient Economy (ACEEE) provides six case studies that showcase the direct, indirect and induced jobs resulting from energy efficiency projects at: OPower, New York City Greener Greater Buildings, Nissan North America, Ohio Low-income Weatherization, Johnson Controls (Wisconsin), and General Electric Appliance Park. The case studies describe programs, policies, investments, partnerships, and business models. It also includes "Job Analysis 101", a useful, non-technical explanation of how the ACEEE arrives at its job creation estimates, with clear definitions of the terms used.

LINKS:

Energy Efficiency Job Creation: Real World Experiences by Casey Bell is available at http://aceee.org/files/pdf/white-paper/energy-efficiency-job-creation.pdf What is an energy efficient job? at http://aceee.org/blog/2012/10/what-energy-efficiency-job is a related blog which summarizes this report but also includes discussion of the methodology in the form of questions from readers, with answers by Casey Bell.

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Wind Energy in Quebec

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:36:44 +0000

At its annual conference in Toronto in October, the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) projected that 60% of Canada's wind power installations in 2012 will occur in Quebec. In November 2012, the association released several documents produced in 2010, including a comprehensive economic impact study of the wind energy sector in Québec produced by Hatch Consulting and economist Jean-Claude Thibodeau. LINKS: See WindVision 2025: A Strategy for Quebec (in English) at http://www.canwea.ca/windvision_quebec_e.php. Supporting documents are all available in French only, and include the economic impact study, Études retombées économiques de la filière de l'énergie éolienne sur le Québec et en Gaspésie, 2005 - 2025 at: http://www.canwea.ca/pdf/economic_benefits_qc_full_fr.pdf, along with the results of a Leger Marketing survey of Quebeckers about wind energy, done in Jan/February 2012 at http://www.canwea.ca/pdf/Rapport-Omnibus-2012.pdf. ]]>

WTO Ruling on Ontario's Green Energy Act Local Content Provisions

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:37:26 +0000

Although the official World Trade Organization decision is not scheduled until the end of November, a leaked confidential interim decision indicates that the decision has gone against Ontario. An October 15th report in the Globe and Mail is based on a report by the Geneva-based International Centre on Trade and Sustainable Development, which states that the a three-member WTO panel has sided with the EU and Japan in their claim that Ontario's local content provisions violate the WTO's non-discrimination principle enshrined in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS). Unions and environmental groups are calling for the federal and Ontario governments to appeal the decision in order to protect the fledgling green manufacturing industry in Ontario and the cause of sustainable development.

LINKS:

"Ontario loses WTO ruling on green energy policies: reports", by Robert Blackwell in the Globe and Mail, October 15 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ontario-loses-wto-ruling-on-green-energy-policies-reports/article4614805/?cmpid=rss1 International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development report is at http://ictsd.org/i/trade-and-sustainable-development-agenda/147275/

Unions and environmental groups denounce preliminary WTO ruling against Ontario renewable energy policy by Stewart Trew at the Rabble.ca website at http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/council-canadians/2012/10/unions-and-environmental-groups-denounce-preliminary-wto-ru

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The Supply Side of Green Jobs in Ontario: An Interview of Training Opportunities

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:39:29 +0000

A recent report by some of Ontario's workforce development agencies summarizes the employment and training opportunities for the green economy in the Greater Toronto area since the enactment of Ontario's Green Energy Act in 2009. A major focus of the report was to assemble a comprehensive database of skill-building programs in the GTA, reflected in a 20-page list of programs. Ontario community colleges have introduced 35 new diploma courses relating to the greening employment industry, and there are more than 165 organizations (including NGO's, labour unions and non-profits) which offer some 370 green skill building courses. The report also identifies the grants (at all three levels of government) and organizations which have provided both private and public funding for training initiatives. Tending Green Shoots is a joint publication of the Durham Region Local Training Board, Toronto Workforce Innovation Group, Peel Halton Workforce Development Group, and the Workforce Planning Board of York Region and Bradford West Gwillumbury. LINKS: Tending Green Shoots: Green Skillbuilding Programs in the GTA is available at: http://workforceinnovation.ca/sites/default/files/TWIG_GreenReport_WebVersion_V8-1.pdf

The Toronto Workforce Innovation Group has published 5 reports on the green economy in the GTA since April 2012. They are all available at: http://www.workforceinnovation.ca/workforce-development-trends/green-economy/twig-research-and-actions]]>

National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy Issues its Final Report

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:40:17 +0000

On October 18th, Canada's National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy published Framing the Future: Embracing a Low-Carbon Economy. The report begins from the position that "Canada is unprepared to compete in a carbon constrained world." It outlines a low-carbon growth framework and action steps to achieve four main objectives: stimulate innovation, mobilize investment, enhance market access, and foster talent and skills development. The authors identify essential conditions required for future growth in all areas, emphasizing that "of all our key components of a low-carbon strategy, the most important and necessary is the establishment of long-term certainty on climate, energy, and innovation policies." Throughout the report, definitions are important. This is not a report about the "green economy", rather, "we are exclusively focusing on the actions needed to bring about the low-carbon aspect of the "green economy". The discussion is based on data and analysis about "low carbon growth sectors (LCGS)", which are defined as energy (traditional and alternative), industrial processes, buildings, and efficient vehicles. Referring to our knowledge of the labour market, the authors cite two main problems: an unclear definition of green jobs and a lack of baseline information. In masterful understatement, they conclude that "The fact remains that Canada's statistical capacity is not attuned to tracking growth in the low-carbon economy". Despite these problems, the report provides statistical estimates: first, based on commissioned analysis by Analytica, it estimates the 2010 low-carbon economy direct employment at approximately 42,000 FTE (96,000 when indirect and induced employment is added). Second, using the CIMS model and Statistics Canada data to project performance and labour inputs by sector, it projects total labour inputs (direct, indirect and induced jobs) of 224,000 in 2050 under its Reference Case and 402,000 under its carbon-constrained scenario. LINK: Framing the Future: Embracing a Low-Carbon Economy is available at: http://nrtee-trnee.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/framing-the-future-report-eng.pdf (English) and Définir notre avenir: Vers une économie faible en carbone est disponible à http://nrtee-trnee.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/framing-the-future-report-fra.pdf This is the last in a six-part "Climate Prosperity" series and the final report of the organization. Note that the NRTEE will officially cease to exist on March 31, 2013.]]>

Carbon Disclosure Report Ranks Corporate Performance Re Emissions Reductions

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:41:24 +0000

did not respond to the CDP request for information: Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Royal Bank of Canada, Caterpillar, and Amazon.com. LINKS: The Carbon Disclosure Project website is at: https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/Pages/HomePage.aspx CDP Global 500 Climate Change Report 2012: Business resilience in an uncertain, resource-constrained world is at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-Global-500-Climate-Change-Report-2012.pdf (see intro at ) https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/Pages/global500.aspx CDP S&P 500 Climate Change Report 2012 (U.S. companies) is at https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-SP500-2012.pdf Measurement for Management: CDP Cities 2012 Global Report is available at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-Cities-2012-Global-Report.pdf]]>

Climate Smart Agriculture

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:42:46 +0000

Greening the Economy with Climate-Smart Agriculture, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), clarifies the evolving concept of "climate smart agriculture", which includes both mitigation and adaptation. The paper was released at the Second Global Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change in Hanoi, Vietnam in September. See Greening the Economy with Climate-Smart Agriculture at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap401e/ap401e.pdf]]>

Tourism and Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:43:10 +0000

Climate Change and Tourism Policy in OECD Countries is a joint publication of the Organisation for Economic Development and the United Nations Environment Program; the lead author of the report is Stefan Gossling of the Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism, Western Norway Research Institute. The full report is available at: http://www.oecd.org/cfe/tourism/48681944.pdf]]>

New Website to Share Green Policies in Ontario Municipalities

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:44:02 +0000

http://www.ogph.ca/ .]]>

U.S. Data Release on Green Goods and Service Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:44:37 +0000

Occupational Employment and Wages in Green Goods and Services Summary provides data based on a sample of approximately 93,000 businesses in 333 industries. Using the BLS output approach to measuring green jobs, the GGS-OCC defines green jobs as "jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources". See the report at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ggsocc.pdf and note item #2 in this issue re previous BLS releases: THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN JOBS by Pollard at the Economic Policy Institute.]]>

U.S. Election: What they are Saying about the Wind Energy Tax Credit, Solyndra, and the Clean Economy

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:45:06 +0000

Jobs Blow away as Congress fails to act on Wind Energy (Bloomberg Business Week, Oct. 7 2012) at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-07/jobs-blow-away-as-congress-fails-to-act-on-wind-energy . For an impartial point of view, see A Voter's Guide to the Climate and Energy Policy Positions of Obama and Romney at the website of the non-partisan Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) at: http://www.c2es.org/publications/2012-voter-guide, and Fact Check.org at http://factcheck.org/, which includes Romney's Clean Energy Whoppers (from the 1st Presidential Debate) at: http://factcheck.org/2012/10/romneys-clean-energy-whoppers/.]]>

GreenJobs BC Workshop

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:46:15 +0000

http://greenjobsbc.org/events/2012-conference/ for summaries of some of the conference presentations (case studies of greening the post office, energy efficiency retrofitting, and greening one hospital employees union local). Related information is at the website of The Columbia Institute, the Secretariat for GreenJobs B.C., at http://www.columbiainstitute.ca/. Work in a Warming World (W3) was a co-organizer of the conference, and also organized a workshop on Climate Change and Work, with the Morgan Centre for Labour Research of Simon Fraser University. See http://greenjobsbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/W3_SFU_Workshop_Sept-211.pdf for a full workshop agenda.]]>

Britain's Trade Union Congress Calls for Long-Range Planning for a Just, Low-Carbon Economy

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:48:48 +0000

With the belief that a shift to a lower carbon economy is necessary and inevitable, the TUC looks ahead to the economic disruption likely to flow from new environmental regulation and the establishment of carbon markets in the next decade, and calls for more proactive government leadership and planning. In A Green and Fair Future for a Just Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy, the TUC outlines 5 principles that must be present to affect a "just transition", including employee representation and involvement in decision-making bodies dealing with environmental transition, long-term planning necessary to achieve stable, safe employment; a fair distribution of costs across all levels of society; and a high level of commitment to change from government, trade unions and employer federations. The report focuses on the current state of public discussion and policy in the U.K., but surveys "Just Transition" initiatives in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Spain, and the EU. Research for the document was performed by the Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University, and included interviews with officers from key unions, government advisors on environmental transition, representatives of NGOs and policy think tanks in the U.K.

LINK: A Green and Fair Future for a Just Transition to a Low Carbon Economy is available at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/touchstone/Justtransition/greenfuture.pdf

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Retrofitting as a Source of Good Green Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:49:26 +0000

A briefing paper by the National Employment Law Project in the U.S. argues that retrofitting, especially in the commercial real estate industry (CRE), is a textbook example of the concept of the "triple bottom line": profit, people and planet. The paper summarizes earlier reports on the job creation potential of retrofitting (see links below), discusses energy efficiency standards and financing arrangements, and finally focuses on a call for policies and practices to promote decent jobs, such as the retrofitting initiatives in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Seattle. LINKS: Rebuilding Our Way to a Sustainable Recovery: Making Commercial Building Retrofit Jobs into Quality Jobs for Our Communities, available at the National Employment Law Project website at: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/Job_Creation/CRE_Retrofits_Issue_Brief.pdf?nocdn=1 A New Retrofit Industry: An analysis of the job creation potential of tax incentives for energy efficiency in commercial buildings and other components of the Better Buildings Initiative (June 2011) at the U.S. Green Building Council website at: http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=9531 and Analysis of Job Creation and Energy Cost Savings From Building Energy Rating and Disclosure Policy (2012) available at the Institute for Market Transformation website at: http://www.imt.org/uploads/resources/files/Analysis_Job_Creation.pdf. The City of Seattle's Community High Road Agreement: Good Faith Stakeholder Engagement and Empowerment at: http://www.communitypowerworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/CPW-HRA-Case-Study.pdf ]]>

Call for New Information Technology Standards to Link it to the Environment and Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:50:28 +0000

Green Growth and Climate Change Commitments: The ICT Sector Shows the Way. The document calls for governments to recognize the ICT sector's potential to contribute to climate change mitigation and economic recovery, claiming that the "The total savings of applying ICT to key sectors of the economy are estimated at 7.8 Gt of CO2e, which represents 15% of global emissions." The declaration calls for future actions, and briefly describes accomplishments of such IT companies as AT&T, Cisco, Dell, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Nokia Seimens. Green Standards Week was organized by the International Telecommunications Union (A United Nations agency with government and private sector membership) and TechAmerica Europe, and hosted by Microsoft. LINK: Paris Declaration, Green Growth and Climate Change Commitments: The ICT Sector Shows the Way is available at: http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/oth/4B/04/T4B040000190001PDFE.pdf]]>

Using Information Technology to Improve Sustainable Operations in U.S. Government Workplaces

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:51:22 +0000

A new report from The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) (formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change) provides 8 case studies to highlight how the U.S. federal government is using innovative information and communication technology to achieve efficiencies, reduce operating budgets, and reduce energy consumption. One of the pilot projects, led by the General Services Administration (the landlord of federal government buildings), combines the latest mobility and collaboration tools with flexible office layout and telework to reduce office space requirements, resulting in a 45% reduction in energy use. Changes were guided by a Space Advisory Committee (composed of non-supervisory employees, union representatives and the GSA project team), and included regular communication to and from employees, training on the new technology tools, and management buy-in symbolized by the sacrifice of individual office space by managers. In an employee satisfaction survey at the conclusion of the pilot project, 78% of workers responded that the new workspace "adequately supported personal productivity". Other interventions highlighted in case studies: reduction of printing, migration to email cloud services, improved energy efficiency in building standards, use of alternative energy, and improved fleet management. LINKS: Leading by Example: Using Information and Communication Technologies to achieve Federal Sustainability Goals (all case studies) is available at: http://www.c2es.org/publications/leading-by-example-federal-sustainability-and-ict?utm_source=Center+for+Climate+and+Energy+Solutions+newsletter+list&utm_campaign=dd4b8608e1-September_2012_Newsletter&utm_medium=email . GSA's Prototype Alternative Workspace: Redesigning the Federal Workplace for the 21st Century is available at: http://www.c2es.org/docUploads/federal-sustainability-ict-gsa-prototype-workspace.pdf. ]]>

Are Canadian MBA and Engineering Students Learning to Deal with Sustainability Issues?

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:52:06 +0000

In its 9th annual survey of the sustainability content in Canadian university programs, Corporate Knights ("the company for clean capitalism") has focused on MBA and Engineering programs, using the rationale that corporate responsibility is most usually the result of CEO beliefs, and since 63 % of the executives for the top 10 TSX-traded companies hold either an MBA or an engineering degree, the education of these professionals is a necessary precondition of progress toward sustainability in corporate decision-making. As in every other year that the survey has ranked MBA programs, Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto has ranked at the top. This year, the Master of Environment and Business (MEB) program at the University of Waterloo ranked second. In general, the survey calls for improvements in MBA course content and institutional support: for example, more opportunities for sustainability-oriented internships, and more sustainability-themed courses in the core curriculum.

Amongst engineering programs, University of Toronto ranked first, followed by University of Western Ontario, and L'Université Laval. Overall, the survey finds only 43% of engineering schools provide course specializations relevant to sustainability concerns, and only 30% offering relevant joint degrees. AND FOR PRACTISING ENGINEERS.... A survey published in May 2012 measured the knowledge and awareness to climate change adaptation of Canadian professional engineers practicing in five categories of built infrastructure: water, transportation, energy, buildings, and resource extraction/processing. The survey reveals that 70% of engineers agree that a changing climate affects their engineering decisions, (with lower than average agreement in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and higher than average in Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, and the North). However, only 10% of engineers indicate that they "always consider the impacts of a changing climate in their decisions." Only 3% of engineers have already used or intend to use the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) Protocol; 7% are somewhat familiar with it, and approximately 80% are not at all familiar. The survey was sponsored by Engineers Canada, was conducted between December 2011 and February 2012, and updates a 2007 survey.

LINKS: 2012 Knights School Survey, September 2012, including complete rankings and survey methodology, is available at: http://corporateknights.com/report/2012-knight-schools-survey A Higher Degree of Sustainability by Jeremy Runnalls (overview) is at: http://corporateknights.com/report/2012-knight-schools-survey/higher-degree-sustainability National Survey of Canada's Infrastructure Engineers about Climate Change is available at the Engineers Canada website at:http://www.engineerscanada.ca/files/csa_report_2012_eng.pdf]]>

Green Jobs: Analysis, Statistics and Definitions for OECD Countries

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:52:49 +0000

The 2012 edition of the annual OECD Employment Outlook Report was released in August, and includes Chapter 4: "What green growth means for workers and labour market policies: An initial assessment". The chapter is a summary version of a study released by the OECD in June 2012: The Jobs Potential of a Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy. It analyses the impacts of green growth policies, particularly mitigation policies, on the labour markets of the developed OECD economies, and then examines how labour market and education/training policies can facilitate green growth. The Supplemental Material for Chapter 4 includes useful tables summarizing national definitions of green jobs, initiatives to estimate green employment, and green-specific employment and skill development programs. Information is derived from questionnaire responses from OECD member government ministries, as of November 2010.

LINK:

2012 OECD Employment Outlook overview website is at: http://www.oecd.org/els/employmentpoliciesanddata/oecdemploymentoutlook.htm. The full text is not available for free download; click on "Browse this book", select Chapter 4, and click on the "free preview" link for a read-only version. The Jobs Potential of a Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy (June 2012) is available in full at: http://www.oecd.org/employment/employmentpoliciesanddata/50503551.pdf Supplemental Material for Chapter 4: Summary of Country Responses to the OECD Questionnaire on Green Jobs is available for download at: http://www.oecd.org/employment/employmentpoliciesanddata/Chap%204%20Web%20Annex.pdf

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The Importance of Green Jobs for a Growing, Sustainable Economy

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:54:37 +0000

In a study released on October 10 by the Economic Policy Institute in the U.S., author Ethan Pollack compares the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Green Goods and Services Survey with other BLS employment trend data. The report begins with a discussion of the BLS definition and methodology regarding measurement of "green jobs". It then provides data and analysis of the number of green jobs by state, by sector, and by private vs. public sector, pointing out that green jobs are found throughout the economy, and that despite the focus on jobs in renewable energy, that sector represents less than 3% of green jobs (compared to the manufacturing sector which accounts for 20.4 % of all green jobs). Among the conclusions: greener industries grew, and will continue to grow, faster than the overall economy for the next 10 years; green states have fared better in the economic downturn; and, green jobs are accessible to people with all levels of education. And from the concluding paragraph: " In sum, a dirty economy subsidizes the well-off by taxing the poor and disenfranchised, distorts the market, and shortchanges future generations by leaving the world a worse place for them to live in. For these reasons alone, the case for transitioning to a greener and more sustainable economy is well justified. But the concept of green jobs does play an important role in illustrating a positive vision of a green economy. It reminds us that the seeds of a green transition are planted throughout the economy, that the fundamental structure of the economy will remain intact, and that this vision isn't so radical but rather is already happening all around us." LINKS: Counting up to green: Assessing the green economy and its implications for growth and equity is available at: http://www.epi.org/files/2012/bp349-assessing-the-green-economy.pdf Employment in Green Goods and Services (March 2012) is at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ggqcew.pdf; see also the BLS Green Jobs website at: http://www.bls.gov/green/ .]]>

Job Creation in B.C.'s Clean Economy

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:55:31 +0000

On October 11th, the Vancouver-based consultants, GLOBE Advisors, released three new studies which quantify job creation and highlight the public and private sector policies which have been effective in promoting the province's clean economy. According to the press release, "In 2011, the Clean Energy Supply and Storage, Clean Transportation, and Green Building and Energy Efficiency sectors in B.C. were responsible for 123,350 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs (75,170 direct and 48,180 indirect) and over $15 billion in gross domestic product ($10.7 billion direct and $4.4 billion indirect)." The reports highlight demand and supply of specific occupations, such as engineers, technicians, and project managers. The other major focus of the reports is to identify the policy drivers and programs which can encourage further growth, with recommendations for the future. In addition to the perennial challenge of any Canadian company to find capital for innovation and expansion, the other important barriers to growth included access to skilled labour, education, and training. These three reports continue and build upon the analysis in the previous West Coast Clean Economy study (March 2012). LINK: GLOBE Advisors webpage for the 3 studies is at: http://www.globeadvisors.ca/market-research/bc-clean-economy-market-insights-study.aspx Free downloads of the reports and technical documents are available from here by providing registration information.

West Coast Clean Economy Report: Opportunities for Investment & Accelerated Job Creation

(March 2012) examines members of the Pacific Coast Collaborative (PCC): California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. It is available at: http://www.globeadvisors.ca/media/3322/wcce_report_web_final.pdf

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Progress on Canada's GHG Emissions?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 04:57:39 +0000

Canada's Emission Trends 2012 at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/253AE6E6-5E73-4AFC-81B7-9CF440D5D2C5%5C793-Canada%27s-Emissions-Trends-2012_e_01.pdf (English) or Tendances en matière d'émissions au Canada 2012 at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/253AE6E6-5E73-4AFC-81B7-9CF440D5D2C5%5C793-Canada%27s-Emissions-Trends-2012_f_01.pdf (French). P.J. Partington of the Pembina Institute states: "The progress reflected in this year's emissions trends report is largely the result of updated baselines and accounting rules for greenhouse gas pollution, as well as the considerable action some provinces are taking to reduce their emissions." See http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2364. Climate Action Tracker, in its September Update, states: "Canada's government uses uncommon methods of comparing and projecting emissions, while its 2020 reduction target is unchanged and still estimated as "inadequate" by a wide margin." http://climateactiontracker.org/assets/publications/briefing_papers/2012-09-04_Briefing_paper_Bangkok.pff.pdf]]>

New Energy Policy Proposes to End Nuclear Power in Japan

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 04:58:39 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/15/world/asia/japan-will-try-to-halt-nuclear-power-by-the-end-of-the-2030s.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www A summary of the options presented for public consideration is at Options for Energy and the Environment: The Energy and Environment Council Decision at:http://www.npu.go.jp/policy/policy09/pdf/20120720/20120720_en.pdf]]>

Views on Canada's Energy Policy

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 04:59:25 +0000

Now or Never on July 19th, after 3 years of consultations and hearings. The unanimous report presents 13 priorities for action to achieve long-term and affordable energy solutions. LINKS: Now or Never: Canada must act urgently to seize its place in the new energy world order is available at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/enev/rep/rep04jul12-e.pdf and the French version, Maintenant ou jamais: Le Canada doit agir d'urgence pour prendre sa place dans le nouvel ordre mondial de l'énergie, is at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/411/enev/rep/rep04jul12-f.pdf]]>

Public Opinion about Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 04:59:59 +0000

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/45431/global-warming-skepticism-higher-in-u-s-and-britain-than-canada/ with a link to the full report and tables. In the U.S., a survey conducted by the University of Michigan compares the levels of concern for climate change among adults between 32 and 52 years of age. Only 16% were very or moderately interested in the issue (down from 22% in 2009). The detailed report, including where the cohort sources their information, and possible explanations for the lack of engagement is: Miller, Jon D. "Climate Change: Generation X Attitudes, Interest, and Understanding" in Generation X Report v. 1 #3 (Summer 2012) at: http://www.sampler.isr.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/GenXReport.pdf]]>

WTO Decision Re Ontario's Fit Program is Delayed

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:00:50 +0000

The Chairman of the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Board announced in June that, due to the complexities of the dispute, the board will not rule until the end of November 2012 in the international complaint against the domestic content requirements of Ontario's Feed-in Tariff program. The decision had been scheduled for September 2012. Details are at: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds412_e.htm]]>

Measuring Sustainable Manufacturing Practices

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:01:28 +0000

http://www.apparelcoalition.org]]>

Review of the B.C. Carbon Tax

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:02:17 +0000

The B.C. carbon tax, which began in 2008, applies to the purchase or use of fuels within the province, with revenues being returned to citizens in the form of reductions in other taxes. Its price is now frozen, awaiting the conclusion of a government review of the program, including revenue neutrality and the impact on the competitiveness of B.C. businesses, especially agriculture and food producers. Citizen's submissions were accepted until the end of August 2012; the review continues to the end of the year. In June 2012, Sustainable Prosperity published its own review of B.C.'s carbon tax, by Stewart Elgie. Their report states that B.C.'s GDP growth has outpaced the rest of Canada's by a small margin since 2008, while use of petroleum fuels has declined by 15.1% and GHG emissions have also shown a substantial reduction. See the B.C. Ministry of Finance Review website at: http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/tbs/tp/climate/carbon_tax.htm For official documents, see British Columbia's Carbon Tax Shift: the First Four Years at the Sustainable Prosperity website at: http://www.sustainableprosperity.ca/dl872&display . ]]>

Australian Carbon Price Directs Support to Industry and Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:03:50 +0000

Clean Energy Act 2011 and its amendments - including amendments in June and August 2012 - are compiled and summarized at: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/en/government/clean-energy-future/legislation.aspx ]]>

"Golden Rules" for Natural Gas Extraction

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:04:59 +0000

Golden Rules for a golden age of Gas is at: http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/goldenrules/ ]]>

Black Out Speak Out Campaign Launched

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:06:12 +0000

Black Out Speak Out (or Silence, on parle! in French) invites Canadian organizations, businesses and citizens to darken their websites on June 4, to protest changes introduced in the federal government's budget act (C-38). The Black Out Speak Out initiative is led by CAPE, CPAWS, David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, Equiterre, Greenpeace, Nature Canada, Pembina Institute, Sierra Club Canada, West Coast Environmental Law, and WWF Canada. Go to Black Out Speak Out website at: http://www.blackoutspeakout.ca/ or http://www.silenceonparle.ca/]]>

York University Students Can Pursue a Certificate in Sustainable Energy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:06:45 +0000

Students at the undergraduate level enrolled in the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) at York University in Toronto now have the option of pursuing a specialty Certificate in Sustainable Energy. This certificate program formally recognizes and integrates a suite of courses which offer BES students applied skills in the field of sustainable energy. For the Certificate in Sustainable Energy, students have the option of completing an internship placement with an organization in the sustainable energy field. At the graduate level, Master in Environmental Studies (MES) students develop their own unique areas of original research, with the possibility of internships in with both public and private organizations. The Certificate is part of the Sustainable Energy Initiative (SEI) in the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES).

For information on the Sustainable Energy Initiative and the Certificate in Sustainable Energy see the SEI website at: http://sei.info.yorku.ca/

Or the SEI brochure: http://sei.info.yorku.ca/files/2011/01/SEI-Brochure-web.pdf

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Making Cities Resilient as Global Disaster Losses Hit $500 Billion

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:08:00 +0000

Handbook for Local Government Leaders: How to Make Cities More Resilient was officially launched as part of the world disaster reduction campaign, which has been extended to 2015. The new Handbook was developed at the request of city leaders to explain why building disaster resilience is necessary, and what kind of strategies and actions are required by cities and local governments to achieve resilience. Summary with links to the Handbook, press release and campaign information: http://www.unisdr.org/archive/26728]]>

Life Cycle Thinking for a Policy Makers and Business Managers

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:09:52 +0000

http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ Joint Research Centre summary with links to the LCA report: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm?id=1410&obj_id=14840&dt_code=NWS&lang=en&ori=HPG]]>

Tariffs Being Applied to Chinese-Made Solar Modules

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:10:26 +0000

In a long-awaited decision, the U.S. Commerce Department has issued a preliminary decision on May 17 to apply tariffs to Chinese-made solar modules being imported into the U.S. The tariffs range from 31 percent to 250 percent. The preliminary tariffs were issued after a lengthy investigation by the Commerce Department into whether Chinese companies are "dumping" solar panels into the U.S. market below cost. These tariffs follow a March decision to issue small countervailing duties on Chinese module producers that are getting illegal domestic subsidies, according to Commerce. For a summary, see the statement by the American Coalition for Solar Manufacturing at: http://www.americansolarmanufacturing.org/news-releases/05-17-12-commerce-department-ruling.htm A detailed technical report is available from the U.S. International Trade Administration at: http://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/factsheets/factsheet-prc-solar-cells-ad-prelim-20120517.pdf]]>

Clean Mining Alliance Created in Vancouver, B.C.

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:11:08 +0000

A new industry association has been launched aimed at supporting and advocating technological advancements to make the mining industry cleaner and more environmentally responsible. The Clean Mining Alliance is a newly formed international non-profit organization based in Vancouver. Its founding members include the Centre for Environmental Research in Minerals, Metals and Materials (CERM3), part of the University of British Columbia Department of Mining Engineering. More information on the Clean Mining Alliance, visit their website at: http://www.cleanmining.org/ or the University website (UBC CERM3) at: http://www.cerm3.mining.ubc.ca/about.html]]>

Creating a Culture of Sustainability in the Health Care Sector

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:11:49 +0000

Embracing sustainability has tangible financial rewards and creates jobs, according to a new report by the Health Care Research Collaborative. The report, Creating a Culture of Sustainability: Leadership, Coordination and Performance Measurement Systems in Healthcare, was conducted by the Health Care Research Collaborative, a collaboration of Health Care Without Harm and the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, and sponsored by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation in the U.S. The report found that leadership engagement and incorporation of sustainability as a high-level goal was key to the success of the program. Also found was that jobs are being created as health systems are finding that sustainability efforts need dedicated staff who are responsible for it, and cost savings inherent in sustainability help pay for these staff members as well as to make investments in other hospital programs. LINKS: Creating a Culture of Sustainability: Leadership, Coordination and Performance Measurement Systems in Healthcare. A summary of the report can be found at: http://www.noharm.org/us_canada/news_hcwh/2012/apr/hcwh2012-04-26a.php Full document: http://www.noharm.org/lib/downloads/other/Creating_a_Culture_of_Sustainability.pdf]]>

Is Canada Suffering from 'Dutch Disease'?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:13:12 +0000

Several recent studies have been in the news concerning the concept of "Dutch disease" in Canada.

Dutch Disease or Failure to Compete: A Diagnosis of Canada's Manufacturing Woes, was published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, and examines the linkages for 80 different manufacturing industries using an empirical model that accounts for changes in global demand and competitive pressures as well as energy-induced strengthening of the dollar. Their results show that only 25 of the 80 industries show a significant negative relationship between the US-Canada exchange rate and output - mostly small labour-intensive industries such as textiles and apparel. Interestingly in light of the recently announced layoffs at GM Oshawa, the study concludes that "automotive industries do not show symptoms of Dutch disease; their weakness stems from cyclical changes in demand and lagging productivity growth". The Pembina Institute and The Macdonald Laurier Institute both released their own studies on this issue on May 30. The Macdonald Laurier Institute has released a commentary titled, No Dutch Treat: Oil and Gas Wealth Benefits All of Canada. In this report, authors Robert Murphy and Brian Crowley argue that even provinces not directly involved in oil and gas enjoy large gains from such activity in other provinces. The Pembina report, In the Shadow of the Boom: How oil sands development is reshaping Canada's economy, reviews the extent to which oil sands production and exports are affecting Canada's economy, and explores the longer-term economic implications of increased reliance on oil sands expansion to support economic growth and generate public revenue.

LINKS: Dutch Disease or Failure to Compete? published by Institute for Research in Public Policy (IRPP): http://www.irpp.org/pubs/IRPPstudy/IRPP_Study_no30.pdf No Dutch Treat:Oil and Gas Wealth Benefits All of Canada, (MacDonald Laurier Study) press release and link to full document is at: http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/commentary-no-dutch-treat-oil-and-gas-wealth-benefits-all-parts-of-canada/ In the Shadow of the Boom: How oil sands development is reshaping Canada's economy, press release and link to document is at: http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2344 "Is Canada grappling with Dutch disease?" The Globe and Mail, May 16th: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/manufacturing/is-canada-grappling-with-dutch-disease/article2433816/]]>

Nova Scotia Releases Its Marine Renewable Energy Strategy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:14:39 +0000

Nova Scotia released its Marine Renewable Energy Strategy in May. Wave and offshore wind power are part of the mix in the strategy, but tides are the primary focus, given Nova Scotia's unique advantage in developing and growing a new tidal industry. The Strategy focuses on research, development, and regulatory initiatives that have been established to achieve Nova Scotia's vision to be a global leader in the development of marine renewable energy technology and expertise for domestic and export markets. This report doesn't go into any detail about job creation.

LINKS: Nova Scotia Department of Energy website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/ Nova Scotia's Marine Renewable Energy Strategy document: http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/resources/publications/Nova-Scotia-Marine-Renewable-Energy-Strategy-May-2012.pdf]]>

Policy Brief Compares UK and Canadian Climate Policies

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:18:16 +0000

Sustainable Prosperity and the University of Ottawa's Institute of the Environment marked the 20th anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit by presenting a two-day conference, on May 1st and 2nd "Building on Rio + 20: Canada's Role and Priorities in a Global Green Economy", to examine the policy and economic dimensions of Canada in a global green economy. A policy brief released at the conference looks at the vast gap between the level of action and commitment in the UK when compared to Canada in terms of climate policy at the national level. The UK has an aggressive and comprehensive action plan to decarbonise its economy, whereas Canada's Federal government is pursuing a sector-by-sector regulatory approach, with fragmented action between the Federal government and the provinces.

LINKS: The United Kingdom Climate Policy: Lessons for Canada. Summary and link to policy brief: http://www.sustainableprosperity.ca/article2716]]>

Life Cycle Assessment of the Canadian Oil Sands Considered

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:19:06 +0000

The first section of this report discusses the basic methodology of life-cycle assessments and examines the choice of boundaries, design features, and input assumptions. The second section of the report compares several of the publicly available assessments of life-cycle GHG emissions data for Canadian oil sands crudes against each other, against those of other global reference crudes, and against those of other fossil fuel resources. The third section examines some of the specific findings of the Department of State's commissioned study for the Keystone XL pipeline. The report concludes with a discussion of some tools for policymakers who are interested in using these assessments to investigate the potential impacts of U.S. energy policy choices on the environment.

LINK:

From the Congressional Research Office in the U.S.: Canadian Oil Sands: Life-Cycle Assessments of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42537.pdf

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Opportunities for Decent Work in a Green Economy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:19:43 +0000

The transformation to a greener economy could generate 15 to 60 million additional jobs globally over the next two decades and lift tens of millions of workers out of poverty, according to a new report led by the international Green Jobs Initiative. The study, Working Towards Sustainable Development: Opportunities for Decent Work and Social Inclusion in a Green Economy, says that these gains will depend on whether the right set of policies are put in place. At least half of the global workforce - the equivalent of 1.5 billion people - will be affected by the transition to a greener economy. This comprehensive report touches on specifics relating to eight key sectors which are expected to play a central role and be most affected by the transition: agriculture, forestry, fishing, energy, resource-intensive manufacturing, recycling, building and transport. LINKS: Summary and overview; Working Towards Sustainable Development: Opportunities for Decent Work and Social Inclusion in a Green Economy:

http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/news/WCMS_181795/lang--en/index.htm Working Towards Sustainable Development: Opportunities for Decent Work and Social Inclusion in a Green Economy. Full Report

http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_181836.pdf

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Domestic Content Requirements and Green Employment

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:21:46 +0000

Sustainable Prosperity, a research and policy network based at the University of Ottawa, released a policy brief in April discussing the domestic content requirements for renewable energy manufacturing in Canada. The policy brief focused on the question of whether domestic content requirements are effective at increasing 'green' employment. The brief looks at various policies in effect in Canada (namely, Quebec and Ontario) and internationally, as well as international trade agreements relevant to domestic content requirements. At least in the short-run, domestic content requirements are likely to increase the cost of renewable energy generating equipment, and therefore also the developer's cost of generating renewable energy. Depending on the type of renewable energy support policy with which the domestic content requirement is linked, this may have the effect of increasing consumers' electricity prices, or reducing the number of renewable energy facilities built. In the last case, it is possible that the reduced renewable energy output leads to overall reductions in employment in renewable energy generation and manufacturing.

LINK: Sustainable Prosperity news release with link to policy brief: http://www.sustainableprosperity.ca/article2445]]>

Earth Hour Challenge - Actions for a Day or a Year?

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:22:57 +0000

http://www.sustainlabour.org/noticia.php?lang=EN&idnoticia=385 Suggested actions to be taken in workplaces: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/earth_hour_leaflet_en.pdf]]>

Canada's Greenest Employers Announced

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:23:44 +0000

http://www.canadastop100.com/environmental/]]>

Groups Mobilizing for Rio+20 Conference, June 20-22nd

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:24:15 +0000

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will take place over three days, June 20-22, 2012. The theme of the Conference is the "Green Economy" and the overall theme is "The Future We Want". The conference website, with an introductory brief about green jobs is at:

http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=224&menu=45

Chatham House in the U.K has published "Rio+20 and the Global Environment: Reflections on Theory and Practice", a special issue of International Affairs, vol. 88, no.3, May 2012. Go to Chatham House Online: http://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/ia or

Wiley Online: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/inta.2012.88.issue-3/issuetoc

]]>

Mexico's House of Representatives Approve Climate Change Act

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:24:54 +0000

http://www.nature.com/news/mexico-passes-climate-change-law-1.10496]]>

Ontario Announces Clean Energy Task Force

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:25:55 +0000

http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2012/04/members-of-the-ontario-clean-energy-task-force.html]]>

Good Jobs, Green Jobs Regional Conferences

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:26:35 +0000

This year the Blue Green Alliance, USA is holding four regional conferences, rather than one national conference in order to enable and encourage more participation. Conferences have been held in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, with the final conference being held May 10-11th in Detroit. Plenary sessions from the regional conference held in Philadelphia on April 3rd and 4th are available in video format on the conference website. Information on the conference can be found on the website: http://www.greenjobsconference.org/ ]]>

Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Released

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:27:11 +0000

The Government of Canada simultaneously released the National Inventory Report, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program facility-level data and related overview report, and the greenhouse gas indicators of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators program in April. The Government of Canada has praised the data pointing out that emissions have not increased while the economy has grown. Critics point out however, that at the current rate, Canada will not meet the targets set for 2020.

Canada and other signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have submitted the National Inventory data to the UNFCCC, which has released the national inventory submissions of greenhouse gas emissions by all signatories. The report includes sectoral and trend tables for all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals, and sectoral background data tables for reporting implied emission factors and activity data.

LINKS: Inventory of GHG emissions from Canada, 1990- 2010. See full report at the UNFCCC website: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_submissions/items/6598.php Executive summary at Environment Canada website: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ges-ghg/default.asp?lang=En&n=8BAF9C6D-1]]>

Debating the Green Economy in the Lead Up to Rio+20

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:27:45 +0000

This document is an overview of the international context of perceptions, actions and political discussions relating to the green economy, leading up to the Rio + 20 Conference in June. The Green Economy - The New Magic Bullet? considers the debate over exactly what a green economy is and should be with what measures and instruments it should be implemented, explaining that this has not yet been defined and is the topic of intense political debate. The report compares and contrasts the initiatives and definitions of a green economy by the UNEP and OECD in the context of the Rio + 20 Negotiations. Published by the Heinrich Boell group in Washington D.C.

LINKS: The Green Economy - The New Magic Bullet? Expectations from the Rio + 20 Conference at: http://www.boell.org/downloads/Unmuessig_Green_Economy_Magic_Bullet.pdf]]>

Post Carbon Pathways: Reviewing Post Carbon Economy Transition Strategies

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:28:36 +0000

This report aims to provide a concise overview of learning from 18 of the most comprehensive and innovative large-scale post carbon economy transition strategies. Around the world, detailed policy and research initiatives are demonstrating that a rapid transition to a post carbon economy is both technologically and economically feasible. However, the latest climate science shows that the window for effective action is rapidly closing. Strategies to reduce emissions at the required scale and speed will need to be implemented in the next five to ten years if they are to significantly reduce the risk of runaway climate change.

The report is the first stage in an ongoing Post Carbon Pathways project designed to strengthen understanding of the most effective ways of overcoming barriers to the rapid implementation of post carbon economy transition strategies - with an emphasis on plans pitched at the speed and scale capable of having some real chance of reducing the risk of runaway climate change. Published by the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne and the Centre for Policy Development.

LINKS:

Post Carbon Pathways: Reviewing Post Carbon Economy Transition Strategies.

Link to briefing paper, summary, full report, and slides: http://www.postcarbonpathways.net.au and;

Link to the full report: http://cpd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/CPD_OP17_Post_Carbon_Pathways.pdf]]>

Provincial Climate Change Plans Compared

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:29:23 +0000

In the absence of effective policies from Canada's federal government to tackle global warming, many provinces have stepped up to implement their own plans and policies. All Over the Map: A Comparison of Provincial Climate Change Plans looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each provinces' plan. This report by the David Suzuki Foundation documents the shift, assessing each province's climate change plans and programs and comparing the relative merits of each. It updates the status of each province's efforts, and provides recommendations for moving forward.

LINKS: All Over the Map: A Comparison of Provincial Climate Change Plans Report:http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/downloads/2012/All%20Over%20the%20Map%202012.pdf Background and Interactive Map: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/reports/2012/all-over-the-map-2012/]]>

Growing Green and Decent Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:30:20 +0000

A new International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) report with economic analysis by the Millennium Institute shows how investing 2% of GDP in the green economy in each of the next five years could create up to 48 million new jobs. The report analyzes 7 industries in 12 countries across Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Europe, including: Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Brazil, Dominican Republic, the USA, South Africa, Ghana, Tunisia, Indonesia, Nepal and Australia.

LINKS:

The Growing Green and Decent Jobs Report can be found here: http://www.ituc-csi.org/growing-green-and-decent-jobs,11011.html Summary Growing Green and Decent Jobs: http://www.ituc-csi.org/summary-growing-green-and-decent.html?lang=en]]>

Promoting Safety and Health in the Green Economy: A Report Released by the International Labour Organization (ILO)

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:30:50 +0000

This report highlights occupational safety and health (OSH) as an integral part of the promotion of green jobs and a greener economy to achieve economic and social development that is also environmentally sustainable. The report, titled Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy, looks at different "green industries" from an OSH perspective. Industries discussed include all forms of renewable energy, waste management (including shipbreaking), agriculture, forestry, construction, and the special case of nuclear energy.

LINKS: Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy. Summary and link to the report: http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_175600/lang--en/index.htm Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy. Summary and link to the report: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---safework/documents/publication/wcms_175600.pdf ]]>

Building Ontario's Green Economy: A Road Map

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:32:14 +0000

This report by Blue Green Canada recognizes the efforts taken by the province of Ontario to become a leader in the green economy. The report makes recommendations for ways Ontario can further strengthen the green economy and pursue a resource efficient, socially inclusive, low carbon economy. The report contains a series of recommendations for a variety of sectors, including low-carbon transportation, cap and trade, energy efficient buildings, and waste management.

LINKS: Building Ontario's Green Economy: A Road Map. Summary: http://environmentaldefence.ca/reports/building-ontarios-green-economy-road-map Building Ontario's Green Economy: A Road Map. Report: http://environmentaldefence.ca/sites/default/files/report_files/GreenEconomyRoadmap_FINAL.pdf ]]>

Blue Green Canada Expands Membership

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:02:48 +0000

http://www.bluegreencanada.ca/node/123.]]>

Global Guidelines for Forests

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:03:45 +0000

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) released a working paper in March 2012, intended as a foundation for the global guidelines it is developing for forest managers to understand, assess and implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. It examines all types of forests (boreal, temperate, and tropical), and includes all management objectives (production, conservation, protection and multipurpose). It includes a section on Socio-economic impacts, as well as a discussion of policy instruments such as the REDD+ and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). LINK: Forest Management and Climate Change: a literature review. (Forests and Climate Change Working Paper #10) at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/md012e/md012e00.pdf]]>

OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:04:24 +0000

OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050: The Consequences of Inaction is available in various formats and languages from links at: http://www.oecd.org/document/11/0,3746,en_2649_37465_49036555_1_1_1_37465,00.html]]>

Call for Just Transition in U.K. Green Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:05:00 +0000

Green Skills Manifesto in January 2012, which criticizes the 2011 government green skills policy and calls for policies based on equality, just transition, fair and decent jobs. The Green Skills Manifesto is available at: http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/p/i/Green_skills_manifesto.pdf]]>

Impact of a Spill on the Keystone XL Pipeline

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:05:41 +0000

LINKS: The Impact of Tar Sands Pipeline Spills on Employment and the Economy is at: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_Impact-of-Tar-Sands-Pipeline-Spills.pdf]]>

Update on British Columbia: Carbon Tax Under Review; Natural Gas Strategy Projects Job Growth

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:06:22 +0000

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/02/budget-2012-focuses-on-a-stable-economy.html. LINKS: British Columbia's Natural Gas Strategy: Fuelling BC's economy for the next decade and beyond at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/ener/popt/down/natural_gas_strategy.pdf Liquefied Natural Gas: A Strategy for B.C.'s Newest Industry at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/ener/popt/down/liquefied_natural_gas_strategy.pdf]]>

Ontario's Climate Adaptation Strategy Assessed

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:07:16 +0000

LINKS: Ready for Change? An assessment of Ontario's climate change adaptation strategy at: http://www.eco.on.ca/uploads/Reports-special/2012-Adaptation/Ready-for-Change-bookmarked.pdf Climate Ready: Ontario's Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, 2011-2014 at: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@ene/@resources/documents/resource/stdprod_085423.pdf]]>

Environmental Cuts in the 2012 Canadian Budget

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:08:06 +0000

The budget of the federal government of Canada, released on March 29, 2012, includes changes to "streamline" environmental assessments, cut the budget of Environment Canada, and eliminate the National Roundtable on the Economy and the Environment (NRTEE). LINKS: See the budget documents at the government's website at: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2012/home-accueil-eng.html; read a summary in the Toronto Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/ottawa-clears-hurdles-to-resource-development/article2386106/. For reactions, see Marc Lee at the Canadian Centre for Policy Analysis website at: http://www.behindthenumbers.ca/2012/03/29/a-budget-that-screws-the-planet-for-short-term-profits/ or Andrea Harden-Donahue at Rabble.ca at: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/council-canadians/2012/03/budget-2012-good-big-oil-bad-people-and-environment. ]]>

Business Attitudes and Actions Toward Adaptation

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:08:48 +0000

In a report released in March and directed to Canada's business community, the National Round Table on the Economy and the Environment presents case studies of the practical adaptation actions, experience and advice of what they call "climate pacesetters". The thirteen Canadian firms profiled are: B.C.Hydro, Cameco, Coca Cola Canada, EBA Engineering Consultants, Entenergy, Hydro Quebec, J.D. Irving, Munich RE, Rio Tinto Alcan, Royal Bank of Canada, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Tolco Industries, and Whistler Blackcomb. Companion documents: A Business Primer and an Advisory Report to Government, with research and recommendations on how government can support greater business adaptation to climate change.

Another recent report by Siemens UK surveyed six hundred businesses concerning their attitudes toward energy management and conservation, as well as the position of the Energy Manager within the company. The goal of the brief report is to serve as a foundation for the construction of a "Green League" of companies. Some sobering findings: while 79% of respondents claimed to take energy management seriously within their companies, 46% admit that they don't know their current CO2 emission levels; 7% had investing nothing in the last 3 years on energy efficiency improvements, and 94% of energy managers have no formal qualifications relating to their role.

LINKS: Facing the elements: building business resilience in a changing climate: case studies Report #5 in the NRTEE Climate Prosperity series at: http://nrtee-trnee.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/cp5-case-studies.pdf The Green League: How businesses are reacting to the green agenda is at: http://www.siemens.co.uk/pool/news_press/news_archive/2012/greenleaguereport.pdf ]]>

3.1 Million Jobs in Green Goods and Services in the U.S.

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:09:27 +0000

The inaugural issue of Employment in Green Goods and Services was released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 22, revealing that in 2010, 3.1 million jobs, or 2.4% of total employment in the U.S., were associated with the production of green goods and services. Manufacturing had 461,800 GGS jobs, the most among any private sector industry. The BLS green jobs definition contains two components: an output-based definition which includes jobs found in businesses that produce goods and provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, and which is the subject of the March report. The second, process-based definition includes jobs where duties involve making production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources. A report on process-based jobs is scheduled for Summer 2012. LINKS: Employment in Green Goods and Services 2010 is available at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ggqcew.pdf. Two related websites with technical information about data and definitions:the GGS website at: http://www.bls.gov/ggs/; the U.S. BLS Green Jobs website at: http://www.bls.gov/green/ .]]>

Job Creation from Energy Efficiency Improvements

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:10:33 +0000

On March 1, Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors (DBCCA) and The Rockefeller Foundation in the U.S. released a report which estimates that a $279 billion investment in retrofitting of residential, commercial and institutional buildings in the U.S. could reduce that country's CO2 emissions by nearly 10% per year and produce more than a threefold return on investment by the end of the decade. It estimates that the retrofits, including upgrades to lighting, heating, and cooling, could create 3.3 million job years, equivalent to employing 330,000 full time workers for 10 years, mostly in the residential sector. The report concludes with a discussion of financing models for such investment. LINKS: United States Building Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Market Sizing and Financing Models is available at:

http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/uploads/files/791d15ac-90e1-4998-8932-5379bcd654c9-building.pdf

]]>

Northern Gateway Pipeline Job Creation - Another Analysis

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:11:29 +0000

On March 21, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released an analysis which reviews the economic case for the Northern Gateway Pipeline, with a focus on the claimed and projected employment impacts. Enbridge claims that the pipelines will create 63,000 person-years of employment during its construction phase, and 1,146 full-time jobs once completed. Marc Lee, author of the CCPA report, argues that these projections are "grossly overstated, and based on modeling that makes many unjustified assumptions". He also criticizes Enbridge for ignoring the economic costs and environmental risks of the pipeline, including disruption to existing employment, potential job losses due to oil spills, and the economic costs of carbon emissions. Lee concludes that "The only jobs we can bank on are approximately 1,850 construction jobs per year for three years, and a handful of permanent new jobs once completed". Lee also discusses the additional job creation opportunities that even minimal processing of oil sands bitumen in Canada would bring, and the greater job creation that could result from redirecting the $5 billion investment from oil sands to green jobs and industries.

LINKS:

Enbridge Pipe Dreams and Nightmares: The Economic Costs and Benefits of the Proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2012/03/CCPA-BC_Enbridge_Pipe_Dreams_2012.pdf For links to earlier studies on the Northern Gateway pipeline, see the February 2012 issue of the Work and Climate Change Report at:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs010/1104412491262/archive/1109241016356.html#article7

]]>

Ontario Feed-In Tariff Review Affirms Domestic Content Regulations, Lowers Prices

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:12:13 +0000

The Ontario government announced on March 22 that it will accept all recommendations contained in the 2-year review of the Feed in Tariff program, including continuation of the domestic content regulations which encourage local manufacturing, and "creating more jobs sooner by streamlining the regulatory approvals process for projects". The report states that "Since 2009, it is estimated that the program has created almost 2,000 direct manufacturing jobs... Other jobs related to the FIT Program are construction-based... For every 10,000 construction jobs created by the clean energy sector, almost $500 million in economic activity flows back into Ontario communities". It also states that Ontario's public colleges and universities have introduced new programs including training for wind turbine technicians; green business management; renewable energies technicians; sustainable energy and building technology; and clean and renewable energy engineering technology. In a statement entitled Moving Clean Energy Forward, the government outlines its future actions, including the development of a Clean Energy Economic Development Strategy by the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation. No target date is provided.

LINKS: Ontario's Feed-in-Tariff Program: Two year Review Report is at: http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/docs/en/FIT-Review-Report.pdf, and the Ontario government's reaction is at Moving Clean Energy Forward at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2012/03/moving-clean-energy-forward.html Response by Blue Green Canada to the FIT Review and the legislative debate concerning the Green Energy Act is at: http://www.bluegreencanada.ca/node/127 .]]>

Profiles of British Columbia's Green Economy

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:13:16 +0000

British Columbia is one of the members of the Pacific Coast Collaborative (PCC), along with California, Oregon, and Washington. The PCC commissioned GLOBE Advisors and the Center for Climate Strategies to identify opportunities for accelerated job creation and investment in a clean economy, defined as clean energy supply and energy efficiency, green buildings, clean transportation, and climate resiliency. The resulting report, The West Coast Clean Economy, released in March 2012, estimates clean economy contributions of $47.2 billion to GDP, and more than 508,000 full-time equivalent direct production jobs for the entire West Coast region in 2010. British Columbia is profiled, summarizing key policy, program and investment initiatives; B.C.'s 2010 current clean economy GDP is estimated at $7.4 billion and the number of direct jobs at 62,593.

A briefer profile based on a broader definition of green economy was released by B.C.Premier Christy Clark at the 2012 GLOBE Conference in Vancouver on March 14. B.C.'s Green Economy: Growing green jobs summarizes the policy initiatives which promote investment, cites exemplary companies, and provides statistics on job creation and training in each of B.C.'s clean tech, mining, forestry, tourism, agriculture, and transportation sectors. Statistics are given for 2008, estimating 117,160 direct and 48,840 indirect full-time equivalent green jobs (or 7.2% of total employment) for the entire province.

LINKS: The West Coast Clean Economy is at: http://globeadvisors.ca/media/3322/wcce_report_web_final.pdf B.C.'s Green Economy: Growing green jobs is at a B.C. government website at: http://www.bcge.ca/BCs_Green_Economy_print.pdf]]>

Forest Biomass Updates

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:20:21 +0000

LINKS: B.C. Bioeconomy report is available at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/jti/down/bio_economy_report_final.pdf News Release: Ontario Government converts Coal Plant to Biomass at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2012/07/ontario-converts-coal-plant-to-biomass-creates-200-jobs.html

News Release: Harper Government Supports Innovative Renewable Energy Project and Innovation in British Columbia September 13, 2012 at: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/6521, with a Backgrounder at: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/6519

The Backgrounder re FORCE is at:

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/6515

]]>

Defining the Green Economy in Canada

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:24:16 +0000

Sustainable Prosperity, based at University of Ottawa, has released a White Paper which argues for a definition of green economy that encompasses all sectors, including but not limited to natural resources and the environmental goods and services sector. In providing its guiding principles for a framework for a green economy, the report also defines relevant concepts such as decoupling and natural capital. The report identifies the "priority challenges" for Canada to achieve a green economy, including: increasing resource productivity; identifying ecological limits; improving competitiveness and innovation; and increasing resilience to climate change and other shocks. LINKS: Towards a Green Economy for Canada is available at the Sustainable Prosperity website at: http://www.sustainableprosperity.ca/dl864&display]]>

Measuring Green Jobs by Time Spent Using Green Technology or Practices

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:25:30 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the results of its Green Technologies and Practices Survey at the end of June 2012. The most frequently reported types of green technologies and practices were related to improving energy efficiency within the establishment (57%), and waste reduction as a result of operations (55%). About 854,700 jobs, representing 0.7 % of total U.S. employment, were held by workers who spent more than half of their time involved in green technologies and practices during the survey reference period of August 2011. LINKS: Green Technologies and Practices Summary is available at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/gtp.nr0.htm , with links to technical documents.]]>

Indicators to Measure Gender Representation in Climate Change Decision-Making

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:26:48 +0000

A new report from the European Institute for Gender Equality proposes a set of indicators for objective K.1 of the Beijing Platform for Action - i.e. to "Involve women actively in environmental decision making at all levels". The report reviews the theoretical links between gender issues and climate change. It is the first EU-wide report on gender equality and climate change which provides comparable data at the for the 27 EU countries, in the form of a series of tables showing women's current participation in climate change decision-making for ministries related to the environment, energy, and transportation, as well as at the EU and international levels. It also provides data about the proportion of women graduates among all graduates in scientific and technical fields related to climate change. LINKS: Review of the Implementation in the EU of area K of the Beijing Platform for Action: Women and the Environment is available at: http://www.eige.europa.eu/content/document/gender-equality-and-climate-change-report ]]>

Training Models for Clean Energy Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:27:33 +0000

Duke Forum for Law & Social Change published a special edition dedicated to "A Just Transition to a Green Economy" in August. One paper discusses the adequacy of job preparation for a more sustainable energy economy in the U.S. and highlights "the failure of our current education and workforce system to provide for adequate and appropriate training-with the exception of a few innovative community college-industry partnerships". The authors recommend that governments at all levels support workforce and economic development programs between community college and clean energy industry partnerships, and that the U.S. federal Perkins Career and Technical Education funds be directed toward large-scale experimentation with these partnerships. LINKS: Duke Forum for Law & Social Change Volume 4 (2012) special issue on "A Just Transition to a Green Economy" is available at: http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/dflsc/ , including: Gordon, Soares and Steigleder, "Preparing America's Workforce for Jobs in the Green Economy: A Case for Technical Literacy" and Farrell, "A Just Transition: Lessons Learned from the Environmental Justice Movement".]]>

International Cooperation in Skills Training by Labour Unions

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:28:12 +0000

In August, the United Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA) and the Plumbing Trades Employees Union (PTEU) of Australia signed an affiliation agreement for joint skills training and employment initiatives in the United States, Canada and Australia. The goal is to help streamline the building industry, reduce the shortage of skilled workers and tackle the global problem of climate change. North Americans can provide expertise in heavy industry as Australia embarks on expansion of their oil and gas refining and power generation; Australian expertise in water conservation will benefit North America as it seeks to address its aging water and sewer infrastructure. More details are at: http://www.green-unions.com]]>

U.S. Studies of the Employment Impacts of Clean Energy Policies

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:29:07 +0000

Some highlights from U.S. studies published in the summer of 2012 include: A report from Michigan State University focuses on the investment and job impacts that would result from increasing Michigan's renewable energy generation to 25% of total electricity by the year 2025. The "25 by 25" proposal will appear on 2012 election ballot for Michigan voters. See Projected Job and Investment Impacts of Policy Requiring 25% Renewable Energy by 2025 in Michigan, at: http://www.environmentalcouncil.org/mecReports/MSU_Jobs_Report_25x25.pdf Illinois ranked 4th in the United States in overall installed wind capacity and currently hosts 42 wind power projects. 23 of these projects have in excess of 50 MW capacity. A report published in June by the University of Illinois Center for Renewable Energy uses the JEDI model to analyze the economic impacts for those 23 projects. Findings: those 23 projects created approximately 19,047 full-time equivalent jobs during construction (with a total payroll of over $1.1 billion) and support approximately 814 permanent jobs in rural Illinois areas. See Wind Energy Development in Illinois June 2012 at: http://renewableenergy.illinoisstate.edu/wind/publications/2012EconomicImpactReportForWeb.pdf The Center for American Progress published an analysis of the potential for clean energy installations on public land in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. They project that these states could stimulate more than $137 billion in investment in solar, wind, and geothermal energy over the next two decades, create more than 209,000 direct jobs, and provide electricity for 7 million homes. See The Vast Potential for Renewable Energy in the American West: Developing Wind, Solar, and Geothermal Energy on Public Lands at: http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/08/pdf/renewable_energy_west.pdf]]>

New U.S. Fuel Economy Standards Result in Job Creation

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:29:40 +0000

New fuel economy standards were announced by the U.S. government on August 28, to begin ramping up in the 2017 model year. It is expected that by 2025, fuel economy for cars and light trucks will have been reduced by 90%. Two new reports estimate the job creation that will occur as a result of the new regulations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a draft regulatory analysis document which, at 377 pages, is complex and comprehensive, looking at multiple impacts. Chapter 8, which deals with employment effects of the new regulations, surveys multiple models and concludes with a highly qualified statement that "For the regulated sector, the cost effect is expected to increase employment by 600 - 3,600 workers in 2017, depending on the share of that employment that is in the auto manufacturing sector compared to the auto parts manufacturing sector."

A second report, Gearing Up, uses a "quasi-dynamic input-output analytical model" called Dynamic Energy Efficiency Policy Evaluation Routine (DEEPER). The resulting estimates show 50,000 new direct and indirect jobs will be created in light-duty vehicle manufacturing and assembly by 2030, with real wages projected to increase faster than job growth. The report also explores the job creation potential of increasing domestic content requirements in the U.S.

LINKS: Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis:Proposed Rulemaking for 2017-2025 Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards is at the EPA website at: http://epa.gov/otaq/climate/documents/420d11004.pdf Gearing Up: Smart Standards Create Good Jobs Building Cleaner Cars is available at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) website at: http://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/publications/researchreports/e127.pdf (registration required, free). A summary of the topic, New Car Rules Get it right on Energy, the Environment and the Economy, is at the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions at: http://www.c2es.org/blog/greenwaldj/new-car-rules-get-it-right-energy-environment-economy]]>

Alternative Visions for a Community-Based Power in British Columbia

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:30:46 +0000

In a report released in June by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, John Calvert and Marc Lee warn that households and small businesses face steep rate increases for their hydro power as a result of the increasing demands of the province's natural resource extraction industries. The authors argue that these industries create very few jobs (only 1% of BC's employment) and a great deal of pollution. Their alternative vision is based on seven recommendations, starting with a change in energy planning to a balanced supply and demand framework, anchored in public power, and refocused on meeting the province's GHG reduction targets. "Aggressively pursing the energy efficiency and conservation potential in BC, combined with support for small- and community-scale renewable technologies, can significantly reduce the need for new electricity supply. However, this will only happen if the government's energy-intensive resource extraction policies are dramatically scaled back".

Powering our Province seeks to assess the job creation potential for rural B.C. of independent power producers (IPP) and community-owned clean energy projects. The report identifies 5 immediate opportunities in: skilled trades and construction; community and First Nations engagement; scientific and environmental monitoring; plant operations and maintenance; and indirect business support. Key barriers faced include the lack of built infrastructure, difficulties accessing advanced education and skills training, and a shortage in capacity for skilled workers, due in part to competition and labour demand from out-of-province and urban centers. The report was published in August by Globe Advisors, and commissioned by the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition (SIBAC) and its project partners.

LINK:

Clean Electricity, Conservation and Climate Justice in BC: Meeting Our Energy Needs in a Zero-Carbon Future is at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2012/06/CCPA-BC-Clean-Electricity.pdf Powering our Province is available at: http://www.ruralbcgreenenergy.com/images/GLOBE_BC_Clean_Energy_Business_Opportunities_AnalysisFINAL_July%2030.pdf

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Where are the Polluting Jobs in Canada, and how can we Transition to Green?

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:31:31 +0000

LINKS: A Green Industrial Revolution: Climate Justice, Green Jobs and Sustainable Production in Canada, published by of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, is available at:

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2012/06/Green%20Industrial%20Revolution.pdf

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ILO sees "Tens of Millions of Green Jobs" Created Worldwide in all Sectors

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:32:19 +0000

Working Towards Sustainable Development is a report published by the ILO, as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Green Jobs Initiative (which includes UNEP, ILO, IOE and ITUC) and the International Institute for Labour Studies of ILO. In a comprehensive survey of green jobs around the world, the report documents the creation of "tens of millions" of green jobs across all sectors, and particularly in renewable energy. It concludes that "Concerns over job losses caused by greening the economy are therefore exaggerated." The report also concludes that "outcomes for employment and incomes are largely determined by the policy instruments used and the institutions which implement them, rather than being an inherent part of the shift to a greener economy." Outcomes are likely to be country-specific, with most gains to be made in developing economies. The report is structured according to specific sectors: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, manufacturing, recycling, buildings, and transportation. Canada is mentioned throughout but not highlighted for any best practices. The report concludes with recommendations for policies that will ensure decent work and social inclusion.

LINK: Working Towards Sustainable Development: Opportunities for decent work and social inclusion in a green economy is available at the ILO website at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_181836.pdf]]>

Sustainability or Sustainababble?

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:03:01 +0000

EU Reforms Target Overfishing

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:12:09 +0000

EU Clinches Major Overhaul to Fisheries Policy (June 6, 2013) at: http://ictsd.org/i/news/bridgesweekly/165334/ and Europe adopts new Policy on Fisheries (Feb. 2013) at: http://ictsd.org/i/environment/153765/]]>

Scale of Canada's Environmental Goods and Services Industry

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:11:54 +0000

Engineering and Climate Change Conference

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:13:17 +0000

http://www.cctc2013.ca/English/TechSessions.html for a full list of all the papers, most of which are highly technical, but include some general interest items such as Teaching Energy Industry at a University at: http://www.cctc2013.ca/Papers/CCTC2013%20EDU1-1%20Donev.pdf; Assessment of a Carbon Tax as a Policy Instrument at: http://www.cctc2013.ca/Papers/CCTC2013%20EDU1-3%20Yildez.pdf; and Funding Clean Technology Development at: http://www.cctc2013.ca/Papers/CCTC2013%20EDU1-3%20Yildez.pdf.]]>

While Harper Courts European Oil Markets, Oil Sands Monitoring Report Released, Zama Alberta Suffers Pipeline Spill

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:14:57 +0000

The spill of industrial wastewater from oil production near the northern Alberta town of Zama has drawn criticism of the regulators, including the ERCB, for their slow response. See "Zama spill spurs questions on Alberta pipeline safety measures"at the CBC website at:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/06/14/north-apache-cleanup-zama.html

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Telling the Tar Sands Story - An Alternate View

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:17:08 +0000

http://tarsandssolutions.org/. The network campaign website is at Oil Sands Reality Check at: http://oilsandsrealitycheck.org/.]]>

B.C. Agricultural Industry

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:18:35 +0000

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3rd Anniversary of Canada's Boreal Forest Agreement is not a Happy One

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:21:11 +0000

Read the Canopy press release at: http://canopyplanet.org/canopy-boreal-withdrawal/. And follow the continuing story about the expulsion of Resolute Forest Products in May with Environmental groups suspend further work with Resolute under Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (May 21) at the CPAWS website at: http://cpaws.org/news/environmental-groups-suspend-further-work-with-resolute-under-cbfa.

Resolute was the subject of criticism by Greenpeace for its sustainability failings, for its treatment of workers, and disregard for Indigenous rights and communities. Read the report, Resolute's False Promises: The (un)Sustainability Report 2013 at: http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/resolutefalsepromises/ . ]]>

The Effects of Carbon Tax, and an Upward Revision of the Social Cost of Carbon

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:22:56 +0000

An important new report released by the U.S. Government in June revises the "official" U.S. social cost of carbon substantially, by between 50 - 60%. The first regulation to use this new SCC will be the U.S. emission standard for microwaves; it has also been recommended for use by the State Department in its consideration of the impact of the Keystone Pipeline. Read: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis - by the U.S. Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon Under Executive Order 12866 at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/inforeg/social_cost_of_carbon_for_ria_2013_update.pdf, and for background, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency article at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities/economics/scc.html ]]>

Recommendations from Ontario's Environmental Commissioner

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:24:47 +0000

Read Failing our Future, Review of the Ontario Government's Climate Change Action Plan Results Report at: http://www.eco.on.ca/uploads/Reports-GHG/2013/2013GHG.pdf, or the summary at: http://www.eco.on.ca/index.php/en_US/pubs/greenhouse-gas-reports/2013-ghg-failing-our-future ]]>

Climate@Work Released

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:26:09 +0000

Released in May 2013, Climate@Work, edited by Carla Lipsig Mumme, presents research by members of the Work in a Warming World project (W3). The focus of the book is on the Canadian scene and the current and potential role for workers and unions to contribute to a growing, green economy with good, green jobs. It examines six sectors in detail - construction, energy, transportation equipment, forestry, tourism, and the postal sector. Yet because of the global nature of the climate change struggle, the introductory section sets Canada in international context, looking at the role of international agreements, public policy, and the puzzling silence of English-language scholarly research on climate change and work. See the Fernwood Press website for a summary, list of chapters, and ordering information, at: http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/Climate-at-Work/.]]>

OECD Sees Job Benefits of Green Cities like Chicago

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:29:38 +0000

LINKS Green Growth and Cities is summarized, with ordering information, at: http://www.oecd.org/regional/green-growth-in-cities.htm#About_the_Publication

A working paper with more details about the Chicago labour market experience and green jobs is available from: http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/oecdworkongreengrowth.htm

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Local Content Requirements Promoting Green Growth in China and Around the World

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:32:34 +0000

LINK

Local Content Requirements and the Renewable Energy Industry - A Good Match? By Jan-Christoph Kuntze and Tom Moerenhout is available at: http://ictsd.org/i/publications/165193/?view=details

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Job Creation Benefits of Ontario's Proposed Waste Management Strategy

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:34:37 +0000

LINKS Waste Reduction Strategy notice in the Environmental Register is at:http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTE5NzM1&statusId=MTc5MTM2&language=en; Waste Management Strategy Document is at: http://www.downloads.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/env_reg/er/documents/2013/011-9262.pdf; Text and debates concerning Bill 91, the proposed Waste Reduction Act, 2013 are at: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2818

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Union Positions on Northern Gateway and Line 9 Pipelines

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:36:19 +0000

Receiving less coverage were the May 31 written submissions by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), the Alberta Federation of Labour, and the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union (UFAWU). All three unions oppose approval of the pipeline, arguing that refining jobs in Canada will be lost by shipping raw bitumen to Asia.

The CEP position in support of Enbridge's West-to-East Line 9 pipeline project is more controversial. As reported by the Toronto Globe and Mail and the Montreal Gazette, the CEP in Quebec is part of a campaign by the Coalition in Support of Line 9 Reversal, which includes the Quebec Employers Council, Montreal Board of Trade, and the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. Representatives launched the coalition in Montreal on May 29, stating, "This project is essential for Montreal and the whole Quebec economy and has broad support from the Ontario and Quebec governments ... If refining does not remain competitive in Montreal East, then ultimately, there will be more closures and the specialized petrochemical plants will have to import their feedstocks or face closure."

LINKS:

Full Joint Review Panel for Northern Gateway website is at: http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/hm-eng.html (English) and http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/hm-fra.html (French); all submitted documents are available under Section D: Intervenors/Intervenants.

B.C. Officially Opposes Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline (May 31), and multiple links to related stories, at the CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/05/31/bc-northern-gateway-rejected.html

Written submissions to Northern Gateway hearings: by CEP is at: https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/384192/620327/624910/785392/959884/D39-13-1_CEP_-_Final_Argument_of_CEP_%2800519679%29_-_A3I1H1.pdf?nodeid=959885&vernum=0 ; by Alberta Federation of Labour at (and see further details of their position in a separate Submission to the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future on The Study of the BRIK (Bitumen Royalty in Kind) Program (March 2013) at: http://www.afl.org/index.php/component/option,com_sectionex/Itemid,118/id,7/view,category/.

Submission by the United Fishermen is at: https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/ll-eng/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/90464/90552/384192/620327/624910/697824/960959/D203-14-1_United_Fishermen_and_Allied_Workers%27_Union_-_CAW_-Final_Arg_May_31.13_-_A3I2A8?nodeid=960822&vernum=0

RE LINE 9:

"Refinery union warns against TransCanada exports of crude through Quebec " in Globe and Mail (May 29,2013) by Nathan Vanderklippe at:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/refinery-union-warns-against-transcanada-exports-of-crude-through-quebec/article12244539/

"Line 9 pipeline reversal last chance to save 2,000 jobs: lobby group" in the
Montreal Gazette (May 29) at:http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Line+pipeline+reversal+last+chance+save+jobs+lobby+group/8451769/story.html

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Pulitzer Prize for Online Climate News Report

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:08:15 +0000

Inside ClimateNews.org won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting, for their story about the 2010 oil spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This is the 3^rd internet news organization to win a Pulitzer Prize (Huffington Post and ProPublica being the previous winners) – it is certainly the smallest. Internet news has now “arrived” and climate journalism has also now “arrived”. See the press release at http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20130416/ny-based-insideclimate-news-wins-pulitzer. See their full, free website at http://insideclimatenews.org/]]>

Nova Scotia Municipality Passes Fracking Ban Based on Community Health Grounds

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:11:58 +0000

Cape Breton Post article at http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2013-05-06/article-3237799/Inverness-County-passes-anti-fracking-bylaw/1 ; also see the website of the Nova Scotia Fracking Resource and Action Coalition, (NOFRAC) at http://nofrac.wordpress.com/ . Their report, Out of Control, released on April 22, documents the fracking experience in Hants County from 200, relying on documents obtained by Freedom of Information requests. The province of Nova Scotia is currently undergoing a provincial review of fracking before allowing any permits, and the decision on the review is set to be released in 2014. See the Government Review website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/pollutionprevention/consultation.hydraulic.fracturing.asp .]]>

Proposed Terms of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) Could be Used to Challenge Canadian Fracking Bans

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:13:27 +0000

The Right to Say No: EU-Canada Trade Agreement Threatens Fracking Bans (May 6) at http://corporateeurope.org/publications/right-say-no-eu-canada-trade-agreement-threatens-fracking-bans .]]>

Naomi Klein Calls on Green Groups to Join the Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:15:09 +0000

“Shouldn't environmental organizations be more concerned about the human and ecological risks posed by fossil fuel companies than they are by some imagined risks to their stock portfolios?” In an article in The Nation, she names the names of the green organizations which are “part owners of the industry causing the crisis they are purportedly trying to solve”. She also names the organizations which are not, including “Greenpeace, 350.org, Friends of the Earth, Rainforest Action Network, and a host of smaller organizations like Oil Change International and the Climate Reality Project.” Read http://www.thenation.com/article/174143/time-big-green-go-fossil-free# , reprinted as “It's time for environmental groups to divest from fossil fuels” (May 2) at Rabble.ca at http://rabble.ca/columnists/2013/05/its-time-environmental-groups-to-divest-fossil-fuels]]>

The Biggest Roadblock to a Post Carbon World is Politics

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:16:38 +0000

Read Post Carbon Pathways: Towards a Just and Resilient Post Carbon Future Learning from leading international post carbon economy researchers and policy makers at http://www.postcarbonpathways.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Post-Carbon-Pathways-Report-2013_Final-V.pdf]]>

U.K. Carbon Footprint

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:17:59 +0000

Reducing the UK’s Carbon Footprint and Managing Competitiveness Risks, was written at the request of the UK government by the independent Committee on Climate Change. It examines the role of consumption- based emissions, including imported emissions, and also considers lifecycle emissions of low-carbon technologies in order to understand how their deployment would impact the UK’s carbon footprint.

See http://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/carbon-footprint-and-competitiveness/ for links to summaries and the full report.

Response to the report by the Trades Union Congress is contained in a briefing, Bring Industry Back Home at http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-22150-f0.cfm.]]>

Global Clean Energy Status Report Includes a Call for Carbon-Pricing and a Phase-Out of Fossil Fuel Subsidies

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:19:32 +0000

The report also introduced the Energy Sector Carbon Intensity Index (ESCII), which shows how much carbon dioxide is emitted, on average, to provide a given unit of energy. The index remains almost unchanged between 1990 and 2010.

The “positive” news for 2012 include sales of hybrid electric vehicles, which passed the 1 million mark, increased installation rate of solar photovoltaic systems, and falling costs of most clean energy technologies. The report gives policy recommendations for each technology type, but overall, it concludes: “the true cost of energy must be reflected in consumer prices, through carbon pricing and the phase-out of fossil-fuel subsidies. Technologies like electric vehicles, wind and solar will need support for several years more, but policies should be flexible and transparent. More stringent and broader energy performance standards, building codes and fuel economy standards can drive energy efficiency.”

The press release from April 17th, with links, is at http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2013/april/name,36789,en.html .

Fullest coverage is at the Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2013 website at http://www.iea.org/etp/tracking/. The Report document is at http://www.iea.org/publications/TCEP_web.pdf .]]>

Reform Proposals for Global Carbon Markets

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:21:28 +0000

Carbon Market Crossroads: New Ideas for Harnessing Global Markets to Confront Climate Change is at http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CarbonMarketCrossroads-3.pdf .]]>

European Emissions Trading System

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:23:59 +0000

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/16/eu-ets-vote-idUSL5N0D337720130416 ; The Guardian at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/apr/17/europe-climate-chief-vow-save-emissions-trading , and the New York Times OpEd (May 7) , “A Carbon System Worth Saving”, at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/opinion/europes-carbon-trading-system.html .]]>

Should Alberta be the Model?

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:15 +0000

The IISD judges that the negotiations are likely to use Alberta’s Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER) as the standard. The paper concludes that “While all proposals on the table will deliver emission reductions at costs that seem reasonable, a 40 per cent intensity standard with a two-tiered price ceiling could strike a good balance.”

See Regulating Carbon Emissions in Canada: Oil and Gas Greenhouse Gas Regulations: The Implications of Alternative Proposals is at http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2013/oil_and_gas_ggr.pdf.]]>

Carbon Management in Canada: Can we Revive a Civil Debate?

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:27:09 +0000

th in Ottawa, the think tank Canada 2020 convened a meeting “because of our concern over the disintegration of constructive debate about carbon management at a national level in Canada. The current deadlock is not good for our country, our democracy or for our planet.” With a goal “to begin to define a constructive and positive course of action”, presentations were made Jean Charest, (former Liberal Premier of Quebec), Elizabeth May (Leader of Canada’s Green Party), Kathryn Harrison (UBC professor), Eric Newell, (former CEO of Syncrude), and Bob Inglis, (former Republican member of the U.S. Congress).

The background paper on which discussion was based, Why would Canadians Buy Carbon Pricing? is at http://canada2020.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Canada-2020-Background-Paper-Carbon-Pricing-April-2013.pdf. It provides an overview of the current provincial mechanisms and concludes that the B.C. Carbon tax offers the best model for a national policy. The event website at http://canada2020.ca/event/the-canada-we-want-carbon-pricing/ provides links to all documents and to videos of each presenter.]]>

Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference in Washington

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:28:46 +0000

from April 16 to 18 for the 2013 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference, sponsored by the BlueGreen Alliance Foundation. This year's official theme was Let’s Get to Work: Climate Change, Infrastructure and Innovation. In the opening panel, the message was the common cause in the fight for workers rights and environmental rights: speakers were CWA President Larry Cohen, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, USW President Leo Gerard, and SEIU Property Services Division Deputy Director Jon Barton. Videos, summaries and blogs from the proceedings are available at the conference website at http://www.greenjobsconference.org/. ]]>

Ontario Green Energy Act Loses Final Appeal at WTO

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:30:30 +0000

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/ontario-loses-final-wto-appeal-on-green-energy-act/article11731010/ .

A summary of the WTO proceedings, including a link to the review decision (file #WT/DS412), in English and French is available from the WTO at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds412_e.htm . The Council of Canadians reaction is at “Ontario urged to defy unreasonable WTO ruling against Green Energy Act” at http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2013/06-May-13-2.html , and the United Steelworkers union also urges Ontario to continue to fight, stating that "This is just the latest example of trade agreements being used to override our sovereignty and our freedom to implement environmental and economic development initiatives." (see press release at http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1159683/wto-ruling-must-not-end-fight-for-green-jobs-steelworkers ). The Ontario Ministry of Energy has not yet made a formal response to the decision; however, in a related announcement on May 6^th, it announced a 6-month review of the regional energy planning process to be more inclusive of municipal and local input. (See http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/05/new-ontario-government-strengthens-energy-planning.html ).]]>

NRTEE Documents are Accessible to the Public at W3 Website

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:33:33 +0000

which had provided independent research and analysis about climate change and environmental issues in Canada, and which had published reports monitoring Canada’s progress toward GHG reductions under the Kyoto Protocol. Despite government efforts to curtail access to the research output of the NRTEE, the W3 project has created an archive of all NRTEE documents since 1987. Go to http://www.workinawarmingworld.yorku.ca/library/ for free access.]]>

Future Green Jobs and Workplaces: The Need for Health and Safety Protection

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:35:04 +0000

LINKS Green jobs and occupational safety and health: Foresight on new and merging risks associated with new technologies by 2020 is at https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/reports/green-jobs-foresight-new-emerging-risks-technologies]]>

How Climate Change is Changing the Job of Professional Engineers

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:37:07 +0000

PE Magazine discusses how professional engineers in the U.S. are coping with the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on public infrastructure. The article notes several local projects and describes the Climate Change Educational Partnership of the U.S. National Academy of Engineer’s Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society, founded in 2011. David Lapp, who serves on Canada's Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee, is quoted for his thoughts on the potential for liability for those engineers who fail to take climate change adaptation into account. LINK “Change in the Weather” by Matthew McLaughlin, in PE Magazine (published by the National Society of Professional Engineers) March 2013 at http://www.nspe.org/PEmagazine/13/pe_0313_Change.html?utm_source=Newsletter+Distribution+List&utm_campaign=dfdf19f1ac-Newsletter_Apr_25_2013&utm_medium=email Canada Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee website of Engineers Canada is at http://www.pievc.ca/e/index_.cfm]]>

Recommendations for "High Road" Jobs in Green Infrastructure

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:38:38 +0000

LINKS Staying Green and Growing Jobs: Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance as Career Pathway Stepping Stones is at http://greenforall.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Staying-Green-and-Growing-Jobs-April-2013.pdf.pdf Related reports, including Staying Green: Strategies to Improve Operations and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and High Road Agreements: A Best Practice Brief are at the Green For All website at http://greenforall.org/resources/reports-research/ .]]>

Positions of B.C. Political Parties on Climate Change Issues and Green Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:39:48 +0000

th. The Pembina Institute has released a comparison of the positions of the political parties on four election issues related to climate change: liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil pipelines, the carbon tax and green jobs. They find that the Green Party is the only one who would take the province forward on all four issues, and goes the furthest in proposals for green job creation - with enhanced venture capital funding programs for the clean tech sector, as well as encouragement of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Only the Conservatives have no proposals re green job creation. The Conservatives, Liberals and NDP are all in support of significant LNG expansion, yet the Pembina authors state that “any necessary next steps in lowering emissions will be overwhelmed by the emissions from extracting, processing and liquefying natural gas if LNG development is allowed to significantly expand in B.C.” LINKS Climate change and the 2013 British Columbia election by Matt Horne, Josha MacNab & Kevin Sauvé is available at http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2449 . “B.C.'s political climate is shifting: Why talk of 'jobs vs. environment' no longer holds water” by Eric Doherty (May 10) at Rabble.ca at http://rabble.ca/news/2013/05/bcs-political-climate-shifting-why-talk-jobs-vs-environment-no-longer-holds-water Party Platforms: Green Party: Jobs in a New Economy is at http://www.greenparty.bc.ca/jobs_in_new_economy ; NDP platform is at http://www.bcndp.ca/plan ; Liberals’ at http://www.bcliberals.com/news/in-the-news/ourPlan ; Conservatives’ at http://www.bcconservative.ca/ . The Tyee Election Hook (dedicated to election coverage) is at http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/ For results: go to CBC B.C. Election 2013 website at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/bcvotes2013/]]>

Canada's Greenest Employers for 2013 Announced

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:41:55 +0000

LINKS Canada’s Greenest Employers 2013 website is at http://www.canadastop100.com/environmental/]]>

Case Studies of Emissions Reductions in B.C. Small Businesses

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:43:48 +0000

LINKS Are Small to Mid-sized Businesses the Catalyst to a Low Carbon Economy in B.C.? at http://pics.uvic.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Small%20Business%20White%20Paper%20April%202013.pdf]]>

CEP & CAW Statements to the House of Commons Committee: Pipelines and Dutch Disease

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:44:57 +0000

does exist. He then raises (but does not answer) the questions: how large has the effect been, have the costs to manufacturing been offset by the benefits of resource expansion, and should the government and the Bank of Canada intervene? Many others have appeared before the Committee, including representatives from the Fraser Institute, Conference Board of Canada, and Macdonald Laurier Institute. Unions have been represented by: Christopher Smillie (Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO) on April 25; Gil McGowan (President, Alberta Federation of Labour) on April 30. LINKS CEP submission is at http://www.cep.ca/sites/cep.ca/files/docs/en/130424-Fred-NatResCmttee.pdf CAW submission, Resource-driven Deindustrialization is at http://www.cep.ca/sites/cep.ca/files/docs/en/130424-Jim-NatResCmttee.pdf Transcripts are available at the Committee website, by date, (in English) at http://www.parl.gc.ca/committeebusiness/CommitteeMeetings.aspx?Cmte=RNNR&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1 and (in French) at http://www.parl.gc.ca/committeebusiness/CommitteeMeetings.aspx?Cmte=RNNR&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&Language=F]]>

Extreme Climate Events Threaten Australian Agriculture, Cities

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:56:10 +0000

A report by Australia's Climate Commission, released in March 2013, states that "There is little doubt that over the next few decades changes in extreme events will increase the risks of adverse consequences to human health, agriculture, infrastructure and the environment", with key food-growing regions across the southeast and the southwest, and cities in the southeast especially at risk. The report calls for deep, immediate cuts to carbon emissions as the only way to reverse the trend. The Climate Commission is an independent advisory group established by the Australian government in 2011 to provide Australians with an independent and reliable source of information about climate change. Read The Critical Decade: Extreme Weather Report at: http://climatecommission.gov.au/report/extreme-weather/.]]>

Emissions Standards Could Drive Job Creation in European New Vehicle Technology

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:02:05 +0000

A new report by consulting firm Cambridge Econometrics and Ricardo-AEA forecasts that 350,000-450,000 new jobs will be created if stricter carbon dioxide emissions standards for new cars and vans are implemented across Europe. Details of new regulations and targets are being debated, with German manufacturers at odds with those in France and Italy; Germans believe they would be at a disadvantage because of the bigger cars they produce. See An Economic Assessment of Low-carbon Vehicles at: http://www.ricardo-aea.com/cms/assets/MediaRelease/Economic-Assessment-Vehicles-FINAL2.pdf. ]]>

U.S. Industry and Environmental Groups Join to Create the Center for Sustainable Shale Development

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:05:41 +0000

In late March, 2013, the following groups announced their cooperation to create the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD): Chevron; Clean Air Task Force; CONSOL Energy; Environmental Defense Fund; EQT Corporation; Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP); Heinz Endowments; Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future; Pennsylvania Environmental Council; Shell; and the William Penn Foundation.

The CCSD website at: http://037186e.netsolhost.com/site/ describes the group as: "an unprecedented collaboration built on constructive engagement among environmental organizations, philanthropic foundations and energy companies from across the Appalachian Basin...The result of this unique collaboration: the development of rigorous performance standards for sustainable shale development and a commitment to continuous improvement to ensure safe and environmentally responsible development of our abundant shale resources." ]]>

Employment Estimates for Fracking Shale Gas in Quebec

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:07:48 +0000

A new study by the Canadian Energy Research Institute in Calgary provides an overview of shale gas locations and geology across Canada, describes the fracking process, and focuses on the current state of the Utica Shale Gas field in Quebec, using economic analysis to estimate GDP, employment, tax and royalty revenue. The report estimates Canadian employment gains in direct, indirect and induced job to range from 293,000 in the base case and 880,000 person-years in the maximum production case. Approximately 69% of jobs are estimated to occur in Québec, 23% in Alberta, and the remaining 8% across Canada. The Quebec government has put a moratorium on shale gas development to allow for public consultation about oil and gas regulations; the government is currently awaiting the completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment, expected in late 2013.

LINK Potential Economic Impacts of Developing Quebec's Shale Gas, (March 2013) is available at the Canadian Energy Research Institute website at:http://www.ceri.ca/images/stories/2013-03-08_CERI_Study_132_-_Quebec_Shale.pdf

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Canadian Pipelines: Funding New Eastern Markets for Western Bitumen Sparks Widespread Opposition

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:09:19 +0000

The Energy East pipeline project proposal by TransCanada Pipeline is being promoted by Premier Redford of Alberta and New Brunswick's David Alward. The proposal involves the inversion of 3,000 kilometres of existing pipeline from natural gas to crude oil, as well as the construction of 1,400 kilometres of new pipeline from Quebec to the Irving refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. The project could carry as much as 850,000 barrels of crude oil per day. New Brunswick's recent budget highlighted it as part of the province's "Brighter Future".

Echoing the recent vocabulary of Alberta Premier Redford, N.B. Premier David Alward has said "This project is potentially as important to Canada's economic future as the railway was to its past. If we proceed, this project will strengthen our national and provincial economies and create jobs and economic growth today and for generations to come."

Read Premier encouraged by important step in West-East pipeline (April 2) at CBC New Brunswick website at:http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2013.04.0274.html; New Brunswick budget document, Managing Smarter for a Brighter Future (March 26, 2013) at: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/627691-budget-2013-14-final-e.html#document/p2 , and "TransCanada's West-East oil pipeline gains momentum" in the Globe and Mail, (April 2, 2013) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/transcanadas-west-east-oil-pipeline-gains-momentum/article10663042/. A related protest is scheduled for Montreal on April 21: Marche pour la Terre/ Walk for the Earth is the result of a collaboration between AQLPA, the David Suzuki Foundation, Earth Day Quebec, ENvironnement JEUnesse, Equiterre, Greenpeace and Nature Quebec, along with the Idle No More movement. They will be protesting any expansion of the tar sands and the presence of pipelines in Quebec, along with many other demands for improved environmental policies and protections. See the website: in French at: http://marchepourlaterre.org/ and in English at: http://marchepourlaterre.org/en/. Another East-West pipeline, Enbridge Line 9, has drawn criticism from environmentalists since November 2012, when Enbridge applied to the National Energy Board to reverse the flow of oil and boost the line's capacity from 240,000 barrels per day to 300,000. Line 9 is a pipeline built in the 1970's which currently runs between Montreal and Westover, Ontario, through highly populated areas and across water sources, including the three rivers of the Greater Toronto area. Because of the danger of a disastrous oil spill, especially given Enbridge's historic spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2010 and the toxicity of diluted bitumen that it could carry, the "Stop Line 9" movement has drawn large protests in communities across the proposed route.

On March 21, the following groups from Quebec and Ontario were allowed to submit their "List of Issues" to the NEB : Équiterre, Environmental Defence, Climate Justice Montreal, Sierra Club of Canada, Greenpeace Canada, and Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution Atmosphérique. The U.S. Environmental Resources Defense Council is also involved because of the potential for oil to travel from Montreal across New England, via the existing connection with the Portland-Montreal pipeline.

Read the Primer on the West-East Pipeline (April 8, 2013) by Maryam Adrangi at the Council of Canadians website at:http://canadians.org/blog/?p=20308; Enbridge's Oil Sands Pipeline Plan: All pain and no gain for Ontario at the Environmental Defence website at: http://environmentaldefence.ca/enbridgestarsandspipelineplan; Natural Resources Defense Council press release (March 26, 2013) at: http://equiterre.org/sites/fichiers/nrdcrelease_-_us_group_submittal_to_neb_line_9_reversal_project_review-nrdc-march_26-final-english.pdf, and visit the Stop Line 9 Toronto website at: http://www.stopline9-toronto.ca/ for links to major resources and other organized groups at: http://www.stopline9-toronto.ca/line9resources.php.]]>

Forecasts of B.C. LNG Revenues are Disputed as "Cloudy"

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:11:02 +0000

A week after Premier Clark released optimistic projections for the province's liquefied natural gas strategy in February, the Energy ministry released two independent consultant's reports on the issue. In an article in The Tyee, Geoff Dembicki unravels the calculations behind the government's projected revenues, the consultants' numbers, and the current industry opinion. He concludes that the projections are built on unrealistic assumptions, and "industry opinion also suggests B.C. is unlikely to realize tax revenues of $260 billion, or even the lower Liberal estimate of $130 billion." Read "Clark's Gas Export Optimism Floats on Cloudy Numbers" by Geoff Dembicki in The Tyee (April 10, 2013) at: http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/04/10/LNG-Revenues-Cloudy/. The two consultant's reports are at: http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/pubdocs/bcdocs2013/528495/grant%20thornton%20-%20lng%20revenue.pdf andhttp://www.empr.gov.bc.ca/OG/Documents/Ernst%20and%20Young%20-%20LNG%20Revenue.pdf. Another article by Dembicki, on April 4, provides more background and criticism of the LNG strategy. By changing the rules to allow natural gas to power the energy-intensive processing stages of LNG, the government has undercut its own "clean energy" boast and reduced the potential job benefits for First Nations clean energy enterprises. Read "Changes to LNG Plan Pull Plug on Jobs Say First Nations" in The Tyee (April 4, 2013) at: http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/04/04/Changes-to-LNG-Plan/, and a supporting 2012 blog by Matt Horne of the Pembina Institute at: http://www.pembina.org/blog/611.]]>

B.C. Auditor General is Highly Critical of the Pacific Carbon Trust

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:12:30 +0000

Public release of a report from the Office of the B.C. Auditor General has been indefinitely delayed by the provincial government, but Ben Parfitt of the B.C. office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives provides a summary of the report, and explanation. According to Parfitt, the Auditor General examined two major purchases of carbon offsets sold in 2010, (which together accounted for 70% of the 2010 offsets): the purchase of the Darkwoods private forestlands by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and a project that reduced flaring of natural gas at wells operated by Encana. The Auditor General's report found evidence that both the Nature Conservancy and Encana overstated the climatic benefits of their carbon offset projects by presenting "flawed" baseline information; that the Pacific Carbon Trust (PCT) overpaid for the offsets, and finally, that the PCT proceeded with the purchases against the advice of independent contractors. Read "The campaign to discredit BC Auditor General's report on carbon neutrality" by Ben Parfitt, (March 27, 2013) at the CCPA Climate Justice website at:http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/campaign-discredit-auditor-generals-report-carbon-neutrality, and a related post from July, 2011 which provides more details at:http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/darkwoods-murky-world-carbon-credits-and-%E2%80%9Ccarbon-neutral%E2%80%9D-bc-government. ]]>

B.C. Provincial Election May 14

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:13:55 +0000

Environmental issues will be a high priority for B.C. voters in the election, called for May 14. Follow the issues at The Tyee at: http://thetyee.ca/; BetterFutures B.C. at: http://betterfuturebc.ca/nextstep; the Pembina Institute at: http://www.pembina.org/media-releases; Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives B.C. Office at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/offices/bc/news-updates. ]]>

Changes in Oil and Gas Regulations for Canada and Alberta

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:15:19 +0000

While Canada waits for the new oil and gas regulations promised for Spring 2013 by Environment Minister Kent, the Pembina Institute has released its own recommendations for what it calls this "make-or-break moment for Canada's climate credibility". Author Claire Demerse recommends: the oil and gas industry reduce emissions intensity by 42 % ; the technology fund levy for those who don't meet the emissions reduction target should increase to at least $100 per tonne by 2020; the current unlimited access to offset credits for companies should end.

Read Getting on Track to 2020: Recommendations for Greenhouse Gas Regulations in Canada's Oil and Gas Sector from links at:http://www.pembina.org/pub/2427 .

In Alberta, discussion is underway for reform of the provincial carbon pricing system, with the media reporting proposals of a 40% target to improve emissions intensity, and a compensating payment of $40 per tonne if that is not achieved.

Read "Carbon levy talks in early stages, Alberta environment minister confirms" in the Edmonton Journal, April 4, 2013 at:http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Alberta+reviewing+climate+change+policy+McQueen+confirms/8195862/story.html, and See What you need to know about Alberta's 40/40 carbon pricing proposal, by Simon Dyer (April 5, 2013) at the Pembina website: http://www.pembina.org/blog/707. ]]>

Fraser Institute Analysis Pans Ontario's Green Energy Act

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:10:52 +0000

A Report released on April 11 by Canada's Fraser Institute analyses Ontario's Green Energy Act and finds no redeeming features. The report concludes that "Overall, GEA-related energy cost increases will yield a net loss of investment and employment in Ontario, in pursuit of environmental benefits that could have been obtained at a fraction of the cost." The report was released by the Fraser Institute, whose defining goal is "a free and prosperous world through choice, markets and responsibility". Read Environmental and Economic Consequences of Ontario's Green Energy Act at: http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/environmental-and-economic-consequences-ontarios-green-energy-act.pdf]]>

The IMF Decries the Distortions of Fossil Fuel Subsidies; Working at a Cross-Purpose with Climate Compatible Investment

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:13:48 +0000

A new report from the International Monetary Fund enumerates the economic problems caused by fossil fuel subsidies, including aggravating fiscal imbalances; crowding out priority public spending and private investment; encouraging excessive energy consumption; artificially promoting capital-intensive industries(thus discouraging employment creation); reducing incentives for investment in renewable energy; and accelerating the depletion of natural resources. The report continues, "As most subsidy benefits are captured by higher-income households, energy subsidies have important distributive consequences that are often not fully understood."

Importantly, the paper includes what it calls "the most comprehensive estimates of energy subsidies available covering petroleum products, electricity, natural gas, and coal." The report estimates the post-tax subsidies for energy around the world at $1.9 trillion in 2011, with the top three subsidizers, in absolute terms: the United States ($502 billion), China ($279 billion), and Russia ($116 billion).

Read Energy Subsidy Reform: Lessons and Implicationsat:http://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2013/012813.pdf.

A related paper by the Overseas Development Institute throws light on the current dilemma of international carbon development goals and fossil fuel subsidies. For examples, it points out that five countries (China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Mexico), appear in both the list of top 12 recipients of climate finance and the list of top 12 providers of fossil-fuel subsidies to domestic consumers. See At Cross-Purposes: Subsidies and Climate Compatible Investment at: http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/7343-subsidies-climate-compatible-investment-fossil-fuel-private-finance ]]>

How can Renewable Energy Meet Future Needs in Canada?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:17:23 +0000

A survey released in March by the David Suzuki Foundation and the Trottier Energy Futures Project states that Canada's supplies of solar, wind, hydroelectric and biomass energy are much larger than the current or forecast demand for fuel and electricity. It concludes that Canada can achieve an 80 % reduction in energy-related GHG emissions by 2050 by creating an integrated energy system which includes: a smart electricity grid which uses information technologies "to balance a wider range of supply sources, energy storage, interprovincial transfers of electricity and a wide variety of energy management and efficiency tools." Still, the report sees "up to half of Canada's energy demand would still be met by liquid fuels". An Inventory of Low-Carbon Energy for Canada, released on March 27 at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/media/news/2013/03/renewable-energy-sources-can-drive-canadas-low-carbon-future-trottier-energy-fut/ is the second research report released by the Trottier Energy Futures Project. IN THE U.S.

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that current renewable energy technologies-wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower-could supply 80% of U.S. electricity in 2050, reliably and across the entire country. Such a conversion would require new power transmission lines, new technologies to store renewable energy and to create a "smart" grid, and economic policies to encourage energy efficiency and lower market barriers to renewable technologies. Read Ramping up Renewables: Energy you can Count on at:

http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/clean_energy/Ramping-Up-Renewables-Energy-You-Can-Count-On.pdf

IN NEW YORK STATE

A new study by Mark Jacobson and Mark Delucchi, published in the journal Energy Policy, proposes that New York State's power needs could be met by solar, wind power, hydro and geothermal sources as early as 2030. See "Examining the Feasibility of Converting New York State's All-Purpose Energy Infrastructure to One Using Wind, Water, and Sunlight" in Energy Policy 2013 v. 57, at: http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/NewYorkWWSEnPolicy.pdf

IN EUROPE

A newly released report from the World Future Council documents an October 2012 workshop in Denmark where representatives from around the world, including Canada, discussed strategies for implementing renewable energy, and shared successful examples from around Europe. From Vision to Action: A Workshop Report on 100% Renewable Energies in Europe is available at: http://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Climate_and_Energy/From_Vision_to_Action_Policy_Recommendations_for_100__RE_in_European_Regions.pdf]]>

Worldwide Case Studies of Decent Green Jobs Show the Need for Strong Policy Support

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:19:48 +0000

A special issue of the International Journal of Labor Research, dated 2012 but just released in 2013, provides case studies of green jobs in Korea, South Africa, the EU, and a chapter on "Working Conditions in 'Green Jobs': Women in the Renewable Energy Sector", by researchers from the European WiRES project. From the Journal's Forward:"While these results remain very partial, this should be seen as an important reminder that "green" employment is not decent by definition and that in any other sector, green jobs require careful stewardship from public authorities to ensure that workers are able to exercise their rights. ...Indeed, government subsidies and procurement to encourage the shift to a greener environment should be attached to strict clauses protecting the rights to freedom of association and to bargain collectively and ensuring decent minimum conditions for workers."

LINK Are Green Jobs Decent? In the International Journal of Labor Research (2012) v. 4 #2, published by the International Labor Organization at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---actrav/documents/publication/wcms_207887.pdf

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Clean Tech Job Growth in California Four Times Greater Than the Overall Job Growth Rate

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:21:18 +0000

The 2013 California Green Innovation Index, the 5th edition of this index, was released on March 28 by the non-profit group, Next10. It reports that California's per capita emissions have dropped 17% since 1990, and 2% between 2009 and 2010 alone. Between 2010 and 2011, clean tech patent registrations in California increased by 26% (more than double the rate of the U.S. as a whole, and more than 5 times the global rate). In the special feature section on Jobs in the Core Clean Economy, the report shows that job creation was four times greater in the clean economy than in the economy as a whole from 2001 to 2011. Regional data are provided.

LINK

2013 California Green Innovation Index is available at: http://greeninnovationindex.org/content/index-page

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Release of 2011 U.S. Green Jobs Statistics Shows Growth; Future Surveys Cancelled

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:22:46 +0000

The Bureau of Labor Statistics published the results of the latest Green Goods and Services Survey on March 19, 2013, estimating that there were 3.4 million Green Goods and Services (GGS) jobs in the U.S. in 2011, with a growth rate of 2.6% from 2010 to 2011. The leading source of private sector green job growth from 2010 to 2011 came in the construction sector, with more than 100,000 jobs. California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio ranked highest in the number of GGS jobs.

See the 2011 survey results, supplemental tables, and the revised 2010 data archived at:http://www.bls.gov/ggs/news.htm. At the same time, the Bureau announced that one of the means by which it will meet its budget cut of more than $30 million, is to eliminate all the products associated with its "Measuring Green Jobs" program, including the surveys and the career information publications.

See the Sequestration announcement at:http://www.bls.gov/bls/sequester_info.htm.

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New Gender Analysis of Green Jobs in the U.S. Shows Women Under-Represented

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:24:17 +0000

On April 2, the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) in Washington D.C. published the first analysis of gender distribution of green jobs in America. The report concludes that women are underrepresented in the green economy (holding only 29.5% of green jobs, vs. a 48% participation rate in the general labour force). There are large variations across the country: ranging from a 4% gap in Washington, D.C. to a 24% gap in Maine. The pattern in the overall economy is expected to continue since the fastest-growing green jobs are those traditionally held my men, such as HVAC technicians and electricians. The good news is that the gender wage gap is lower in the green economy than in the overall economy, (18% versus 22% in 2010). The lead author of this study is Ariane Hegewisch ; the President of the IWPR is Heidi Hartmann. The report used data from the U.S. Department of Labor Green Goods and Services Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2008-2010, as well as the Clean Economy database maintained at the Brookings Institute. The report is the first in a series that will be funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation's Sustainable Employment in a Green US Economy (SEGUE) Program. Future reports will address good practices in workforce development for women in the green economy.

LINKS Quality Employment for Women in the Green Economy: Industry, Occupation, and State-by-State Job Estimates, is available from a link at:http://www.iwpr.org/publications/pubs/quality-employment-for-women-in-the-green-economy-industry-occupation-and-state-by-state-job-estimates

True Sustainability Requires Gender Equality, by Adam James at:http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2013/03/08/55750/true-sustainability-requires-gender-equality/

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Resist, Reclaim, Restructure: The Trade Union Struggle for Energy Democracy

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:26:35 +0000

"The Trade Unions for Energy Democracy is a global, multi-sector initiative to advance democratic direction and control of energy in a way that promotes solutions to the climate crisis, energy poverty, the degradation of both land and people, and the repression of workers' rights and protections." Now available on their website: Resist, Reclaim, Restructure: The Trade Union Struggle for Energy Democracy, a framing discussion document written for the 3-day global trade union roundtable which launched the initiative in October 2012, convened by the Cornell Global Labor Institute and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation of New York City. Representatives from several Canadian public sector unions and the Canadian Labour Congress participated. "The Trade Unions for Energy Democracy initiative focuses on three main concerns; the recognition that there is a global energy emergency; the needed transition to renewable energy is not happening, and the need for energy democracy led by public sector unions.

LINKS

Resist, Reclaim, Restructure: The Trade Union Struggle for Energy Democracy. (October 2012) Roundtable discussion document, by Sean Sweeney, is available at: http://energyemergencyenergytransition.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Resist-Reclaim-Restructure.pdf

Trade Unions for Energy Democracy website, with news and further documents at: http://energydemocracyinitiative.org/about-initiative/

Statements from many international union federations are at: http://energydemocracyinitiative.org/category/resources/trade-union-statements/

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Investment in Fossil Fuel Companies is on Shaky Ground - and that Includes Pension Funds

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:29:16 +0000

In a report released on March 26, authors Marc Lee and Brock Ellis warn of a possible "carbon bubble", akin to the high tech or housing bubbles that have rocked financial markets in the past. The study finds that at least 78% of Canada's proven oil, bitumen, gas, and coal reserves must remain in the ground in order to keep global temperature rise under 2 degrees C. This stranded, unburnable fossil fuel is part of the carbon liability of oil and gas companies, and has not been adequately recognized and accounted for by financial analysts. Because the Toronto Stock Exchange is highly weighted towards the fossil fuel sector (with 405 oil and gas companies and a total market capitalization of over $379 billion on the TSX in 2011), the authors argue that this failure to account for these climate risks means that large amounts of invested capital are vulnerable - including the pension assets of working Canadians. They also point out the intergenerational inequity implied in ignoring the interests of younger workers in pension fund management. They propose a series of measures to deflate the carbon bubble and green Canada's investment markets as part of an orderly transition to a clean energy economy.

Unburnable Carbon, a report by the Carbon Tracker Initiative, discusses the implications of these stranded carbon assets for world and U.K. financial markets. A 2013 update will be available in late April.

Meanwhile, the U.S. campaign for divestment of fossil fuel investments, spearheaded by Bill McKibben and 350.org, is gathering momentum in Canada. See the website ofhttp://gofossilfree.ca/ to follow the campaign to lobby universities to divest themselves of any investments related to fossil fuel companies.

LINKS

Canada's Carbon Liabilities: The Implications of Stranded Fossil Fuel Assets for Financial Markets and Pension Funds is available at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2013/03/Canadas%20Carbon%20Liabilities.pdf Unburnable Carbon (2012, and forthcoming 2013 update) is available at the Carbon Tracker website at :http://www.carbontracker.org/carbonbubble

"Global warming's terrifying new math" by Bill McKibben in Rolling Stone, July 2012 at: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719

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A Zero Waste Economy Benefits the Environment and the Economy

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:31:36 +0000

A report released on March 28 calls for a move to a zero waste economy in British Columbia, estimating that more aggressive reduction and recycling of consumer goods could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 5 million tonnes by 2020 and 6.2 million tonnes by 2040. A "closed loop system", in which products like appliances would be repaired and reused for as long as possible, and finally recycled or reused in new products, would also benefit local economies by creating decent green jobs in repair, servicing and maintenance, waste management in sophisticated collection and sorting systems, as well as re-manufacturing and recycling activities. Based on research carried out in the US, UK and Europe, the authors estimate that "100% recycling of B.C.'s waste, with all sourcing and processing done locally, would support 12,300 direct jobs. With an existing provincial diversion rate of 43%, this would mean about 7,000 new direct jobs. In addition to these, there are also potential jobs gains in the more labour-intensive repair and refurbishment of products." "Because there may be job losses from reduced resource extraction and landfilling and incineration practices, "just transition" programs will be needed that facilitate new skills development. On balance, it is anticipated that job creation impacts would be larger than losses, but policy should actively seek to create those jobs by developing the sectors cited above. Promoting and supporting unionized workforces would push green jobs to ensure decent wages and working conditions."

LINK

Closing the Loop: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Creating Green Jobs through Zero Waste in B.C. by Marc Lee, Sue Maxwell, Ruth Legg, and William Rees is available at the Climate Justice Project of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (B.C. Office) at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2013/03/CCPA-BC-Zero-Waste.pdf

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Official IPCC 5th Report Releases Begin Sept. 27

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:26:18 +0000

The Fifth Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will be released soon, starting with the Working Group I report on the Physical Sciences, on September 27, and concluding in October 2014 with the Synthesis Report. See http://www.ipcc.ch/ for a schedule and for links to the official documentation and background information. A draft of the report, leaked in August, prompted a flurry of news coverage: for example, see the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/science/earth/extremely-likely-that-human-activity-is-driving-climate-change-panel-finds.html?pagewanted=all. ]]>

Global Assessment of the Impacts of Biofuels

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:06:10 +0000

Biofuels And The Sustainability Challenge: A Global Assessment of Sustainability Issues, Trends and Policies for Biofuels and Related Feedstock at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/017/i3126e/i3126e.pdf]]>

How Sustainable are the Supply Chains of Multinatonal Food Companies?

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:07:19 +0000

Behind the Brands on February 25th, the most recent update to their GROW campaign, which seeks to increase the transparency and accountability of the "Big 10" food and beverage companies in the world. The report is a scorecard which examines company policies in seven topics critical to sustainable agricultural production: women, small-scale farmers, farm workers, water, land, climate change, and transparency. Nestlé and Unilever scored highest for their policies; Associated British Foods (ABF) and Kellogg ranked at the bottom. The other companies measured were: Coca-Cola, Danone, General Mills, Mars, Mondelez International (previously Kraft Foods), and PepsiCo. Read Behind the Brands at: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/files/behind-the-brands-briefing-paper-final.pdf]]>

U.S. Proposals to Encourage Large-scale Wind Power

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:08:21 +0000

Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act; establish a carbon tax, and roll back fossil fuel subsidies. Making the Economic Case for Offshore Wind was commissioned by the Center for American Progress, the Clean Energy States Alliance, the Sierra Club, and the U.S. Offshore Wind Collaborative, and conducted by the Brattle Group, a consulting firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Read it at: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2013/02/28/54988/making-the-economic-case-for-offshore-wind/ ]]>

Canada's Fuel Efficiency Regulatons for Heavy Duty Vehicles Finalized

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:18:52 +0000

http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=714D9AAE-1&news=3FC39747-ABF2-470A-A99E-48CA2B881E97 for the press release and links to a timeline, backgrounder, and Regulatory Impact Analysis statement.]]>

Canadian Physicians Urged to Fight Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:19:39 +0000

Canadian Medical Association Journal urges the Canadian medical establishment and individual physicians to advocate against climate change by signing the December 2012 Doha Declaration on Climate, Health and Wellbeing. It also points out that physicians can act on a professional level to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their own health care workplaces. See "Physician's Roles on the Front Line of Climate Change" in the CMAJ volume 185 #3 at: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/3/195.full.pdf+html?sid=ffff264c-ea63-4daa-9c5d-ae8cdf448787]]>

...And in Sudbury

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:21:18 +0000

Climate Change and the Official Plan, at: http://www.greatersudbury.ca/agendas/index.cfm?pg=agenda&action=navigator&lang=en&id=594&itemid=6909. These are strategies based on the land use policy guidance released in 2012 by the government of Ontario in Climate Ready: Ontario's Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for 2011-2014, and the proposed Provincial Policy Statement (PPS).]]>

Meaningful GHG Reductions in Toronto Possible with Retrofitting, Low Carbon Transit

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:22:25 +0000

See "A Low Carbon Infrastructure Plan for Toronto, Canada", by Christopher Kennedy ( Department of Engineering, University of Toronto) and Loraine Sugar, in Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, volume 40 (1), January 2013 at: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjce-2011-0523]]>

CCPA Alternative Budget Proposes Environmental and Energy Policies

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:23:22 +0000

The Alternative Budget calls for a collaborative National Energy Plan which would "slow the pace of bitumen development and use it for domestic needs first; upgrade the resource in this country before it is exported, and develop linkages to upstream and downstream energy related activities." In the category of Sectoral Development, the report proposes to enhance value-added production and investment in key sectors, including manufacturing, automobiles, aerospace and forestry, with funding to come from cancelling biofuel crop subsidies and the Green Car Levy.

See the Alternative Budget in Brief (34 pages) at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2013/03/AFB2013_BudgetInBrief.pdf and the full document (172 pages) at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2013/03/AFB2013_MainDocument.pdf. For French language versions, go to: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/abgf2013.]]>

Carbon Pricing Compared: Alberta, B.C., California, Australia, and Other Jurisdictions

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:24:23 +0000

LINKS

Carbon Pricing Approaches in Oil and Gas Producing Jurisdictions is available at the Pembina Institute website at: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2414 ]]>

Ontario Consultation Period Re a Cap and Trade Policy

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:25:59 +0000

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions in Ontario: A Discussion Paper at the end of January, with a public comment period open till April 21, 2013. The discussion paper states that it is not considering a carbon tax, but rather a cap-and-trade system. According to an article by lawyers at Osler Hoskin and Harcourt LLP, "Ontario intends to seek an equivalency arrangement with the Federal Government so as to render federal regulations inapplicable as long as equivalent Ontario regulations achieve identical (or better) outcomes."

LINKS Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions in Ontario: A Discussion Paper

is available at:

http://www.downloads.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/env_reg/er/documents/2013/011-7940.pdf Ontario Ministry of Environment Climate Change website at: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/category/climate_change/STDPROD_078897.html

and also provides links to earlier policy documents, including the November 2012 Climate Change

Progress Report. "Change is in the Air: Ontario Closer to a Cap-and-Trade System" in Osler Updates, February 21, 2013 at: http://www.osler.com/NewsResources/Details.aspx?id=5497

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Fragmentation the Defining Trend in Canada's Carbon Policy

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:27:10 +0000

The International Institute for Sustainable Development has published a policy brief which analyses Canada's carbon policy developments in 2012 and identifies key trends to watch for in 2013. The authors note that "accommodating the historical patchwork of provincial policy is pushing the country down a path of further fragmentation, increasing the risk of high-cost compliance and decreasing the likelihood of meeting Canada's aspirational GHG targets." And further, "In 2012 the federal government set an important precedent .... The Canada-Nova Scotia Equivalency Agreement has therefore established a pattern of federal policy deferral that is expected to become entrenched in 2013. The splitting of policy responsibility, with architecture provincially tailored but GHG performance standards nationally set, will underscore policy development in 2013." Among the recommendations for 2013: "Mechanisms for coordination of policy, whether through linkage, equivalency agreements or even common LCDR markets, should be nurtured and supported. Quebec's experiment with linking permit trade bi-laterally with California is an important precedent to watch".

Canadian Carbon Policy Year in Review and Emerging Trends, 2012 is available at: http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2012/regulating_carbon_canadian_policy.pdf

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Federal Environmental Policy Review and Funding for Clean Tech

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:27:57 +0000

On February 15, Canada's Environment Minister released the 2012 Progress Report on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), along with the 2013-16 draft Strategy, which forms the basis of public consultation, open until June 14, 2013. Also on Feb. 15th, the government announced $61.8 million of funding to support 23 clean technology projects across Canada, in areas such as agriculture, biofuels, transportation, mining and electric power generation, with funding provided through Sustainable Development Technology Canada's (SDTC) SD Tech Fund™. Individual projects are described in the Backgrounder.

LINKS 2012 Progress Report on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) is available at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/default.asp?lang=En&xml=CC4A6872-E0BE-4C90-A4AA-DD11320F10BF The 2013-16 Draft Federal Sustainable Development Strategy is available at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/dd-sd/default.asp?lang=En&n=C2844D2D-1 or the Consulting with Canadians website; comments accepted by June 14, 2013. Backgrounder (with details of individual projects) at: http://www.sdtc.ca/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=317&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01detailtemplate=news-details&cntnt01returnid=143&hl=en_CA ]]>

Overviews of Green Jobs, Skills, and Social Dialogue in Europe and South Africa

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:29:04 +0000

A South African overview report analysing national policies was posted to the Sustainlabour website but has been removed, and replaced by briefer presentations from February meetings in Johannesburg. The meetings and report are part of the "Social Dialogue for Green and Decent Jobs. South Africa-European Dialogue on Just Transition", a collaboration of Sustainlabour with COSATU (South African Trade Union Congress) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and funded by the European Union. In South Africa, with an unemployment rate of 25%, the green economy is seen as a major source of job creation; the New Growth Path policy statement of 2011 included a Green Economy Accord, signed by government, business and trade unions and other civil society organizations.

LINKS Green Jobs and Related Policy Frameworks: an Overview of the European Union is available at: http://www.sustainlabour.org/documentos/Green%20and%20decent%20jobs-%20An%20Overview%20from%20Europe.pdf Sustainlabour European Union-South Africa Dialogue on Green Jobs and Just Dialogue on Green Jobs and Just Transition Presentation from 20 February 2013 (comparative summary) is available at: http://www.sustainlabour.org/documentos/Ana%20Sanchez-%20EU-SA%20green%20jobs%20Nairobi.pdf]]>

Models Predict the Effect of Heat Stress on Workers

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:32:39 +0000

A scientific article by researchers at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses historical climate data from 1860 and modeling to 2200 to forecast "wet-bulb temperatures" - a heat stress indicator that takes humidity into account. They estimate that if carbon dioxide levels keep rising over the next two centuries, labour capacity during the hottest months will fall from a current level of approximately 90% to 80% by 2050, 63% by 2100 and 39% by 2200, in the worst case scenario. Although the worst effects would be felt in tropical and mid-latitudes, the authors predict that "heat stress in Washington D.C. becomes higher than present-day New Orleans, and New Orleans exceeds present-day Bahrain."

LINKS "Reductions in Labour Capacity From Heat Stress Under Climate Warming", by John P. Dunne, Ronald J. Stouffer & Jasmin G. John in Nature Climate Change online, February 23, 2013 (abstract free; full article for a fee) at:http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1827.html

A layman's summary appears in Surprising Science, published by the Smithsonian Institute, at:http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/02/climate-change-is-reducing-our-ability-to-get-work-done/

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Liquified Natural Gas: B.C. Announces Royalty Credits and Grants to First Nations to Stimulate the Industry

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:33:48 +0000

The Government of British Columbia released a strategy for LNG development in February 2012, and has now released a one year update. The government now predicts that "LNG development is expected to create on average 39,000 new full time jobs during a nine-year construction period. There could be as many as 75,000 new, annual full-time jobs once all LNG plants are in full operation."

On February 25 at a conference called Fuelling the Future: Global opportunities for LNG in BC, Premier Christy Clark announced that British Columbia will provide up to $120 million in royalty credits to the industry in 2013, through the existing Infrastructure Royalty Credit Program (IRCP). The program, established in 2004, allows resource companies to recover up to 50 % of the cost of roads and pipelines through credits that reduce royalties payable to government.

At the same conference, the Premier announced that the government will provide $32 million to the First Nations Limited Partnership (comprised of 15 northern First Nations) to facilitate their non-equity investment in the proposed Pacific Trails Pipeline project , a 463-kilometre pipeline planned to run from Summit Lake, north of Prince George, to the proposed Kitimat LNG facility on the coast.

LINKS

British Columbia's Liquified Natural Gas Strategy: One Year Update is at:http://engage.gov.bc.ca/lnginbc/files/2013/02/LNGreport_update2013_web.pdf, with job forecasts summarized in a news release at:http://engage.gov.bc.ca/lnginbc/files/2013/02/News-Release-Major-progress-job-creation-evident-in-LNG-update.pdf

Liquified Natural Gas: A Strategy for British Columbia's Newest Industry, published in Feb. 2012, is at: http://www.gov.bc.ca/ener/popt/down/liquefied_natural_gas_strategy.pdf

See the new B.C. government website at: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/lnginbc/ for all LNG developments.

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U.S. State Department Releases New Jobs Estimates for Keystone XL Pipeline

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:37:56 +0000

The U.S. State Department released the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Keystone XL on Friday March 1, making no recommendations for or against approval of the pipeline project. A 45-day period has commenced to allow for public comments, with a final supplemental environmental impact statement to be released before a government decision, expected no earlier than Summer 2013.

Although mainly assessing environmental impacts, the report includes a socioeconomic section which provides new data: a wider view of impacts (including housing, public services support, fiscal revenues and private property valuations), and more detailed estimates about job creation and earnings impacts. According to the new estimates, 42,100 indirect jobs and 3,900 direct jobs would be created during the one- to two-year construction period, but the ongoing operation of the pipeline would only support 35 permanent and 15 temporary jobs, mostly for inspections, maintenance and repairs.

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver summed up the Canadian government position on the Keystone XL pipeline when he traveled to Houston Texas on March 6 to address the Huston oil workers. He stated: "The oil sands generate jobs and economic prosperity both in Canada and in the United States. Currently, oil sands production supports 63,000 American jobs per year. With expansion through Keystone and other projects, the oil sands will support tens of thousands more on both sides of the border."

LINKS

Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Keystone XL is available in a series of PDF files at: http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/draftseis/index.htm Detailed Socioeconomic estimates, including employment and earnings, are published in Section 3.10 at: http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/documents/organization/205641.pdf and Section 4.10 at: http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/documents/organization/205612.pdf

All documents related to the project are posted on a dedicated State Department website at: http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/ Reactions to the statement from: TransCanada Pipeline http://www.transcanada.com/6209.html; National Resources Defence Council (U.S.) at: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sclefkowitz/keystone_xl_tar_sands_pipeline_7.html;

Indigenous Environmental Network at: http://www.ienearth.org/ien-responds-to-draft-keystone-xl-supplemental-eis/;

Sierra Club of Canada http://www.sierraclub.ca/en/climate-change/media/release/statement-keystone-xl-pipeline-report;

Pembina Institute http://www.pembina.org/blog/694

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Canada Caught in a "Staples Trap" and a "Carbon Trap" by Current Pace of Oil Development

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:39:40 +0000

The authors of a new report released jointly by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Polaris Institute reject the polarizing framework of "economic interests vs. environmental interests", or "East vs. West", and call for a public debate of the social, economic and environmental complexities of Canada's current "bitumen path". They argue that Canada's current "gold rush" approach is creating a double threat to the country: a "staples trap," which is making our economy less diversified, productive and resilient, and a "carbon trap," which will make the inevitable day of reckoning for climate adaptation much more expensive and difficult. The report discusses employment impacts, income distribution, international trade, currency effects, and "Dutch Disease" and the Canadian manufacturing sector. An alternate policy approach is recommended, which uses tighter regulation to slow the pace of bitumen extraction and to boost Canadian content in the upstream and downstream supply chains. At the same time, Canada's economy needs to encourage more balanced, innovative and low-carbon industries.

LINK

The Bitumen Cliff: Lessons and Challenges of Bitumen Mega-Developments for Canada's Economy in an Age of Climate Change by Tony Clarke, Jim Stanford, Diana Gibson, and Brendan Haleyis available at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2013/02/Bitumen%20Cliff.pdf

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Climate Leadership Program for Members of U.K. Parliament

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:00:45 +0000

Since 2009, the Green Alliance in the U.K. has been working to encourage climate change advocacy and action amongst elected politicians, through a Climate Leadership Programme. Over 50 MP's from all three political parties have attended workshops and information sessions on the science, policy and politics of climate change, and their links with key constituency issues. As the program enters a new 2-year phase, past achievements and policy documents are summarized in an essay at: http://greenallianceblog.org.uk/2013/02/01/a-new-generation-of-climate-leaders-is-emerging-in-parliament/; for Background on the Climate Leadership Program, see:http://www.green-alliance.org.uk/grea1.aspx?id=4613]]>

Climate Change Coverage Decreasing in the Media

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:02:56 +0000

In its annual review of media coverage of climate change, Daily Climate.org website states thatThe New York Times published the most stories on climate change and had the biggest increase in coverage among the five largest U.S. daily papers in 2012. Daily Climate.org also states that climate change reporting declined by 2% worldwide in 2012 from 2011, despite the increased coverage of extreme weather events such as Hurricane Sandy. For a review of climate change reporting in 2012, see: http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2013/01/2012-climate-change-reporting. Given its prominence, there is further concern for the diminution of climate change reporting after the New York Times announced in early January that it is reorganizing its coverage of environmental issues - eliminating the positions of environment editor and deputy environment editor and reassigning the seven reporters from a dedicated "desk". The Timesmaintains that it will continue to cover environmental issues, but in an interdisciplinary way, reflecting that "environmental stories are "partly business, economic, national or local, among other subjects". The online Green Blog is still publishing and no statement has been made about its future. See "New York Times Dismantles Its Environment Desk", in Inside Climate News, January 11, 2013, at: http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130111/new-york-times-dismantles-environmental-desk-journalism-fracking-climate-change-science-global-warming-economy. ]]>

EU Transportation Sector Urged to Find Alternatives to Food Crop Biofuels

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:04:21 +0000

A new report outlines a vision for the transportation sector of the EU which would reduce its reliance on biofuels from food crops while cutting its CO2 emissions by 205 million tones by 2020. The authors claim that the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) target and the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) can be met by improved energy efficiency, combined with a the growth of renewable electricity use, and the use of biofuels and biomethane from waste and residues rather than from food crops. Sustainable Alternatives for Land-based Biofuels in the European Union: Assessment of options and development of a policy strategy was commissioned by Greenpeace, Transport & Environment, the European Environmental Bureau and BirdLife Europe, and written by CE Delft, an independent, non-profit research and consultancy organization in the Netherlands. The report is available at: http://www.cedelft.eu/publicatie/sustainable_alternatives_for_land-based_biofuels_in_the_european_union/1325.]]>

Environmental Performance is One Indicator of Canadian Quality of Life

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:05:26 +0000

How Canada Performs is a detailed national "report card" across dimensions: economy, society, innovation, health, education and skills, and the environment. In the release of January 2013, at:http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/environment.aspx, Canada receives a "C" grade on environmental performance and a rank of 15th out of 17 peer countries, measuring on 6 dimensions: air quality, waste, water quality and quantity, biodiversity and conservation, natural resource management, and climate change and energy efficiency. Climate change is measured using the proxy of GHG emissions per capita, and on that dimension, our country receives a "D" grade. "The main challenge is to make economic growth less dependent on energy use and related air emissions, by improving energy efficiency and by developing and using cleaner fuels and low-emitting electricity sources." Citing its previous reports from 2007 - 2011, the Board reiterates its call for a green taxes, green investment tax credits, and a cap and trade system for emissions. Data and analysis of GHG emissions are at:http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/environment/greenhouse-gas-emissions.aspx. The main home page for How Canada Performs: a Report Card on Canada is at:http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/default.aspx.]]>

Oil Sands Production: the Environmental Impact

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:11:56 +0000

Beneath the Surface: A Review of Key Facts in the Oilsands debate, published by Pembina Institute on January 28th, examines statements made that are not false, but selectively present information to minimize the negative impacts of oilsands production or overstate the positive strides that industry or governments have made toward addressing those impacts. The report focuses on five key areas including: air quality and emissions levels, land reclamation and wildlife, water impacts, volume of oil sands tailings and how reliance on the oil sands puts Canada's overall economy at risk. See Beneath the Surface: A Review of Key Facts in the Oilsands debate at:http://www.pembina.org/pub/2404.]]>

An Economic Argument for Pipelines

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:13:14 +0000

The Canada West Foundation, a Calgary-based think tank, argues for their viewpoint in Pipe or Perish, Saving an Oil Industry at Risk at: http://cwf.ca/pdf-docs/publications/PipeOrPerish_Feb2013-1.pdf. The report, commissioned and financed by the government of Saskatchewan, argues "If pipeline project proposals such as Trans Mountain, Keystone XL and Northern Gateway don't move forward, Canada will be foregoing $1.3 trillion in economic output, 7.4 million person-years of employment and $281 billion in tax revenue between now and 2035."]]>

Keystone and Northern Gateway: Union Support

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:14:21 +0000

The president of the U.S. Building Trades Department of the AFL-CIO issued a press release on February 13 calling for the immediate approval of the pipeline. In "President McGarvey Joins API President Jack Gerard for Joint Appeal for Keystone XL Pipeline Project", the union states: "Keystone pipeline is critical to our domestic energy industry. And our domestic energy is proving to be critical to the re-awakening of the American economy." See:http://www.bctd.org/Newsroom/Latest-News/President-McGarvey-Joins-API-President-Jack-Gerard.aspx. A press release from their Canadian counterparts on January 15 indicates that the position is similar for Canada, though it is specifically about a different pipeline. "Northern Gateway project an enormous opportunity for Canada's building trades", includes endorsements for the Northern Gateway pipeline from Robert Blakely, Director of Canadian Affairs, Building Trades Department of the AFL CIO and John Telford, Canadian Director for the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters. See:

http://www.buildingtrades.ca/Newsroom/Latest-News/Industry-News/Northern-Gateway-project-an-enormous-opportunity-f.aspx

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Keystone XL Pipeline: Union Opposition

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:15:40 +0000

Dave Coles, President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) delivered a strong statement against the Keystone XL pipeline at a conference at City University of New York in January 2013. Although the CEP represents 35,000 members employed in oil and gas extraction, transportation, refining, and conversion in the petrochemical and plastics sectors, Coles stated in his speech: "We oppose the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and call on President Obama to reject the project. Climate pollution from the bitumen sands industry is already considerable and will only get worse by approving Keystone XL. The Canadian government's aggressive lobbying in the U.S. in favor of the pipeline is an embarrassment. I have been arrested in the fight against Keystone XL because our union understands that this pipeline is bad for both the environment and Canadian workers. The pipeline will take potential upgrading and refining jobs away from Canadians and put our country's energy security at risk." The Canadian Labour Congress passed the following resolution at its 2011 Conference: "The CLC willpromote the creation of good jobs for Canadians through increased processing of Canadian natural resources, including bitumen, within Canada, stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline from commencing its activities, and actively supporting the Canadian petrochemical industry." LINKS: Keystone XL Pipeline: Bad for the environment and Canadian Workers is at the CEP website at:http://www.cep.ca/en/news/in-the-news/keystone-xl-pipeline-bad-environment-and-canadian-workers, and was reproduced at Rabble.ca on January 17 at:

http://rabble.ca/news/2013/01/keystone-xl-pipeline-bad-environment-and-canadian-workers

Canadian Labor Congress resolution at: http://www.canadianlabour.ca/convention/2011-convention/economic-and-social-policy-resolutions]]>

Keystone XL Pipeline: Effects on GHG Emissions

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:16:47 +0000

The Natural Resources Defense Council released Climate Impacts from the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline, a Backgrounder, on February 8. Click Here for the 8 page review, which includes full citations to further documentation.]]>

Keystone XL Pipeline: Protests Include the Sierra Club

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:19:40 +0000

On February 13th, the day after Obama's State of the Union address was silent on the Keystone XL issue, protestors were arrested outside of the White House, including James E. Hansen, Bill McKibben, environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club of the U.S. The Sierra Club, for the first time in its 120 year history, endorsed a policy of peaceful civil disobedience: see the January 23 press release at:http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2013/01/sierra-club-engage-civil-disobedience-first-time-organizations-history or the Director's Blog, "From Walden to the White House": http://sierraclub.typepad.com/michaelbrune/2013/01/civil-disobedience.html.

The Canadian Executive Board meeting of January 31 issued this statement: ".....Since the history of inaction on climate change in Canada is similar to the record in the United States, Sierra Club Canada is undertaking an internal dialogue to reassess its rules concerning civil disobedience in future campaigns and will make a decision at the appropriate time." In a survey of Sierra Club supporters on Jan. 31, over 94% responded that they agree or strongly agree with the statement: "Non-violent civil disobedience in campaigns for environmental protection can be a legitimate and acceptable tactic in a democratic society", and 88% agree or strongly agree that "Sierra Club Canada should seriously consider participating in non-violent civil disobedience actions". The Executive Board statement is at: http://www.sierraclub.ca/en/media/release/sierra-club-canada-statement-civil-disobedience; results of the survey are at: http://www.sierraclub.ca/sites/sierraclub.ca/files/surveyresults01312013_0.pdf. The Forward on Climate Rally on February 17th, a project of 350.org, Sierra Club, and 120 other organizations, was billed as "the largest climate change rally in U.S. history", in Washington, D.C. See: http://forwardonclimate.tumblr.com/ for details. The goal of the rally is to demand that President Obama reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, finalize carbon pollution standards for power plants, and promote energy efficiency and clean energy.

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Final Assessment of Canada's Outgoing Commissioner of the Environment

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:21:34 +0000

Scott Vaughan, Canada's Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, presented his 2012 Fall Report to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources on February 5th. The report is available at: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_201212_e_37708.html as five separate chapters: Atlantic offshore oil and gas activities; Financial Assurances for Environmental Risks; Marine Protected Areas; A Study of Federal Support for the Fossil Fuel Sector; and, Environmental Petitions. The Commissioner's Perspective document at: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_201212_00_e_37709.html concludes with the following concerns: ".... the current level of inspections of major resource projects in the North is very low relative to the level of activity. The government does not know the actual cost of its support to the fossil fuel sector. Meanwhile, offshore resource development continues to expand even as the government makes slow progress establishing marine protected areas. As well, the petroleum boards on the east coast and their federal partners are not adequately prepared to respond to a major oil spill should they need to step in." French versions of these documents are available at:http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/Francais/parl_cesd_201212_f_37708.html. The Government's official response to the report is at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=FFE36B6D-1&news=A832AD6F-5CE4-448B-B91D-B5C7E2AB4B2A. See the reaction of the David Suzuki Foundation to the Commissioner's report at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2013/02/government-must-heed-environment-commissioners-warnings/.]]>

New Priorities for Obama Administration After January 19th Inauguration?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:24:15 +0000

There are some hopeful signals that the second Obama administration will move climate change up on its priority list. Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from California and Chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee publicly announced in December that she, along with the chairmen of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will co-chair a "clearinghouse" on climate: "We are going to review the latest information, we are going to work on supporting a major bill, we are also going to work on various smaller provisions that we think will move us forward and focus on green jobs, energy efficiency and making sure that we get the carbon out of the air, and work with the administration on some executive stuff." See http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/273539-sen-boxer-firms-up-senate-climate-change-clearinghouse-plan. And some see Obama's nomination of John Kerry as Secretary of State, known for his interest in climate change, as a signal that the issue will be given greater priority. See the L.A. Times article, "Kerry expected to elevate climate change as secretary of state" at: http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-kerry-expected-to-elevate-climate-change-as-secretary-of-state-20121224,0,6445247.story]]>

Call for a Social Science Panel on Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:25:58 +0000

ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies has published a special issue, edited by Kelvin Mason, about the Politics of Climate Change. (volume 12, #1, 2013). There are nine articles; one, by Vinthagen of Sweden, argues that the natural sciences alone are not sufficient to understand and deal with the dangers of climate change, but also require analysis of political power relations and the global political economy. He proposes a role for academics in his article, "Ten theses on why we need a 'Social Science Panel on Climate Change'" at: http://www.acme-journal.org/vol12/Vinthagen2013.pdf. The journal ACME is online at: http://www.acme-journal.org/Home.html; this latest issue will be posted shortly.]]>

Ontario will Lead the Way in North America when Last Coal-Fired Power Plants Close in 2013

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:27:09 +0000

Ontario's Minister of Energy announced on January 9th that the government will accelerate its program to close its coal-fired electricity plants, and that Lambton and Nanticoke, the last of the lot, will close by the end of 2013. The press release refers to a 2005 independent cost-benefit study which estimated that this will save approximately $4.4 billion annually when health and environmental costs are taken into consideration. In a related document: the Union of Concerned Scientists in the U.S. recently released a report on coal-plants in the U.S. Ripe for Retirement: The Case for Closing America's Costliest Coal Plants estimates that as many as 353 coal-fired power generators in 31 states should be closed for economic reasons alone, even without considering the attendant benefits for public health and pollution reduction. Read the Ontario government press release at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/01/ontario-getting-out-of-coal-fired-generation.html.Ripe for Retirement is at: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/smart-energy-solutions/decrease-coal/ripe-for-retirement-closing-americas-costliest-coal-plants.html.]]>

Regulation of Fracking in Alberta Under Review

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:28:24 +0000

Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) announced on December 17th that it is accepting feedback on "the regulation of future unconventional resource development" until March 31, 2013. In its discussion paper, the ERCB has suggested a new regulatory approach that includes moving from well-by-well regulation to "play-focused regulation", i.e. regulation focused on development within a defined area. Outcomes to be regulated include "public safety, water protection, air quality, waste management, surface impacts, resource conservation, and orderly development". See the press release and backgrounder at: http://www.ercb.ca/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/2012/nr2012-13. The discussion paper, Regulating Unconventional Oil and Gas in Alberta, is at: http://www.ercb.ca/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/2012/nr2012-13.]]>

Quebec and California Working Together to Reduce GHG Emissions

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:29:16 +0000

Quebec announced new regulations on December 13 aimed at harmonizing Quebec's cap-and-trade system with California's in 2013, operating within the Western Climate Initiative. Approximately 85 industrial locations in Quebec belonging to 60 companies will be part of the new cap-and-trade system, beginning in January 2013. The minister responsible stated, "I am confident that we will see a full linkage of the Québec and California markets during spring 2013 in anticipation of the first joint auction planned for August, 2013. Québec and California have agreed to work together closely so that Canadian provinces and U.S. states join the market." See the Government press release of December 13 at:http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/communiques_en/2012/c20121213-carbone.htm (English) and http://www.mddefp.gouv.qc.ca/infuseur/communique.asp?no=2301 (French), with more details at: http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/changements/carbone/Systeme-plafonnement-droits-GES-en.htm (English), http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/changements/carbone/index.htm(French).]]>

WTO Decision Delivers a Blow to Renewable Energy Development in Ontario

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:30:31 +0000

The official report of a 3-member dispute panel of the World Trade Organization was released on December 14th, and ruled that the local content regulations of Ontario's Feed-in Tariff program violate two of the three conventions that the European Union and Japan had cited in their complaint of 2011: specifically, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and Trade-Related Investment Measures Agreement (TRIM). The federal government has announced that it will appeal the decision on Ontario's behalf, but investment in renewable energy manufacturing in Ontario is expected to suffer in the interim. Read the full decision and all accompanying documentation at the World Trade Organization website:Dispute 426, Measures Relating to the Feed-in Tariff Programat: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds426_e.htm; Reaction to the decision is summarized in "Canada to appeal WTO ruling on energy program" in the Globe and Mail, December 19th at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/canada-to-appeal-wto-ruling-on-energy-program/article6558522/.]]>

Public Opinion Polls Consider: Do Canadians Still Care?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:31:30 +0000

Two recent surveys consider Canadians' attitudes toward climate change and Ontario's green energy policies, respectively. As part of their Focus Canada series, Environics recently carried out a poll to consider the question "Climate Change: Do Canadians still care?" The survey is based on telephone interviews conducted with 1,500 Canadians between November 15 and December 5, 2012, and respondents were asked 5 questions.

A clear majority believe climate change is real, that government must take the lead role through new regulations, and that citizens like themselves must help pay for the necessary actions through taxes and higher prices for the goods and services they consume. 64% of British Columbians support their three-year old carbon tax, and there is clear support for this type of climate change tax in most other parts of the country. A second opinion poll, commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada and conducted by Oraclepoll Research, found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action. The survey also found that 73% of respondents feel that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario's plans to encourage investment in green energy.

LINKS: For Environics Focus Canada poll results, click here Oraclepoll for Friends of the Earth Canada is available at:http://foecanada.org/en/2012/12/results-of-the-ontario-green-energy-opinion-poll/

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Winter Tourism Industry Feeling Impacts of Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:32:45 +0000

A recent research report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Protect Our Winters (POW) looks at the direct economic impact of climate change on the winter tourism industry in the USA. A new economic analysis details how the $12.2 billion winter tourism industry across 38 states has experienced an estimated $1 billion loss and up to 27,000 fewer jobs over the last decade due to diminished snow fall patterns and the resulting changes in the outdoor habits of Americans. In addition to tourism, snow-based recreation in the United States has been estimated to contribute $67 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supports over 600,000 jobs. Climate change will spell trouble for all businesses dependent on winter weather from snowmobiling, snowboarding, and ice fishing to snowshoeing and skiing -- as well as the other related sectors that depend on winter sports tourists, such as restaurants, lodging, gas stations, grocery stores, and bars.

LINKS: Climate Impacts on the Winter Tourism Economy in the United States is available at: http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/climate-impacts-winter-tourism.asp Protect Our Winters (POW) website is at: http://protectourwinters.org

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World's Largest Companies are Investing in Renewable Energy

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:33:57 +0000

Based on interviews with executives and analysis of public disclosure documents, Power Forward: Why the World's Largest Companies are Investing in Renewable Energy states that clean energy practices are becoming standard procedures for some of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, including AT&T, DuPont, General Motors, HP, Sprint, and Walmart. 96 companies from the combined 173 companies in the Fortune 100 and Global 100 have set formal renewable energy commitments, and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction commitments. Barriers and challenges to the use of renewable energy are identified, and the report offers several recommendations for policymakers, including promoting tax credits or other incentives for renewable energy, removing policy hurdles, and market-based solutions that put a price on the pollution from conventional energy generation. The report was released in early December 2012 by Calvert Investments, Ceres and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

LINK: Power Forward: Why the World's Largest Companies are Investing in Renewable Energy is available at: http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/majority-of-world2019s-largest-companies-shifting-to-clean-energy

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Sustainability Executives and Energy Managers

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:34:45 +0000

GreenBiz Group has published the 2013 edition of the State of the Profession, which provides a snapshot of the current status of Sustainability Vice-Presidents, Managers, and staff - although the report points out that there is, as yet, no clear-cut definition of either the term or the role. As in the previous two years, the document reports on the salaries and job content of sustainability managers and executives, but this year's also discusses the training and educational background of incumbents, internal promotion vs. recruitment as a source of talent, reporting relationships, budgets, and the future of the role in organizations. It also highlights the position of the "energy manager". Data for the survey was collected from July 26 to August 10, 2012 from the 4,207 members of the GreenBiz Intelligence Panel. The response rate was 12.7%, with 73% of those responses from job holders in large organizations (those with revenues of over $1 billion); 93% were from the U.S., 2.4% from Canada, and the remainder from the U.K. and 11 other countries.

LINKS:

State of the Profession 2013 edition by GreenBiz Group is available at:

http://info.greenbiz.com/state-profession-2013-get-report.html?src=GreenBiz (registration required). A summary is available at: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/feature/2235283/the-state-of-the-sustainability-profession-2013/page/1

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New Green Jobs Map for Canada, Ontario

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:35:56 +0000

The latest report from ECO Canada, Green Jobs Map, focuses on "the major contributing industries in the Canadian green economy, essential green competencies within these industries, and the requisite green skills and training that professionals need in order to work in these particular occupations." The report makes a distinction between those jobs that are linked to a green economy and also require environmental skills (which is the focus), and the larger universe of jobs that are found in green industries, sectors and companies, but do not require special environmental skills (which are not included). The report is based on analysis of 835 job postings, drawn from a database of online job vacancy advertisements throughout Canada, appearing from March through May 2012.

A separate, supplementary report developed in partnership with Toronto-based Evergreen uses the same database to focus on Ontario's green economy and finds, for example, that 58% of green job opening were at private sector employers. Amongst those companies, 67%of the green job postings were at environmental consulting, engineering or architectural firms.

LINKS:

Green Jobs Map:Tracking Employment through Canada's Green Economy is available from a link at: http://www.eco.ca/publications/The-Green-Jobs-Map:-Tracking-Employment-through-Canada%E2%80%99s-Green-Economy/51/Featured%20Report/ (registration required).

Supplementary Report: Ontario is available at the Evergreen website at:

http://www.evergreen.ca/docs/res/Green-Jobs-Map-Ontario-2012.pdf

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Reducing GHG Emissions in the U.S.

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:22:31 +0000

A recently released report by the World Resources Institute identifies a suite of policies that the U.S. Administration can pursue that do not require new legislation by Congress. Can the U.S. Get There from Here? Using Existing Federal Laws and State Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, explains that if pursued with a "go-getter" level ambition, those policies can reduce U.S. emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels in 2020 and thereby reach its international commitments.

LINK: Can the U.S. Get There from Here? Using Existing Federal Laws and State Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: http://www.wri.org/publication/can-us-get-there-from-here

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Canada and the U.S. are Falling Short on Capitalizing and Competing in Clean Energy

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:24:05 +0000

In Competing in Clean Energy, Capitalizing on Canadian innovation in a $3 trillion economy, the Pembina Institute identifies two main challenges to clean energy entrepreneurship in Canada: the lack of stable, long-term government policy and difficulty accessing capital. The report states that jobs in Canada's cleantech sector grew by 11%, and the industry invested almost $2 billion in research and development between 2008 and 2010. Yet, "With the Harper government's focus set on accelerating development of Canada's fossil fuel commodities - from oilsands to shale gas and coal - Canada is currently capturing just one percent of the thriving clean energy market." Three main opportunities for support for clean energy entrepreneurship in Canada were identified: develop a set of specific federal financial tools to encourage clean energy entrepreneurship; engage in the development of a national energy strategy; and send the right price signals. Although the Pembina Institute sees the U.S. as one of the countries outstripping us in the cleantech sector, a new report commissioned by the Pew Charitable Trusts states that the U.S. is missing the boat on clean energy investment. The study developed projections of how much clean generating capacity has been deployed in the United States and globally over two time periods: 2009 to 2011, and prospectively from 2012 to 2018. The report provides a number of policy recommendations to improve the situation. LINKS: Competing in Clean Energy, Capitalizing on Canadian innovation in a $3 trillion economy. Report and executive summary: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2406

Innovate, Manufacture, Compete: A Clean Energy Action Plan is available from the Pew Charitable Trusts at: http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/reports/innovate-manufacture-compete-a-clean-energy-action-plan-85899443754

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Low-Carbon Energy Futures Require Transformative Change

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:25:53 +0000

In Low-Carbon Energy Futures: A Review of National Scenarios, the Trottier Energy Futures Project (TEFP) summarizes common themes in leading greenhouse gas reduction strategies for eight countries: Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The study shows that Canada and other industrialized countries have the technology to achieve an 80 per cent reduction in their energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Deep GHG emissions reductions will depend on major improvements to energy efficiency; greater reliance on electricity for heating, personal transportation and some industrial processes, coupled with a transition to low- or zero-carbon electricity sources, and a wider use of biofuels. "The transition to a low-carbon energy future will be transformative, requiring a boom in clean-energy technologies and low-energy practices at least as significant as the post-Second World War boom in fossil fuel consumption". The TEFP is a joint initiative of the David Suzuki Foundation, The Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Trottier Family Foundation. LINK: Low-Carbon Energy Futures: A Review of National Scenarios report and news release summary are available from link at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/reports/2013/low-carbon-energy-futures-a-review-of-national-scenarios/

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Overview of Green Jobs in the U.S.

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:26:37 +0000

The January 2013 issue of Monthly Labor Review online is a special issue dedicated to green jobs. Four articles are included, which explain the methodology of the two BLS surveys, the Green Goods and Services survey and the Green Technologies and Practices survey, and summarize previously published data. The final article, "Workplace safety and health profiles of occupations with green technology jobs" uses BLS workplace safety and health data, which shares the same industry and occupation classification systems used in the green jobs studies, to report on the prevalence and details of workplace injuries and accidents. Unfortunately, the data cannot be separated into green and non-green jobs, so that the results are for all jobs in the industries or occupations that contain green jobs. Also included: a book review of Good Green Jobs in a Global Economy: Making and Keeping New Industries in the United States, by David J. Hess, published by MIT Press in 2012.

LINK:

Monthly Labor Review Online, January 2013 issue, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is at: http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2013/01/

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International Policies to Encourage Building Retrofits and Energy Efficiency

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:27:22 +0000

LINK:

Mobilising Investment in Energy Efficiency: Economic Instruments for Low-Energy Buildings is available at: http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Mobilising_investment_EE_FINAL.pdf

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The Business Case for Adaptation

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:27:41 +0000

The 3% Solution: Driving Profits through Carbon Reduction is at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/3-percent-solution-report.pdf]]>

Engineers Consider Sustainable Infrastructure

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:28:19 +0000

Policy Engagement (Sept/Oct 2013) at: http://members.peo.on.ca/index.cfm/document/1/ci_id/93318/la_id/1]]>

Coastal Cities at Risk from Climate Change: Vancouver, New York

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:29:06 +0000

Nature Climate Change online in mid-August, Vancouver ranks 11th amongst the world's 136 large coastal cities at risk of flooding, as measured by annual average losses of people or "assets". Most at risk: Guangzhou, Miami, New York, New Orleans, and Mumbai. The article is part of an ongoing OECD project to explore the policy implications of flood risks due to climate change and economic development. Future Flood Losses in Major Coastal Cities is available for purchase (with a brief free preview) at the Nature Climate Change website at: http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1979.html#access. Also see a summary at the OECD website at: http://www.oecd.org/env/resources/future-flood-losses-in-major-coastal-cities.htm Vancouver adopted a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in July 2012 to guide building and maintenance of streets, sewers, building infrastructure, parks and greenspaces. See http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/climate-change-adaptation-strategy.aspx for links to the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan, plus implementation reports for 2011-2012, and 2012-2013. In June 2013, New York unveiled a plan in response to Superstorm Sandy, which proposes more than 250 initiatives, costed at $19.5 billion - most of which would be spent to repair homes and streets damaged by Sandy, retrofit hospitals and nursing homes, elevate electrical infrastructure, improve ferry and subway systems and fix drinking water systems. See A Stronger, More Resilient New York, at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/sirr/html/report/report.shtml]]>

Progress Report on Energy Efficiency Initiatives in B.C. Municipalities and First Nations Communities

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:30:36 +0000

An August report by QUEST B.C. shows that "BC's 190 local governments are demonstrating remarkable momentum on ICES as are many First Nations". Integrated Community Energy Solutions (ICES), are defined as initiatives "to meet energy needs at the community level by taking an integrated approach across the historical silos of Land Use and Community; Housing and Buildings; Local Community Services, Transportation, Energy Supply and Distribution and Industry." The report provides details and case studies of energy efficiency initiatives in B.C. in areas including infrastructure, waste management, building codes, and vehicle emissions, and lists the legislative, regulatory, and policy tools that have enabled them. Although many metrics are well-developed, the report recommends improved measures for the economic development impacts of the energy efficiency initiatives.Read Integrated Community Energy Solutions Progress Report Province of British Columbia at: http://questcanada.org/sites/default/files/publications/ICES%20Progress%20Report%20-%20Province%20of%20BC.pdf. Quality Urban Energy Solutions for Tomorrow (QUEST) is a national non-profit organization with provincial caucuses; its mission is to advocate for ICES; see http://www.questcanada.org/. For more on this theme, see Ellen Pond's September 13 blog, British Columbia Needs local Government Innovation to Meet its Climate Targets at Pembina Institute at: http://www.pembina.org/blog/749.

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British Columbia Carbon Tax Held Up as a Model for Canada

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:31:22 +0000

After four years of experience with a carbon tax, British Columbia's per capita consumption of fuels subject to the tax has declined by 19% compared to the rest of Canada, while its economy has kept pace, according to analysis by Stuart Elgie and Jessica McClay at the University of Ottawa. The authors credit its success to the tax shift design - that is, the increase in carbon taxes is matched by an equivalent reduction in personal and business income taxes. Read "B.C.'s Carbon Tax is working Well after Four Years (Attention Ottawa)" in Canadian Public Policy (August 2013) at: http://economics.ca/cgi/jab?journal=cpp&view=v39s2/CPPv39s2p001.pdf.

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Carbon Tax a Casualty of Australian Election

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:31:57 +0000

Abbott Government begins Process to Repeal Carbon Tax at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation website at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/abbott-carbon-tax/4945330, and Tony Abbott sworn in as Australia Prime Minister at the BBC-Asia website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24121938]]>

Case Studies of Forest Management Practices, Both Good and Bad

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:32:31 +0000

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/Campaign-reports/Forests-Reports/FSC-Case-Studies/]]>

Call for Protection of the Boreal Forest

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:33:16 +0000

A report released in July by the International Boreal Conservation Science Panel emphasizes the importance of the Boreal forest, stating that scientific guidance dictates that no less than 50 percent of a region should be forever protected from development. Industrial activities taking place in the remaining unprotected areas should be carried out with the highest global sustainability standards. A network of large protected areas should be established before industrial development proceeds. Furthermore, both protected areas and industrial activities should only see development after free, prior, and informed consent of the affected Aboriginal communities. See Conserving the World's Last Great Forest is Possible at:

http://borealscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/conserving-last-great-forests1.pdf

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The Carbon Footprint of Food Production - and How to Reduce it - with an Example from the U.S.

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:34:17 +0000

A report released by U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on September 10 estimated that the carbon footprint of wasted food was equivalent to 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, with a direct economic cost estimated at $750 billion U.S. In this global survey, the world is divided into 7 regions, and 8 major commodity groups. The survey considers the entire life cycle - land use, water use, transportation, storage, loss and wastage. The Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources Summary Report is at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3347e/i3347e.pdf; An accompanying document, Toolkit: Reducing the Food Wastage Footprint, is at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3342e/i3342e.pdf and urges improvement in food harvest, storage, processing, transport and retailing processes, some of which can be accomplished by better training for farmers, farmer co-operatives, infrastructure investment, and technological improvements.

In related news, the U.S. Energy Department proposed in August two major energy efficiency rules for new commercial refrigeration equipment, walk-in coolers and freezers, estimated to cut emissions by over 350 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over 30 years. See the official Department of Energy website for the rule change at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/27, or the NRDC commentary about it at: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mwaltner/more_cooling_with_less_global.html.

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Canada's Chamber of Commerce Weighs in on the Economic Need for More "Energy Infrastructure"

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:35:17 +0000

In a report released in September, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce "highlights how Canada's lack of infrastructure to get its oil and gas to tidewater and overseas is preventing Canadians from maximizing their potential benefits in energy markets and is costing Canada as much as $50 million a day in lost jobs, tax revenues and other economic benefits." The title of the report is based on a quotation from Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, and its economic arguments rely on secondary sources. It does not specifically address the issue of job creation or employment impacts. Importantly, the major sponsors of the report are Enbridge, Nexen, Shell, Suncor, and TransCanada corporations. $50 Million Dollars a Day is available at: http://www.chamber.ca/media/blog/130917-50-Million-a-Day/1309_50_Million_a_Day.pdf

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What does the New Obama Climate Change Plan Mean for Keystone - and what is Stephen Harper Doing about it?

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:36:57 +0000

On what has become the defining issue of his climate policy, President Obama stated that he would approve the Keystone XL pipeline, only if it "does not significantly exacerbate the climate problem." In a New York Times interview in July, the President downplayed the job creation impact of Keystone XL, saying that, after construction, "we're talking about somewhere between 50 and 100 jobs in an economy of 150 million working people." See "Obama Says He'll Evaluate Pipeline Project Depending on Pollution" (NY Times, July 28) at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/us/politics/obama-says-hell-evaluate-pipeline-project-depending-on-pollution.html?ref=politics

On July 23, a Natural Resources Defence Council White Paper on the Keystone's impact calls for the denial of approval on the grounds that the pipeline would exacerbate global carbon pollution. Further, the paper states, "Canada is not pursuing climate policy that would effectively counteract significant growth in greenhouse gas emissions, or meet its international climate target. ... Current regulations in Alberta are inadequate, and despite promises from the last four Canadian federal environmental ministers, the Canadian federal government has not yet introduced rules to effectively limit greenhouse gas pollution from Canada's oil and gas sector." (See the White Paper at: http://docs.nrdc.org/energy/files/ene_13072301b.pdf).

Until now, the Canadian government has used the job creation and energy security arguments to promote oil sands development and the Keystone XL pipeline (as exemplified in its Go with Canada Website). But on September 6th, CBC reporter Chris Hall reported that Prime Minister Harper sent a letter to Obama in August, "formally proposing 'joint action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas sector'". See Harper offers Obama climate plan to win Keystone approval (Sept. 6) at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/09/06/pol-harper-canada-us-climate-change-strategy-letter-keystone.html.

So far, Obama has not responded to Harper's proposal, and the Canadian government has not announced any new policies or regulations for GHG emissions. The Keystone XL decision is now deferred till 2014, after the U.S. State Department's Inspector General confirmed a delay in the inquiry about potential conflict of interest in the environmental review process.

Meanwhile, the drumbeat of protest against Keystone XL goes on: a report released on August 29 by the Sierra Club and Oil Change International compiles data and commentary "from oil industry experts, Wall Street analysts, and Canadian politicians who say on the record that without Keystone XL the industry cannot expand production of tar sands crude". Sources for the report include Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Royal Bank of Canada, International Energy Agency, Standard & Poor, TransCanada, Government of Alberta, Scientific American, Financial Post, and others. Read the report: FAIL: How the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline Flunks the Climate Test at: https://content.sierraclub.org/beyondoil/sites/content.sierraclub.org.beyondoil/files/documents/kxl-climate-report.pdf

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Obama Announces a Climate Action Plan - and EPA Announces New Limits for Coal and Gas-Fired Power Plants

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:37:52 +0000

On June 25, U.S. President Obama laid out a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, prepare for the impacts of climate change, and lead global efforts to fight it. He based his arguments on moral, health, and economic grounds, and emphasized his personal commitment by announcing steps that he could authorize, without Congressional approval. Read the plan at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/energy/climate-change. The first major step in this plan came on September 20, when the Environmental Protection Agency proposed limits on carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal- and gas-fired power plants. The rules are not likely to be finalized until Fall of 2014 and will face aggressive opposition from the U.S. coal industry.

See the New York Times article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/us/politics/obama-administration-announces-limits-on-emissions-from-power-plants.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130920 and also "Challenges Await Plan to reduce Emissions" at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/business/energy-environment/challenges-await-plan-to-reduce-emissions.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fpolitics%2Findex.jsonp

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Canadians Take to the Courts to Fight for Freedom of Speech and Protest

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:38:32 +0000

In mid-August, ForestEthics Advocacy and activist Donna Sinclair filed a constitutional challenge in the Federal Court of Canada, seeking to overturn the amendments to the National Energy Board Act which were passed in the 2012 omnibus budget bill C-238, and which make it more difficult for citizens to speak out in regulatory hearings. Clayton Ruby, Chair of the Board of ForestEthics, is also seeking an injunction to prevent the National Energy Board from making a recommendation to cabinet on Enbridge's Line 9B application until the constitutional challenge has been dealt with.

See the Globe and Mail report of August 13th at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/activists-launch-suit-in-federal-court-over-ability-to-oppose-proposed-pipeline-projects/article13721850/. The ForestEthics press release is at: http://www.forestethics.org/blog/press-release-forestethics-advocacy-challenges-harper-government-energy-rules-court, the 4-page Backgrounder is at: http://www.forestethics.org//sites/forestethics.huang.radicaldesigns.org/files/Backgrounder-ForestEthics-Advocacy-Lawsuit.pdf.

In Alberta, the Pembina Institute appeared in court on September 5, appealing a Government of Alberta decision which denied the Institute a voice in the 2009 regulatory review of the Southern Pacific Resource Corporation's proposed oil sands project on the MacKay River near Fort McMurray. See the Pembina news report at: http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2477.

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Labour and Environmentalists in the U.S. - Recent Developments

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:39:22 +0000

On the eve of the AFL-CIO 2013 Convention in September, the Climate Justice Alliance sent an open letter to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, to "implore Labor to join us in the fight against climate change." (See http://www.ourpowercampaign.org/an-open-letter-to-the-afl-cio/).

Appealing for collaboration, the letter acknowledges the debt of all working people to the labour movement, and credits it for its skills in grassroots activism. Thus, "the environmental justice movement cannot halt climate change without organized labor. We need each other to win." The letter concludes, "We request a meeting with the AFL-CIO leadership to discuss the Federation's response to climate change and how to strengthen our collective struggles." The AFL-CIO Convention website is at: http://www.aflcio.org/About/Exec-Council/Conventions/2013; their most recent Executive Council Statement on Energy and Jobs (Feb. 26, 2013) is at: http://www.aflcio.org/About/Exec-Council/EC-Statements/Statement-on-Energy-and-Jobs, with context and analysis about that statement by the Labor Network for Sustainability at: http://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/labor-climate-and-the-kxl-interpreting-the-new-afl-cio-statement-on-energy-and-jobs/.

For more context, see "Will closer Partnership between Labor and Greens Help Build Both Movements?" at the Sierra Club website at: http://sierraclub.typepad.com/compass/2013/09/will-closer-partnership-between-labor-and-greens-help-build-both-movements.html, and also "When Fighting for Coal Plants is absolutely the Right Thing to Do", at the Trade Unions for Energy Democracy website at: http://energydemocracyinitiative.org/when-fighting-to-save-a-coal-plant-is-absolutely-the-right-thing-to-do/ ]]>

Job Analysis of U.S. Energy Legislation

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:40:11 +0000

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a September White Paper which assesses the job creation potential of the U.S. Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (Bill S.1392) - also known as the Shaheen-Portman Bill. The bi-partisan bill includes provisions to strengthen building codes and train workers in energy efficient building technologies, and has the support of the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers. The ACEEE report finds that increased energy efficiency would create savings for industrial, commercial and residential users, which would translate into increased consumer spending. The authors forecast that the economy would be stimulated to support over 152,000 new jobs in 2025, increasing to 174,000 jobs by 2030.Unfortunately, debate on the bill during the week of September 16th was stalemated by Republican manoeuvres to delay implementation of ObamaCare, and passage is threatened.

LINKS

Economic Impacts of the Energy Efficiency Provisions in the Energy Savings & Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013 and Select Amendmentsis at: http://aceee.org/files/pdf/white-paper/shaheen-portman-2013.pdf

Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (Bill S.1392) is available at:

http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-bill/1392

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Energy East Pipeline: Job Creation Projections Provided by TransCanada

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:41:10 +0000

TransCanada Pipelines released an economic analysis of their Energy East pipeline project on September 9, providing detailed estimates of direct, indirect and induced job creation, as well as the impact on tax revenues and Canadian GDP. The report was prepared by Deloitte and Touche LLP, using a Statistics Canada input/output model. It forecasts more than 10,000 full-time jobs will be directly supported during the development and construction phase (2013 to 2018), with approximately half of the jobs in construction, engineering, architectural, and oil and gas support services industries. In the operational phase, approximately 1,000 full-time jobs are forecast.

Despite the enthusiasm of federal politicians and New Brunswick Premier David Alward, CBC and the Globe and Mail have reported skepticism about the job creation numbers by New Brunswickers. There is also serious opposition from Ontario and Quebec, based on environmental and safety concerns.

LINKS

Energy East: The Economic Benefits of TransCanada's Canadian Mainline Conversion Project at the Deloitte website at: http://www.energyeastpipeline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Energy-East-Deloitte-Economic-Benefits-Report.pdf; A briefer (2-page) Backgrounder is available at: http://www.energyeastpipeline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Energy-East-Economic-Analysis-Backgrounder.pdf.

"TransCanada Touts National Benefits of Energy East Plan" (Sept. 10) in the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/energy-east-pipeline-will-create-2000-jobs-transcanada/article14213238/ Energy East Pipeline may create 10,000 Jobs, Study Says (Sept. 10) is at the CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/energy-east-pipeline-may-create-10-000-jobs-study-says-1.1699614

"N.B. Mayor adds to Chorus of Dissent against Energy East Pipeline Plan" (Sept. 12) in the Globe and Mail at:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/nb-mayor-adds-to-chorus-of-dissent-against-energy-east-pipeline-plan/article14298359/ "TransCanada's Eastern Path hits Snag in Ontario"(Aug. 22) in the Globe and Mail is at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/transcanadas-eastern-path-hits-roadblock-in-ontario/article13909022/

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British Columbia Liquified Natural Gas Strategy: Workforce Estimates Released, but Question Keep Coming

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:43:23 +0000

A report released on July 23 by the government of British Columbia estimates that 60,000 workers will be needed to build five LNG plants and pipelines throughout 2016 and 2017, with a further 75,000 permanent skilled workers needed once the projects are operational. The B.C. Natural Gas Workforce Strategy and Action Plan is based on information from the LNG Employment Impact Review, conducted for the government by consultants Grant Thornton. However, on August 1, the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria sent a 63-page letter to the federal and provincial Ministers of the Environment, stating, "On behalf of Northwest Institute for Bioregional Research, we hereby request that you direct that a Strategic Economic and Environmental Assessment be conducted of proposed massive new LNG developments in British Columbia." The economic questions from the Environmental Law Centre do not specifically relate to workforce impact, but rather to the costs to the taxpayer and the consumer, especially in light of the volatility of the high Asian price for natural gas. The letter also raises the issues of the GHG emissions associated with LNG production, along with other environmental concerns.

LINKS

LNG Workforce Strategy and Action Plan full report is at: http://www.rtobc.com/Assets/RTO+Assets/About+RTO/BC+NG+Strategy+2013JUL.pdf (the government press release is available at: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/07/action-plan-released-for-bcs-lng-sector.html).

Grant Thornton Employment Impact Review is at:

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/Grant_Thornton_LNG_Employment_Impacts.pdf

Letter from the Environmental Law Centre, requesting a Strategic Economic and Environmental Assessment of LNG developments in B.C. is available at: http://www.elc.uvic.ca/documents/2013Aug1-Aglukkaq-Polak-Letter-ELC2013-02-01.pdf

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Energy Conservation Can Deliver Jobs in Ontario

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:44:42 +0000

In a report released on August 22, BlueGreen Canada calls on the Ontario government to cut energy use by 25 per cent by 2025 ("25 by 25"). According to the economic analysis commissioned by BlueGreen and conducted by Stokes Economic Consulting, reducing consumption by 25% would result in 25,000 new jobs, $3.7 billion more in GDP, lower deficits for both the federal and provincial governments, and a 9% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025. BlueGreen Canada states that a more aggressive conservation approach is supported by environmental groups, and by Enbridge and Union Gas companies, and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

The release of the BlueGreen report coincides with a formal review of the provincial government's long term energy plan, begun in July, with the results promised by Fall 2013. In announcing the review, Energy Minister Chiarelli wrote: "this government believes conservation must play a more prominent role in our energy planning. Conservation is the most efficient way to help ratepayers reduce their costs."

A related report released by Pembina Institute on September 13, Renewable is Doable, shows that past forecasts have overestimated Ontario's demand for electricity, resulting in plans for more unnecessary nuclear reactors. The authors argue that investing in conservation and green energy options is a more cost-effective way to meet Ontario's energy needs.

LINKS

More Jobs, Less Pollution: Why Energy Conservation is Common Sense for Ontario is available on the BlueGreen Canada website at: http://www.bluegreencanada.ca/sites/default/files/resources/BLUEgreen_engRPT-FINAL-web.pdf

The Economic Impacts of Reducing Natural Gas and Electricity Use in Ontario (Supporting Economic Analysis report by Stokes Economic Consulting) is available at: http://www.bluegreencanada.ca/sites/default/files/Energy%20Efficiency%20Impact%20Study.pdf Ontario government Long term Energy Plan Review website is at: http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/ltep/; the Minister's remarks are at: http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/ltep/making-choices/#conservation Renewable is Doable: Affordable and Flexible Options for Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan is at: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2479]]>

Unifor Founding Convention Hears a Call for a Green Labour Revolution

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:45:30 +0000

Canada's newest and biggest private sector union, Unifor, held its founding convention on August 31 and September 1, making official the merger of the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) and the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union (CEP). These two unions together represent approximately 300,000 workers, in almost all sectors of the economy, including auto and aerospace manufacturing, rail, energy, communications, forestry, fisheries, and mining - sectors which are on the front lines of climate change.

In her speech to the convention, Naomi Klein stated that the labour movement is needed to take the lead in the fight against climate change - environmentalists and political parties cannot do it alone. In outlining her own "genuine climate action plan", she called for a democratically-controlled energy system and massive investment in public infrastructure. "I am not suggesting some half-assed token 'green jobs' program. This is a green labour revolution I'm talking about. An epic vision of healing our country from the ravages of the last 30 years of neoliberalism and healing the planet in the process."... "Climate change - when its full economic and moral implications are understood - is the most powerful weapon progressives have ever had in the fight for equality and social justice." Environmental goals figure in some of the important official documents of the new union. Note Article 2.10 of the new Unifor Consitution: "Our goal is transformative. To reassert common interest over private interest. Our goal is to change our workplaces and our world. Our vision is compelling. It is to fundamentally change the economy, with equality and social justice, restore and strengthen our democracy and achieve an environmentally sustainable future. This is the basis of social unionism -a strong and progressive union culture and a commitment to work in common cause with other progressives in Canada and around the world."

The Unifor Vision and Plan document strikes a more pragmatic note. The union promises to oppose the export of raw bitumen and the construction of massive pipelines, advocating for more "made in Canada" inputs and processing. It pledges to work with environmental allies to advocate for a Canadian energy policy which reduces GHG emissions, ensures a sustainable development of the oil sands and promotes value-added jobs in upgrading and refining petroleum products.

LINKS

Why Unions Need to Join the Climate Fight, Naomi Klein's speech is at her website at: http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2013/09/why-unions-need-join-climate-fight

Unifor website is at: http://www.unifor.org/en (English) and http://www.unifor.org/fr (French), including the Constitution at:http://www.unifor.org/en/about-unifor/constitution (English version) and http://www.unifor.org/fr/a-propos-unifor/statuts (French version).

A New Union for a Challenging World: Unifor's Vision and Plan is available at: the convention website at: http://www.newunionconvention.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/682-New-Union-Vision-web-ENG.pdf (English version) and http://www.nouveausyndicatendirect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/682-New-Union-Vision-FR-web.pdf (French version).

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Professional Associations have a Role to Play in Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 22:02:18 +0000

LINKS Professionals and Climate Change: How professional associations can get serious about global warming, written by Andrew Gage and published by West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL), a British Columbia "non-profit group of environmental law strategists and analysts dedicated to safeguarding the environment through law". Available at: http://wcel.org/sites/default/files/publications/Professionals%20and%20Climate%20Change_0.pdf]]>

New Research Initiatives Underway

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:37:43 +0000

1) In the U.S., a new research initiative led by hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer, former U.S. Treasury secretary Henry Paulson, and outgoing mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg aims to calculate the true financial cost of climate change. In a report expected in summer 2014, "Risky Business" will "combine existing data on the current and potential impacts of climate change with original research to reveal the most vulnerable sectors and assist with preparation". According to Bloomberg Markets Magazine, the team also hopes to show that the eventual consequences of "business as usual" will outweigh its short-term benefits. See http://riskybusiness.org/about or http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-01/climate-change-rescue-in-u-s-makes-steyer-converge-with-paulson.html

2) Launched on September 24, the new Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, co-chaired by Nicholas Stern, will conduct a "year-long, $9 million study to analyze the economic costs and benefits of acting against climate change". The study will use macroeconomic modeling techniques to analyze possible outcomes, factoring in potential policy mechanisms, economic growth, investment, employment, poverty reduction, income distribution, and the need for improved health, energy, and food security. The commission hopes to uncover pathways to a resilient, resource-efficient, low-carbon economy. See http://newclimateeconomy.net/ 3) Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario will launch a Centre for Sustainable Food Systems on November 14, to bring together researchers from the departments of Geography and Environmental Studies, Psychology, Biology, Global Studies, Religion and Culture as well as the School of Business and Economics. From their website at: https://www.wlu.ca/homepage.php?grp_id=13686: "Our vision is to conduct research that is both grounded in practice and theoretically informed, and to disseminate this co-generated knowledge through local, national and global networks to advance opportunities for and educate about more sustainable food systems."

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Public Donations Save the Australian Climate Commission

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:39:21 +0000

On September 23, the former head of Australia's Climate Commission announced that the axed organization would rise again as the Climate Council, a non-profit body funded by public donations. As of October 15th, the Council had raised $1 million Australian to continue its mission "to provide authoritative, expert advice to the Australian public on climate change". See the Council website at: http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/ and read a report in The Guardian at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/23/climate-commission-resurrected-as-private-body ]]>

Global Aviation Industry Agrees to Develop Emissions Curbs

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:40:47 +0000

At the meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal on October 4, the ICAO approved what they called an historic framework agreement, authorizing the development of global market-based measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions over the next three years, for implementation in 2020. The resolution encourages nations to develop new aircraft technology, adopt carbon-dioxide standards and use sustainable alternatives to jet fuels. By rejecting a European Union proposal to include aviation in the EU emissions trading system immediately, the ICAO drew criticism from green groups who criticize the slowness of the 2020 start date.

See the Bloomberg news summary at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-04/first-global-emissions-market-for-airlines-wins-support.html and http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-04/carbon-cuts-loom-for-airlines-as-icao-eyes-global-market.html.

Canada's position is set out in Canada's Action Plan on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Aviation, at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/policy/aviation-emissions-3005.htm ]]>

Climate Change Initiatives of Canadian Companies

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:41:44 +0000

The 2013 Canadian report of the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), was released on October 1, ranking the Canadian companies doing the best job of investing to cut greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change. The report was prepared by Accenture on behalf of the non-profit CDP, and is based on questionnaires sent to the 200 largest Canadian companies by market capitalization (the "Canada 200"), as listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Key results: 85% of respondents say that climate change is integrated into their business strategy (an increase from 77% in 2012); 64% of respondents offer incentives for "climate performance" (from 14% from 2012). The five top Climate Performance Leadership companies are: ARC Resources Ltd., Thomson Reuters, Bank of Montreal, Suncor Energy, and TD Bank.

See the Canadian Report at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-Canada-200-Climate-Change-Report-2013.pdf. The U.S. version of this report is based on the 500 S & P-listed companies and is available at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-SP500-climate-report-2013.pdf ]]>

Canadian Wind Energy Update

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:50:21 +0000

A special edition of British reNews was released on September 26, focussing on Canadian wind energy development. The report summarizes the policy environment for each province, with detailed tables showing the existing and planned wind energy installations for 2013 and 2014. Ontario remains the leader in wind energy in Canada. The president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association predicts "an average over the next three years of 1500MW of wind power installed per annum", but with an uncertainty after 2016, given that Ontario, Quebec, B.C. and Alberta are reviewing and redrafting their energy policies. The "Canada Special Report 2013" by reNews is at: http://renews.biz/wp-content/assets/reNewsCanada2013.pdf

Where are wind energy technicians being trained? In the Summer 2013 edition of Windsight, the Canadian Wind Energy Association magazine, there is a feature article about training at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario - see http://www.canwea.ca/media/windsight_e.php.CanWEA also maintains a list (last updated in 2012) of wind training courses at colleges and universities at: http://www.canwea.ca/pdf/Education-and-Training-Programs.pdf.

On September 19th, wind turbine manufacturer Siemens opened a 40,000-square-foot, $7 milliontraining centre for technicians in Orlando Florida. The facility is one of four in the world operated by Siemens (the others are in Brande, Denmark; Bremen, Germany; and Newcastle, U.K.), and is intended to serve North and South America, training more than 2,400 wind service technicians annually. See: http://theenergycollective.com/timholt/277131/siemens-inaugurates-new-state-art-wind-service-training-center-us

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Quebec Energy Review Aims to Encourage Renewables and Develop Hydrocarbons

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:51:32 +0000

A review of Quebec's energy strategy is underway, with public consultations from September to October 11, and the final strategy document promised in 2014. The six strategic objectives to the energy review are: "to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; promote the electrification of transportation and develop the industry; promote energy efficiency in all sectors ; rely on the production of renewable energies (hydroelectricity and wind energy) and develop alternative renewable energies (underwater generators, passive solar energy, geothermal energy, and so on) and foster development and innovation; responsibly explore and exploit Québec's hydrocarbon reserves; and ensure the long-term security and diversity of Québec's energy supplies." The Public Consultation on Energy Issues in Quebec website is at: http://consultationenergie.gouv.qc.ca/english/ (English) and http://consultationenergie.gouv.qc.ca/ (French language). The Consultation paper From Greenhouse Gas Reduction to Québec's Energy Self-Sufficiency - Consultation Paper, is at: http://consultationenergie.gouv.qc.ca/pdf/energy-issues-consultation-paper.pdf. An archive of all written briefs submitted to the Commission is available at the French language section of the website only, at: http://consultationenergie.gouv.qc.ca/documents/memoires.asp]]>

Carbon Markets the Best Route to Low-Carbon Global Economies

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:52:13 +0000

In a new report, Climate and Carbon: Aligning Prices and Policies, the OECD condemns fossil fuel subsidies and tax exemptions, and posits carbon markets as most effective mechanism for transitioning to a low-carbon economy and tackling climate change. The report, drawing on evidence from 15 countries (but not including Canada), points out that "carbon markets are more than 16 times cheaper at cutting greenhouse gases than renewable subsidies paid to power producers". However, carbon markets worldwide are being undermined by a lack of coherence in government approaches to carbon pricing and financial support for fossil fuels. According to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, limiting global temperature increase to 2ºC requires sending consistent carbon price signals to consumers, producers and investors alike.Climate and Carbon: Aligning Prices and Policies is available at:http://www.oecd.org/environment/climate-carbon.htm ]]>

Quebec and California Link Carbon Markets

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:53:10 +0000

On October 1, the governments of Quebec and California announced an agreement outlining the steps and procedures to fully harmonize and integrate the cap-and-trade programs of their two jurisdictions, effective January 1, 2014. It is hoped that this will be a model for more such partnerships. "The sale of emission allowances will generate at least $ 2.5 billion in revenue by 2020 in Quebec. These funds will be fully reinvested in initiatives to fight climate change, including facilitating the conversion to renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, improving industrial processes and preparing Quebec society to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The electrification of transportation is another major project on which our government will labour over the coming months", said Minister Yves-François Blanchet. See the Quebec government press release at: http://communiques.gouv.qc.ca/gouvqc/communiques/GPQE/Octobre2013/01/c6398.html, and "Carbon Market: Quebec and California Link Their Respective Cap And Trade Programs" (Oct. 1) in GlobeAdvisor at:https://secure.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CNW/20131001/C6398 ]]>

Will the IPCC 5th Assessment Report Inspire Change?

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:54:45 +0000

The 5^th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was released on September 27. Dealing with the physical sciences, the report projects future weather, ocean levels, global warming and carbon dioxide levels. According to U.K.'s Guardian newspaper, the report provided the first "carbon budget" - how much carbon dioxide we can emit before global temperature increase exceeds 2ºC and the planet overheats. The bad news? We'd already used half of it by 2011, and could now be approaching two-thirds. Thomas Stocker, co-chair of the IPCC working group, points out that more fossil fuels exist than can be burned if we are to remain within the budget. In other words, some valuable reserves will need to remain untapped.

The Globe and Mail summarized early Canadian reactions to the IPCC report, and cited the absence of comment from Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office. Provincial premiers have been similarly silent. The David Suzuki Foundation is one of the few Canadian organizations to have commented, highlighting provincial successes and calling for the federal government "to prioritize clean energy and eliminate the billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies." The Climate Justice Project at the Canadian Centre for Policy Analysis analyzed the IPCC report in relation to British Columbia, and asks, "will LNG development blow B.C.'s carbon budget?". The Pembina Institute released a brief statement. A call to arms can be found in the Opinion piece by Andrew Weaver in the Globe and Mail, which states, "While the U.S., the E.U. and even China are making a profound shift to address the root causes of climate change, the Canadian government continues to focus our economy predominantly around the extraction, transportation and combustion of fossil fuels. Even British Columbia, which used to be considered a leader in the development of climate policies, is now moving in the opposite direction with its focus on the development of a Liquefied Natural Gas industry. The IPCC report could and should inspire us to take a different approach."

LINKS IPCC 5^th Assessment Report documentation is available at: http://www.ipcc.ch/

"IPCC: 30 Years to Climate Calamity If We Carry on Blowing the Carbon Budget" in

The Guardian ( Sept 27) at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/27/ipcc-world-dangerous-climate-change

"Around the World: Strong Reactions To Climate Change Report" (Sept. 27) in the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/around-the-world-strong-reactions-to-climate-change-report/article14566793/ David Suzuki Foundation media backgrounder on the IPCC 5^th Report is at:http://www.davidsuzuki.org/media/news/downloads/DSF_IPCC_WG1_Backgrounder.pdf "Will LNG Development Blow BC's Carbon Budget?" is at the Climate Justice Project at:http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/will-lng-development-blow-bcs-carbon-budget Pembina Institute response is at: http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2483 "Now That Climate Change is Beyond Doubt, Focus on Fixing It" (September 28) at the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/now-that-climate-change-is-beyond-doubt-lets-focus-on-solving-it/article14588647/

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Energy Efficiency in the U.K.: Has the Green New Deal Worked?

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:55:46 +0000

Marking five years after the launch of Britain's Green New Deal, two recent reports examine the experience: First, from the Green New Deal Group, a report which states that government support for renewable energy has melted away in the face of austerity programs and the lingering uncertainty in the global financial system. The authors propose a systematic programme of investment in green infrastructure of at least £50 billion a year, beginning with a nationwide effort to retrofit existing buildings and to build new, affordable, sustainably-sited, energy-efficient homes. The authors contend that thousands of jobs will be created by their proposals, and support that contention by citing numerous sectoral employment impact studies in Appendix 1 and in their bibliography.

A second report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment was released on October 8, reflecting the hearings and submissions to the governmentinquiry into sustainable construction and the Green Deal. The report found that the Green Deal provisions are over-complicated and uncompetitive, with little financial incentive for participation. "Without regulation and financial incentives in place, households and businesses retain the status quo...Hand in hand with this, the integration of construction skills, knowledge and work practices are of concern in the construction industry." One of the key stakeholders in the process, the UK Green Building Council, welcomed the report as a credible voice urging improvements to the existing program, and also commended its expansion to social housing.

LINKS

A National Plan for the UK: From Austerity to the Age of the Green New Deal by the Green New Deal Group, published by the New Weather Institute, is at:http://www.greennewdealgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Green-New-Deal-5th-Anniversary.pdf Re-energizing the Green Agenda, Report of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment is at: http://www.cic.org.uk/admin/resources/sustainable-construction-and-the-green-deal-report.pdf All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment website is at:http://www.appgebe.org.uk/; Information about their Inquiry into Sustainable Construction and the Green Deal is at: http://www.appgebe.org.uk/inquiry.shtml, with submissions at:http://www.appgebe.org.uk/submissions-into-Sustainable-Construction-and-the-Green-Deal.shtml UK Green Building Council response is at:http://www.ukgbc.org/press-centre/press-releases/uk-gbc-welcomes-all-party-group-report-green-deal Details of the U.K. Green Deal are at:https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-households-to-cut-their-energy-bills/supporting-pages/green-deal

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New Strategy and Blueprint for European Forest Industries Considers Aging Workforce

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:56:35 +0000

In late September, the European Union announced a new forest strategy which takes into account the effects of climate change on the forest ecosystem. Surprisingly, the EU press release states that "forests cover more than 42% of the EU's land area and forest biomass...supplies half the EU's total renewable energy. " The new strategy calls for sustainable management of woodlands, and is accompanied by a "Blueprint" document to guide forest industries, (wood-processing, furniture, pulp and paper, and printing) to increase efficiency and create jobs. The Blueprint outlines the economic and technological state of the art for these four forest sub-industries, and discusses their challenges, including the aging demographic of the workforce, the need for training, and possible mechanisms for training delivery.

LINKS

European Commission Forest Strategy press release is at:http://ec.europa.eu/news/agriculture/130924_en.htm

EU Forest-based Industries: A Blueprint to Unleash their Economic and Societal Potential is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/_getdocument.cfm?doc_id=8129

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York's Schulich School Tops New Survey of Global Green MBA Programs

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:57:26 +0000

The Corporate Knights survey for 2013 was released on September 23, ranking business schools for their integration of sustainability into the academic experience. This year, the survey expanded beyond its Canada-only focus to include MBA programs from 17 countries.The Schulich School of Business at York University (Toronto) ranked first, followed by John Molson School of Business at Concordia University (Montreal). Third place went to the University of Exeter Business School in the U.K., followed by the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, and the Nottingham University Business School in the U.K. 30 schools were ranked in the main survey, with a further 10 small schools in a separate ranking.

The Corporate Knights survey is based on the methodology of the pioneering Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey of the Aspen Institute (which ceased in 2012). The rankings follow three categories: faculty research, course content, and institutional support. Responses are from faculty and administrators, with the student perspective reflected in measures of student-led initiatives (e.g. student groups, consulting clubs, faculty groups, and student committees/task forces). Unlike many other surveys of MBA programs, the Corporate Knights survey does not include alumni salaries in their metrics, on the grounds that rankings could be skewed because students entering the non-profit sector typically earn less after graduating.

LINKS

Global Green MBA website is at: http://ggmba.corporateknights.com/

Beyond Grey Pinstripes website is at: http://www.beyondgreypinstripes.org/

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TD Bank Report on Canada's Green Economy: Reconcile the Economy and Environment

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:58:40 +0000

On October 2nd, one of Canada's Big Five banks, the TD Bank, released a report on "green economics" in Canada. TD found that environmental considerations have already become entrenched in corporate decision-making in Canada, and that reducing environmental impact often reduces costs, drives innovation, and stimulates growth. TD's preliminary analysis indicates a recent "decoupling of economic growth from environmental degradation", wherein the percentage of GHG emissions per 1% GDP increase has fallen, while improved air and water quality, recycling rates and protected lands have accompanied strong overall growth. The report suggests that in order to better understand and encourage these trends, Canada needs a holistic focus on the "greening of the economy" in all sectors, rather than dichotomizing "green" and "brown" economics. To this end, TD calls for the development of environmental, economic, and government policy, and corporate responsibility indicators to help measure gains across industries and at all levels.

LINKS

The Greening of the Canadian Economy is at:http://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/special/TheGreeningOfTheCanadianEconomy.pdfBlueGreen Canada response to the TD Report is at:http://bluegreencanada.ca/blog/we%E2%80%99re-greener-we-think

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How Green are Solar Jobs? Solar Scorecard Ranks Manufacturers on Working Conditions and Health and Safety

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:00:04 +0000

The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition Annual Scorecard measures and ranks how solar manufacturing companies around the world perform on sustainability and social justice benchmarks, including extended producer responsibility, emissions transparency, chemical reduction policies, use of prison labour and conflict minerals, water policies, and the presence of internal policies for worker health and safety. In 2013, despite low survey response levels, the Scorecard ranked 40 companies, representing over 80% of the market share in the photovoltaic industry. Of those 40, only 7 have comprehensive internal policies that address worker rights and health and safety. These were: Astronergy (China), Sharp (Japan), SolarWorld (U.S.), SunPower (U.S.), Suntech (Japan), Trina (China), and Yingli (China). Solar Valley Toxics Coalition is a San Francisco-based advocacy group with the stated goals of reducing the use of toxic chemicals in the photovoltaic solar manufacturing industry, developing responsible recycling systems, and protecting workers throughout the global PV supply chain.

Another source of information may soon be available. In May 2013, the U.S.-based Solar Energy Industry Association finalized a Solar Commitment - a voluntary agreement which sets out "solar-specific and general best practice provisions regarding the environment, labor, ethics, health and safety, and management practices of the company." Labour guidelines include freedom of association, hours and wages, and protection from sexual harassment. Health and safety standards include machine protection, training, protection from toxic substances, and protection from discipline for raising safety concerns. Companies that sign on to the Solar Commitment must provide an annual report on key performance indicators - no reports have been released yet. Signatories to date are: Dow Solar, Gerhlicher Solar America, PV Recycling, SunEdison, SunPower, Suntech, Trina, and Yingli Solar.

LINKS

Solar Valley Toxics Coalition Solar Scorecard is available athttp://www.solarscorecard.com/2013/2013-SVTC-Solar-Scorecard.pdf Background discussion, and links to solar companies featured in the SVTC Scorecard is at CleanTechnica at: http://cleantechnica.com/2013/08/13/silicon-valley-toxics-coalitions-2013-solar-scorecard-just-release/

SEIA Solar Commitment Factsheet is at:http://www.seia.org/sites/default/files/Solar%20Commitment%20factsheet_2013.pdf

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Ontario's Fit 3.0 Program Lowers Domestic Content Requirements for Renewable Energy, Discourages Wind Projects

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:01:07 +0000

The final version 3.0 of Ontario's Feed-in Tariff Rules, posted on October 9^th, includes reductions to the minimum domestic content requirement levels (MDCR) in order to move towards compliance with the World Trade Organization ruling of May 2013. The levels of domestic content have been lowered from 50% to 28 - 19%, depending on the solar (PV) technology used. For on-shore wind projects, the MDCR has been lowered from 60% to 20%. Furthermore, minimum domestic content levels will no longer be required throughout the entire project, but only during the development and construction phases. According to the Minister's letter of direction, further changes will follow.

An article in North American Wind Power discusses the new FIT program and concludes that wind power projects will suffer. He notes, "As long as the Small FIT cap remains at 500 kW, the FIT program is no longer accessible to wind developers, except for those using small-scale turbines", and "The greater latitude given to municipalities in the location and siting of wind farms may make permitting more difficult for developers and preclude the siting of wind farms in municipalities that have a strong anti-wind bias."

LINKS

Ontario Power Authority FIT 3.0 documents are available at:http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/newsroom/october-9-2013-FIT-3-final-documents, with an August 16, 2013 background document about Domestic Content Regulations at:http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/newsroom/august-16-2013-program-update, and the Minister's Letter of Direction at:http://powerauthority.on.ca/sites/default/files/page/DirectionAdministrativeMatters-renewables-Aug16-2013.pdf

"Political Football: Ontario Sacks Large-scale Wind" in North American Wind Power (October 2013) at: http://nawindpower.com/issues/NAW1310/FEAT_01_Political-Football-Ontario-Sacks-Large-Scale-Wind.html

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Safety for Pipeline Workers Raised as Part of the Pipeline Debate

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:01:53 +0000

The recent oil spills in Alberta and Lac Megantic have raised the public profile of rail transport of oil and gas products in Canada. The Fraser Institute, apparently in response to the worsening prospects of U.S. approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline, released a report on Intermodal Safety in the Transport of Oil on October 15. Although the paper cites summary data from the National Energy Board about oil spills and injuries in Canada, the conclusions are based on data from the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for the period 2005-2009. The paper compares injury statistics amongst workers in the pipeline, rail, and road modes of transport and finds that the rate of injury requiring hospitalization among oil pipeline workers was 30 times lower than that of rail workers, and 37 times lower than trucking workers. The paper concludes, "The evidence is clear: transporting oil by pipeline is safe and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, pipeline transportation is safer than transportation by road, rail, or barge, as measured by incidents, injuries, and fatalities- even though more road and rail incidents go unreported." The paper does NOT address the environmental damage caused by spills, or injury to citizens.

LINKS

Intermodal Safety in the Transport of Oil is available at the Fraser Institute at:http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/intermodal-safety-in-the-transport-of-oil.pdf U.S. Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) website provides data and statistics at: http://phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/library/data-stats Canada's National Energy Board Pipeline Spills information is available at:http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rsftyndthnvrnmnt/sfty/pplnncdntgrprtng/pplnncdntshydrcrbnsplls/pplnncdntshydrcrbnsplls-eng.html

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U.K. Trades Union Congress Holds its Climate Change Conference

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:19:06 +0000

Green Growth: No Turning Back, on 21 October 2013. Videos of speeches and workshops are available at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/node/118958.]]>

Presidential Executive Order Follows Up on U.S. Climate Action Plan

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:28:57 +0000

Read the full Executive Order at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/01/executive-order-preparing-united-states-impacts-climate-change, or the Fact Sheet at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/01/fact-sheet-executive-order-climate-preparedness.]]>

Anti-Fracking Regulations in California

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:31:00 +0000

"Proposed Oil Well Fracking Regulations Released" from the Los Angeles Times (Nov.15) at: http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-oil-well-fracking-regulations-released-20131115,0,1871535.story#axzz2klA1sM4A. Background and a link to the regulations are at the Department of Conservation website at: http://www.conservation.ca.gov/Index/Pages/Index.aspx.]]>

Fracking Company Suing for Lost Profits in Québec

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:34:59 +0000

http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/assets/pdfs/disp-diff/lone-02.pdf.]]>

B.C. Court Challenge to Water Use in Fracking

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:38:14 +0000

http://www.ecojustice.ca/media-centre/press-releases/water-usage-by-fracking-operations-challenged-in-b.c.-supreme-court.]]>

Canada's New Voluntary Fracking Code of Conduct

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:40:05 +0000

http://www.psac.ca/wp-content/uploads/PSAC_Media_Release_October_30.pdf and the Statement of Principles and full Code of Conduct from a link at: http://www.oilandgasinfo.ca/working-energy-commitment/hydraulic-fracturing-code-of-conduct/.]]>

Newfoundland says No to Fracking, for now

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:41:34 +0000

The Newfoundland Minister of Natural Resources announced on November 4th that the government "will not be accepting applications for onshore and onshore to offshore petroleum exploration using hydraulic fracturing". The suspension will allow the government time to review fracking rules in other jurisdictions, fully assess potential environmental impacts, and allow for public comments. See the press release at: http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2013/nr/1104n06.htm.

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Protests Continue in New Brunswick; UNIFOR Supports First Nations with a Call for a National Moratorium

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:46:02 +0000

Globe and Mail. Read "Anti-fracking protests shouldn't hinder shale-gas sector, N.B. Energy Minister says" (Nov. 14) in the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/anti-fracking-protests-shouldnt-hinder-shale-gas-sector-nb-energy-minister-says/article15447462/. But UNIFOR, the union which represents energy workers, expressed support for the First Nations protests and called for a national moratorium on fracking. Read the press release at: http://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/news/unifor-calls-national-moratorium-fracking and the full statement by the National Executive Board (November 12) at: http://www.unifor.org/sites/default/files/attachments/neb_resolution_on_fracking_nov2013_e.pdf.]]>

Council of Canadians focus on Fracking

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:48:01 +0000

The Council of Canadians has published its Fall 2013 issue of Perspectives, which focused on fracking at: http://www.canadians.org/canadian-perspectives-fall-2013.

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Overseas Development Institute Urges Phasing out of Fossil Fuel Subsidies

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:49:33 +0000

Time to Change the Game: Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Climate Executive Summary at: http://www.odi.org.uk/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/8669.pdf; full report is available from: http://www.odi.org.uk/subsidies-change-the-game. A similar message was contained in related report by the International Monetary Fund, Energy Subsidy Reform: Lessons and Implications, published in Spring 2013, and summarized at the WCR archive at: http://workandclimatechangereport.org/2013/04/23/the-imf-decries-the-distortions-of-fossil-fuel-subsidies-working-at-a-cross-purpose-with-climate-compatible-investment/.]]>

International GHG Emissions

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:50:28 +0000

Emissions Gap Report 2013 released on Nov. 5 by the United Nations Environment Program is the fourth produced. It reviews the latest estimates of current global greenhouse gas emissions; national emission levels, both current (2010) and projected (2020), and global emission levels consistent with the 2°C target for emissions in 2020, 2030 and 2050. New to this report is an assessment of the extent to which countries are on track to meet their national pledges, and also a description of the many cooperative climate initiatives being undertaken internationally. Also, noting that agriculture accounts for approximately 11% of GHG emissions, the report includes a chapter on the agricultural sector, including policies for reducing emissions. Read the press release at: http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentId=2755&ArticleId=9683 With the full report at: http://www.unep.org/pdf/UNEPEmissionsGapReport2013.pdf.]]>

GHG Emissions in United States

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:52:03 +0000

http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/; a press release at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/eecb62db73ee67b485257c0d0058936b!OpenDocument. Note that the more comprehensive U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory data was released in April 2013; see: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html.]]>

GHG Emissions in Canada

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:53:34 +0000

2013 Emissions Trends report in October, the Canadian government stated: "as a result of the combined efforts of federal, provincial and territorial governments, consumers and businesses, GHG emissions in 2020 will be 734 megatonnes (Mt). This is 128 Mt lower than where emissions would be in 2020 if no action were taken to reduce GHGs since 2005." (The report did not state that it is also 122 Mt above Canada's target level of 612 Mt.) The government will maintain its current course of regulating emissions on a sector-by-sector basis- in other words, no improvement, no national leadership. Canada's Emissions Trends 2013 report (and those from 2011 and 2012) are at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ges-ghg/default.asp?lang=En&n=985F05FB-1. See the Pembina reaction to the government report at: http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2488; and the Pembina October backgrounder concerning how the oil sands contribute to Canadian emissions, at: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2486.]]>

GHG Emissions around the World: the Latest Statistics

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 04:54:50 +0000

On November 6, the World Meteorological Organization released the 2013 edition of its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, showing that "between 1990 and 2012 there was a 32% increase in radiative forcing - the warming effect on our climate - because of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other heat-trapping long-lived gases such as methane and nitrous oxide." The volume of CO2 grew faster in 2012 than in the previous decade, reaching 393.1 parts per million (ppm), 41 % above the pre-industrial level. Read the WMO press release, with links to related documents in English and French, at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_980_en.html

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No Carbon Leakage in Europe as a Result of Cap and Trade Policies

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:02:20 +0000

A study commissioned by the European Commission has concluded that Europe's cap-and-trade program has not caused industry to relocate to countries without greenhouse gas regulation in a process known as "carbon leakage". In a series of sectoral "factsheets", the report presents historical data on the structure, performance, and competitiveness of sectors (including iron and steel, chemicals, paper, cement, refined petroleum) and assess the degree to which carbon leakage may have occurred. Although the study found that no companies left Europe for unregulated territory between 2005 and 2012, the authors indicate they suspect this may change.

Read Carbon Leakage Evidence Project Report by Ecorys Consultants, Netherlands at: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/cap/leakage/docs/cl_evidence_factsheets_en.pdf, or read a summary at Bloomberg news at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-31/carbon-curbs-haven-t-spurred-production-exodus-eu-study-shows.html.

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UN COP-19 underway in Warsaw from November 11-22

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:06:43 +0000

Canada has come under criticism for applauding Australia and encouraging other countries to follow suit. The WWF condemned Canada for undermining progress at the talks, while NDP Environment Critic Megan Leslie asserted that "the Conservatives are still asleep at the wheel" in a statement issued November 13th.

Delegates from Warsaw have indicated that the new accord will likely abandon the international treaty model of past agreements and instead resemble a "patchwork" of national emissions reduction targets that are governed by domestic law. COP19 is seen as a precursor to the more important international conference in Paris in 2015.

See the speeches and documentation from COP19 at the UNFCC website at: http://unfccc.int/2860.php; See WWF condemns Canada at: http://www.wwf.eu/index.cfm?212403/WWF-condemns-Japan-Australia-Canada-undermining-progress-climate-talks, and the NDP statement on Canada at COP19 at: http://www.ndp.ca/news/statement-ndp-cop19-united-nations-framework-convention-climate-change.

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Federal Government Weakens Environmental Assessment Rules Further

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:08:50 +0000

Environmentalists are up in arms after the federal government amended the rules dictating which natural resource extraction projects require federal environmental assessments in late October. According to Greenpeace, many activities associated with oil sands expansion are absent from the new list, notably in situ oil extraction, which uses steam to pump up oil from reservoirs that are deep underground. The method is expected to comprise 80% of oil sands extraction.

See the very brief government announcement of the changes at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website at: http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=en&xml=0DDF9560-6A8A-4403-B33A-B906AC6A1D93, and the National Energy Board summary at: http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rthnb/nws/nwsrls/2013/ceaa-acee2013-10-25-eng.html.

"New environmental review rules anger oilsands critics" at the CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/new-environmental-review-rules-anger-oilsands-critics-1.2252074 summarizes reaction and history.

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Ontario Proposes Green Bonds for Transportation

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:11:11 +0000

An October 30 announcement from Ontario's Premier states that Ontario will become the first Canadian province to implement a "green bonds" program to help fund environmentally-friendly transportation. According to the government, the bonds would help address critical infrastructure needs, create jobs, and strengthen the economy while keeping funding interest rates low and minimizing costs for consumers. The bonds would also be internationally certified, so they could be officially recognized as investments in sustainability. Green bonds are securities that raise capital for specific projects with environmental benefits. According to think-tank Clean Energy Canada, green bonds are in high demand which, combined with Ontario's attractive credit rating, may result in substantial benefit to Ontario's sustainable transportation sector.

See the government press release at: http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2013/10/province-proposes-new-way-to-fund-infrastructure.html?utm_source=ondemand&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p, and see the Clean Energy response at "Green Bonds: an Investment to Write Home About" at:http://cleanenergycanada.org/2013/11/01/green-bonds-investment-write-home/.

For background on green bonds in Canada, see the articles at the Initiative Climate Bonds website at: http://www.climatebonds.net/category/canada/

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CBC Provides First Public Access to Pipeline Safety Data

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:13:06 +0000

Through an access-to-information request, CBC News obtained a data set of every pipeline safety incident reported to the National Energy Board between 2000 and 2012. The NEB only oversees 71,000 pipelines that cross provincial or international borders (about a tenth of the overall network. The remaining 760,000 kilometres are monitored by the provinces). The NEB data is based on the requirement that companies must report safety issues including the death or serious injury of a worker, fires, explosions, liquid product spills over 1,500 litres and every gas leak, but it is clear from the discussion of the data that Canada lacks a transparent and accurate reporting system, despite the recommendation for improvements from a Senate committee. The data provided to the CBC show that there were 142 pipelines safety incidents in 2011, and that the rate of pipeline incidents has doubled in the past decade. Most incidents have occurred in B.C., followed by Alberta, followed by Ontario.

The interactive map at: http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/pipeline-incidents/ and allows you to specify the category of "serious accidents" or "fatalities" to see brief summaries of incidents, usually relating to worker safety.

For an explanation of the limitations of Canadian data see: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/pipeline-safety-canada-lags-u-s-on-making-data-public-1.2254793 and http://www.cbc.ca/news/pipeline-safety-incidents-how-we-organized-the-data-1.2251835.]]>

Western Climate Pact Seen as an International Model

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:15:45 +0000

Quartz appraises the group as "the new Pacific Rim Environmental Superpower". The Action Plan will be administered by an organization called the Pacific Coast Collaborative.

See the Plan document at: http://www.pacificcoastcollaborative.org/Documents/Pacific%20Coast%20Climate%20Action%20Plan.pdf. For reaction, see the Clean Energy blog at: http://cleanenergycanada.org/2013/10/28/west-coast-economies-sign-landmark-action-plan-climate-clean-energy/; Pembina Institute blog at: http://www.pembina.org/blog/759; Blue Green Alliance US at: http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/news/publications/david-fosters-remarks-at-pacific-collaborative-climate-pact-event; Quartz at: http://qz.com/141148/meet-the-pacific-rims-new-environmental-superpower/.]]>

ILO Statisticians Adopt New Guidelines to Measure the Greening Economy

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:17:03 +0000

At the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) in Geneva in early October, labour statisticians discussed and adopted new guidelines for the statistical definition of employment in the environmental sector. The guidelines define the environmental sector as consisting of "all economic units producing, designing and manufacturing goods and services for the purposes of environmental protection and resource management". The discussion identified as two distinct concepts: 1) employment in production of environmental output, and 2) environmental processes. While both are aspects of greening of employment, the report states that they are different targets for policy-making, and should be measured separately using different methods.

LINK: Green jobs: Draft guidelines for the Statistical Definition and Measurement of Employment in Environmental Sector is available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---stat/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_223914.pdf

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U.S. Estimates Economic and Jobs Impact of Wilderness and Ecotourism

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:18:05 +0000

A new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services says visitors to federal wildlife refuges generate more than $2 billion a year in economic activity, helping to employ more than 35,000 people and produce about $343 million in local, state and federal taxes. Recreational activities such as birding, hiking and picnicking account for nearly 75 % of total expenditures at wildlife refuges across the country, the report says, while fishing and hunting account for about 28 % of expenditures.

LINK Banking on Nature is available at: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/about/RefugeReports/index1.html

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Canadians are as Concerned about the Environment as the Economy

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:19:34 +0000

On November 6th, the results of a new public opinion poll about climate change, carbon taxes, and the relationship between the environment and the economy were showcased at a series of events titled The Politics of Climate and the Climate of Politics in Ottawa. The poll, conducted by think-tank Canada 2020 and the Université de Montréal, measured Canadian and American opinions, and showed that 71% of Canadians believe that climate change should be a top priority for the Conservative federal government - while only 16% of Canadians believe it actually is. 26% of Canadians believe that the Conservative government is doing a good job at addressing economic and employment issues, only 19% think the government is adequately addressing environmental issues, and only 16% believe Canada is showing international leadership on climate change.

LINK

The Canada 2020/Université de Montréal National Survey of Canadian Opinions on Climate Change is available at: http://www.canada2020.ca/climatepoll/docs/Cross_Tabs-Canada_2020_U_of_M_Climate_Poll.pdf, with Highlights and links to interactive maps at:http://canada2020.ca/latestnews/new-poll-canadians-want-federal-leadership-on-climate-change/

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Is Emissions Intensity, not Green Job Creation, the Best Metric of Greening Economies?

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:21:15 +0000

A research paper released in October by the University of Calgary provides yet another discussion of the difficulties of defining "green jobs". The authors provide an up to date summary of studies which define or measure green jobs, and the cost of green job creation in Canada and the U.S., with special attention to Ontario's Green Energy Act. The authors propose an alternative in the green job discussion: "We avoid the issue of "what is a green job" by considering dirty inputs (energy) and dirty outputs (greenhouse gas emissions) to evaluate the relative "greenness" of Canadian industries." Their calculations rank the three most energy-intensive industries as 1) "Utilities", 2) "Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting", and 3) "Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction". They conclude that, given the decrease in emission-intensity of these highly polluting industries, "it is highly likely that the utilities sector created far more green jobs than many of the other Canadian sectors." It follows, in their analysis, that measuring and monitoring the greening of economies can be best accomplished by using the metric of greenhouse gas emission intensity.

LINK Green Jobs Fantasy: Why the Economic and Environmental Reality can Never Live up to the Political Promise (Volume 6, Issue 31 of the University of Calgary School of Public Policy Research Paper Series) is at: http://www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=content/green-jobs-fantasy-why-economic-and-environmental-reality-can-never-live-political-promise]]>

Oil Sands Economics: The Latest Facts and Some New Recommendations

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:23:00 +0000

A new report released by the Pembina Institute and Equiterre focuses on economic debate surrounding the oil sands, updating In the Shadow of the Boom, published by Pembina in May 2012.The new report,Booms, Busts, and Bitumen examines several economic risks associated with natural resource booms, including the decline of the manufacturing sector, known as Dutch disease, and GDP instability caused by Alberta's overreliance on the oil sands. The report questions the benefits accrued outside of Alberta, stating that only 14% of the employment opportunities created by oil sands development will be outside Alberta, and citing a CERI analysis that indicates the U.S. may stand to gain more than the rest of Canada. It also points to increasing worldwide pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the uncertainty of future oil sands markets. Finally, the report calls for better government management to ensure long-term gain from the one-time exploitation of non-renewable resources, for example through capital investment that focuses on reducing fossil fuel dependency in Canada, elimination of preferential tax treatment for the fossil fuel industry, and a mandate for the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology to study the current restructuring of the Canadian economy, and the associated regional disparities, with an aim to identify a course of action to diversify economic growth and aid competitiveness across the whole country.

LINK
Booms, Busts, And Bitumen: The Economic Implications of Canadian Oilsands Development is available in French and English versions from: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2494

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Québec's New Job Creation Strategy Capitalizes on Surplus Electricity

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:24:40 +0000

On October 7, the government of Quebec released a new job creation statement: "Economic Policy - Putting Jobs First". The strategy includes an "investment-job pricing offer", which offers reduced electricity rates to industries related to natural resource processing, renewable energy component manufacturing, green technologies and transportation electrification, and information technology. This initiative is projected to attract investments of $1.6 billion and create 10, 300 jobs in the short term. The program will remain in effect as long as Hydro Quebec has surplus electric capacity, which the government estimates is until 2027. In addition, $111.5 billion was announced to stimulate green renovation through EcoRenov, a refundable tax credit program which will be offered to individuals for residential green renovations done by October 31, 2014, up to a maximum tax credit of $10,000. In addition, funding for the existing Rénoclimat program will be increased by $37 million to add a component for the replacement of fossil fuel-burning heating systems.

LINKS: "Quebec to invest $2 billion in jobs to stimulate sluggish economy" in the Globe and Mail (Oct. 7) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/quebec-to-invest-2-billion-in-jobs-plan/article14725423/

Press releases are at: http://www.finances.gouv.qc.ca/documents/Communiques/en/COMEN_20131007-1.pdf and http://www.finances.gouv.qc.ca/documents/Communiques/en/COMEN_20131007-2.pdf

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A Strategy for Growth for Human Resources and Training in Renewable Electricity Sectors

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:26:17 +0000

The Renewing Futures research project aims to assess the capacity of Canada's skilled workforce to meet the labour needs of the electricity-related renewable energy systems. The research project is a collaboration of Electricity Human Resources Canada (formerly the Electricity Sector Council), Employment and Social Development Canada, and industry stakeholders. Several documents from the project were released in November - the documents listed below are all free, but are mostly Executive summaries of priced reports.

A Technology Review report creates a profile of the seven technologies - wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, marine/tidal, small and large hydro, and transmission, storage and distribution. It also includes provincial energy market assessments that project renewable electricity capacity from 2011 to 2022.

The Labour Market Information System is based on a synthesis of 5 different models; it focuses on eighteen key occupations, grouped in three broad groups; leaders and managers, engineers and technologists, and skilled trades. In 2012, approximately 41,000 employees are estimated to work in renewable electricity jobs. The LMIS forecasts 3 different scenarios of growth: Utility case, Reference case (based on the National Energy Board 2011 Energy Supply and Demand Projections to 2035), and the most optimistic, the "Vision" case. The Vision case projects the creation of 620,000 person years of short term employment in manufacturing, construction and installation, and another 34,000 full time and long term operator jobs by 2022. Most of the jobs that are created are "good jobs" - high-skilled, well paid, with opportunities for advancement. A National Human Resources Strategy for Renewable Electricity. Since even the Utility case rate of growth may result in labour shortages in the renewable electricity sector, the Human Resources Strategy proposes joint action by the employers, trainers, unions and governments to expand the breadth and depth of the skilled workforce. The strategy acknowledges that "Collaboration is not an obvious outcome", noting the large number of small companies spread across the supply chain, many of whom are currently satisfied with their HR operations and who prefer to focus their attention on the challenges of government policy and business conditions. "The implementation of the any national strategy faces a significant challenge in convincing many employers that there is a problem to solve." The project also reviews post-secondary training and certification across Canada and makes recommendations for general and sector-specific initiatives. The Strategy document suggests changes to the education of professional engineers, including curriculum changes and increased co-op programs. The report identified 95 community colleges programs for engineering technicians and technologists, and commends this as an important beginning, but recommends bringing together unions, provincial labour market planners, college faculty and employers to consider new objectives, such as "new curriculum, registration targets, specializations related to sectors and to occupations. The latter content might target training in preparation for sales, design, project and cost management, construction estimation and other non-technical jobs." Noting that there are no apprenticeship programs targeted to renewable electricity, the Strategy recommends a long-term goal of creating Red Seal trades specializing in Renewable Electricity, as well as national occupational standards, and certification to improve mobility across provinces.

LINKS: Trends and Technology Review: Executive Summary is at: http://renewingfutures.ca/CMFiles//EHRCrfttr.pdf Renewing Futures Labour Market Information System is at: http://renewingfutures.ca/CMFiles//EHRCrflmis.pdf A National Human Resources Strategy for Renewable Electricity is at: http://www.renewingfutures.ca/CMFiles//EHRCrfs.pdf Analysis of the Renewing Futures Employer Survey is at: http://www.renewingfutures.ca/CMFiles//RFES.pdf

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Pipeline Politics from Ontario's Point of View

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:03:13 +0000

The Politics of Pipelines: Ontario's Stake in Canada's Pipeline Debate, was released on November 12 by University of Toronto-based Mowat Centre, taking a climate change policy perspective on the issue of pipeline development and its impact on Ontario. It says that provinces who don't necessarily receive adequate economic benefit from the oil sands are obligated to contribute to the nationwide effort to reduce greenhouse gases, and recommends either a national carbon tax or a cap and trade policy to satisfy the "polluter pays" principle. The report does note that local and First Nations communities across Canada will likely benefit from an increase in construction, maintenance, and management jobs, as well spin-off projects near pipeline routes. However, manufacturing sectors may suffer from inflated exchange rates and Dutch Disease. In Ontario, the conversion of the Line 9 gas pipeline to oil sands bitumen would decrease the capacity of the natural gas sector and may increase the consumer cost, while taxpayers would be forced to fund equalization payments.

LINK The Politics of Pipelines: Ontario's Stake in Canada's Pipeline Debate is at: http://mowatcentre.ca/research-topic-mowat.php?mowatResearchID=96

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James Hansen Challenges the 2 Degrees Target

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:03:14 +0000

PLOS One, arguing that a global warming target of 2 degrees Celsius is not acceptable and will lead to disastrous consequences. According to a summary at The Climate Desk, Hansen has said that the paper is intended as "a tool for the courthouse, rather than the scientific debate hall"..."We started this paper to provide a basis for legal actions against governments in not doing their jobs in protecting the rights of young people and future generations." See: http://climatedesk.org/2013/12/scientists-current-international-warming-target-is-disastrous/. The full article, "Assessing Dangerous Climate Change: Required Reduction of Carbon Emissions to Protect Young People, Future Generations, and Nature" is at PlosOne at:https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/876989-hansen-plos-one.html.]]>

90 Companies Account for Two-Thirds of Global Emissions: a New Look at who is Responsible

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:04:16 +0000

Climatic Change analyzed the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the largest investor-owned and state-owned companies, rather than the usual metric of national emissions. The results show that nearly two-thirds of carbon dioxide and methane emissions from 1854 to 2010 can be attributed to 90 companies, with almost 30% of emissions produced by the top 20 companies . Among state-owned companies, Russian enterprises produced 8.9% of the total emissions, with China accounting for 8.6% of total global emissions. Among investor-owned companies, ChevronTexaco was the leading emitter, causing 3.5% of global emissions, with Exxon causing 3.2% and BP causing 2.5%. The data in the article was constructed using public records and data for the period 1854 to 2010, from the U.S. Department of Energy's Carbon Dioxide Information and Analysis Centre. Author Richard Heede states, "the present analysis...invites consideration of the suggestion that some degree of responsibility for both cause and remedy for climate change rests with those entities that have extracted, refined, and marketed the preponderance of the historic carbon fuels." Read "Tracing anthropogenic carbon dioxide and methane emissions to fossil fuel and cement producers, 1854-2010" in Climatic Change (November 2013) at: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-013-0986-y]]>

Carbon Pricing is Gaining Acceptance Among U.S. Businesses

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:05:11 +0000

New York Times article reports that at least 29 companies are incorporating a price on carbon into their long-term financial plans. The list of companies includes many with ties to the Republican Party: ExxonMobil, Walmart, American Electric Power, Microsoft, General Electric, Walt Disney, ConAgra Foods, Wells Fargo, DuPont, Duke Energy, Google and Delta Air Lines. The article focuses on the political divide that this development represents, and concludes that: "The divide, between conservative groups that are fighting against government regulation and oil companies that are planning for it as a practical business decision, echoes a deeper rift in the party, as business-friendly establishment Republicans clash with the Tea Party." The article is based on a report by environmental data company CDP. See "Large Companies Prepared to pay Price on Carbon" in the New York Times at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/business/energy-environment/large-companies-prepared-to-pay-price-on-carbon.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131205&_r=0]]>

Canada's Environmental Prestige at a New Low

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:05:41 +0000

Climate Change Performance Index Results 2014, released by the Climate Action Network Europe and Germanwatch, ranks Canada at 58th in their index, "the worst performer of all industrialised countries". Even China, the world's highest CO2 emitter, ranked 46th, thanks to its heavy investment in renewable energies. See Climate Change Performance Index Results 2014 at: http://germanwatch.org/en/download/8599.pdf . And in Race to the Bottom, the 2014 report of the international Climate Action Tracker project, Japan, Australia and Canada are singled out for poor performance. See: http://climateactiontracker.org/news/151/In-talks-for-a-new-climate-treaty-a-race-to-the-bottom.html with the 8 page policy brief at:http://climateactiontracker.org/assets/publications/briefing_papers/CAT_Policy_brief_Race_to_the_bottom.pdf.]]>

Another Assessment of Canada's Energy Gridlock from Business, Environmentalists, and First Nations

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:06:19 +0000

LINK For Responsible Energy Resource Development in Canada: Summary of the Dialogue of the Charrette on Energy, Environment and Aboriginal Issues see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/incoming/article15936361.ece/binary/Responsible%20Energy%20Resource%20Development%20in%20Canada%20-final.pdf ]]>

European Green Capital Award for 2013: Nantes, France

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:06:45 +0000

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/winning-cities/2013-nantes/index.html]]>

Green Awards for Cities: Vancouver for Green Building Practices

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:07:30 +0000

http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/greenest-city-2020-action-plan.aspx. And on Dec. 20, new energy efficiency requirements will come into effect under the B.C. Building Code. Developers will have a choice of energy efficiency standards for "complex buildings" (this includes large residential, industrial, commercial and institutional buildings, but not houses or small buildings). Developers can choose to use either the 2011 National Energy Code for Buildings or ASHRAE 90.1 (2010), creating greater flexibility for the construction industry.

Press release at: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/12/new-energy-efficiency-requirements-for-the-bc-building-code.html.]]>

Quebec Government gives Conditional Support to Enbridge Line 9B

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:08:06 +0000

http://www.equiterre.org/en/news/quebec-parliamentary-committee-approves-line-9b-reversal, with a link to the full report of the Committee (French only). For background to the controversy, see "6 Reasons why some Labour is Rallying against Line 9" at Rabble.ca at: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/jesse/2013/11/six-reasons-why-some-labour-rallying-against-line-9]]>

Ontario Updates its Long-Term Energy Plan

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:08:43 +0000

Achieving Balance, its updated long-term energy plan which emphasizes energy conservation, maintains the policy of ending coal-generated electricity, and holds the line on investment in new nuclear power facilities. The plan acknowledges Ontario's reduced energy demands and sets a target of about half of Ontario's installed generating capacity to come from renewable sources by 2025. See the Ontario government news release, with links to supporting backgrounders at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/12/ontario-releases-long-term-energy-plan-1.html

The Plan, Achieving Balance is at: http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/docs/LTEP_2013_English_WEB.pdf

A series of Backgrounders focusing on topics such as Conservation initiatives at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/12/conservation-and-demand-management.html, First Nations and Metis initiatives at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/12/first-nation-and-metis-communities.html, and Northwestern Ontario programs (to support mining projects and First Nations) at: http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/12/meeting-northwestern-ontarios-energy-needs.html.

Reaction from Environmental Defence is at: http://environmentaldefence.ca/articles/statement-gillian-mceachern-environmental-defence-regarding-ontario%E2%80%99s-new-long-term-energy-; From the Pembina Institute at: http://www.pembina.org/media-release/2508, and from the Society of Energy Professionals at: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1272509/long-term-energy-plan-is-low-voltage-say-energy-professionals: "The Society of Energy Professionals supports the government's decisions to continue with plans for nuclear refurbishment at Darlington and Bruce Power, maintain Pickering until 2020, and move forward with the conversion of the Thunder Bay Generating Station from coal to advanced biomass."]]>

OECD Analysis of Innovation for Clean Energy Emphasizes the Importance of Human Capital

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:09:29 +0000

A recent OECD working paper reviews case studies of renewable energy initiatives in Australia, Brazil, China, Mongolia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and emphasizes the importance of local governments in the transition to low-carbon economies. "What sets a region on a path to innovation is openness to new ideas of business...their ability to source and absorb new ideas; in effect, a region's ability to learn. This is also strongly related to the training and skills ecosystem present in the region. A region's capacity to innovate relates to the stock and quality of human capital embodied in its workforce. The successful transition to a low-carbon economy will only be possible by ensuring that the labour force is able to transfer from areas of decreasing employment to other industries, and if adequate human capital exists to develop new industries that will grow as a result of climate change mitigation and adaptation activities. Skills development activities will play a major role in each of these transitions." LINKS

Improving the Effectiveness of Green Local Development: The role and Impact of Public Sector-led Initiatives in Renewable is available from a link at: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment-and-sustainable-development/improving-the-effectiveness-of-green-local-development_5k3w6ljtrj0q-en

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The Jobs Argument of the Keystone Pipeline

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:10:01 +0000

A newly-released report by the Labor Network for Sustainability and Economics for Equity and Environment compares the jobs that would be created by the proposed Keystone pipeline to the jobs that could be created if investment was placed in water, sewer, and gas infrastructure projects in the five states the pipeline crosses. The report concludes that the infrastructure investment would create more than 300,000 total jobs across all sectors: five times more jobs, and better jobs.

LINK The Keystone Pipeline Debate: an Alternative Jobs Strategy is available at: http://www.labor4sustainability.org/files/__kxl_main3_11052013.pdf

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Trades Union Congress Issues New Green Policy Statement

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:10:39 +0000

The U.K.'s Trades Union Congress has posted Green Growth - No Turning Back. This consolidation and updating of TUC policies about climate change and energy was prompted by the latest scientific evidence, as well as Britain's current concerns with energy security and the affordability of energy for citizens. Recommendations include: parliament should adopt the Committee on Climate Change's Fourth Carbon budget as a framework for carbon emissions action; move to fund energy subsidies through income and corporate tax and eliminate regressive consumer taxes; make significant reforms to the existing Energy Bill, including a 2030 decarbonisation target to attract investment in low carbon technologies; and further encourage investment through a "properly funded" Green Investment Bank, state support for strategically important low-carbon sectors such as renewables, electric vehicles and carbon capture and storage, and a skills strategy for a low carbon economy. The policy also calls for no further investment in fracking or "unabated fossil fuels". LINKS Green Growth - No Turning Back is available at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/EC%20Green%20Growth%20No%20Turning%20Back%20-%20pdf_0.pdf. The Summary of Recommendations is at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/node/119323

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A Strategy for the U.S. to Lead the Global Green Industrial Revolution

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:11:15 +0000

On December 10th, the BlueGreen Alliance, the Institute for America's Future, and the Center for American Progress released The Green Industrial Revolution and the United States: In the Clean Energy Race, Is the United States a Leader or a Luddite? The report acknowledges and summarizes the strong U.S. position in clean energy development, and proposes to exert a competitive advantage over its closest rivals, China and Germany, by innovating from the state and local levels "up", combining regional policies that work into a national energy strategy that is based on "an integrated set of regional energy strategies. "Citing the examples of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), and the currently uncertain Production Tax Credit program for wind energy projects, the report charges that "U.S. clean energy policies have been time limited, underfunded, and politically charged." The strategy argues that the relatively small U.S. Department of Commerce should take the lead: "With solid leadership and increased capacity, Commerce could be the central department ensuring that energy programs out of the Department of Energy, environmental programs out of the Environmental Protection Agency, and workforce training and standards programs out of the Department of Labor, all work together to support regionally specific economic development plans that will help America consolidate global leadership in the green industrial revolution." BlueGreen earlier released a Policy Statement calling for a state-level Clean Energy Transition Fund, to first and foremost, "ensure that displaced workers from closing power plants and affected fossil fuel extraction sites receive transition support, including wages, benefits, and retraining."

BlueGreen has also launched a Repair America campaign, urging investment in infrastructure building and repair; a report about job creation potential in Minnesota was released on December 11th to launch the campaign. The Repair America theme will also be reflected in the Good Jobs Green Jobs 2014 conference in Washington, D.C. in February 2014. LINKS The Green Industrial Revolution and the United States: In the Clean Energy Race, Is the United States a Leader or a Luddite? is available at: http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/news/publications/document/GreenIndustrialRev.pdf

BlueGreen Policy Statement for a Clean Energy Transition Fund is at: http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/news/publications/Clean-Energy-Transition-vFINAL.pdf

Repair Minnesota: Creating Good Jobs While Preparing Our Systems for Climate Change is available at: http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/news/publications/repair-minnesota. For Good Jobs Green Jobs 2014 conference information, see: http://www.greenjobsconference.org/.

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The Jobs Argument and the Costs of Energy Development: Two Views

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:11:49 +0000

A December study by the right-wing Fraser Institute starts from two foundations: "every proposed oil and gas project in Canada affects at least one First Nation's community and secondly, these young and highly unemployed communities are sorely in need of jobs. Oil and gas development can provide those jobs and a way out of poverty and into prosperity." To bolster its arguments, the study states that "In 2010, more than 1,700 aboriginal people were directly employed in oilsands operations. Over the past 12 years aboriginal-owned companies have secured more than $5 billion worth of contracts from oilsands developers in the region."

The David Suzuki Foundation has released an alternative view in a report about industrial development in the Peace River Region. Passages from the Peace states that there are 16,267 oil and gas wells, 28,587 kilometres of pipeline, 45,293 kilometres of roads and 116,725 kilometres of seismic lines packed into the region, and the lives and well-being of local First Nations and non-aboriginal farming communities is being adversely affected. Suzuki will present the report during the public consultation period (December and January) of a 3-person joint federal and provincial Environmental Assessment Panel which is touring the Peace River Region in Northern British Columbia. The Site C Dam proposed by B.C. Hydro is a $7.9-billion hydroelectric dam proposed to be built seven kilometres downstream from Fort St. John, and would flood an 83-kilometre stretch of the Peace River upstream, as well as the mouth of the Moberly and Halfway Rivers. Opponents are also concerned about the impact downstream, on Wood Buffalo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. As yet there is no First Nations consensus position, and B.C. Hydro is arguing that the project is expected to produce 10,000 direct jobs and employment for thousands more indirectly. LINKS Opportunities for First Nation Prosperity through Oil and Gas Development is at: http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/opportunities-for-first-nation-prosperity-through-oil-and-gas-development.pdf

Passages from the Peace, is at the David Suzuki Foundation website at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/reports/2013/passages-from-the-peace-community-reflections-on-changing-peace-region/

"First Nations welcome Site C review panel" (Dec. 9) in the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/first-nations-welcome-site-c-review-panel/article15835573/

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On the Eve of the NEB Decision Re Northern Gateway Pipeline: Eyford Report Addresses First Nations and Energy Development

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:12:44 +0000

On December 5th, Prime Minister Harper's Special Representative, Douglas Eyford, presented his report about how to engage with First Nations communities and governments in British Columbia and Alberta on future energy infrastructure development. The recommendations of Forging Partnerships, Building Relationships, are summarized in the Executive summary as:

"Building Trust: identifies the efforts needed to establish constructive dialogue about energy development, to demonstrate commitment to environmental sustainability, and to enhance understanding of and participation in pipeline and marine safety. Fostering Inclusion: proposes focused efforts to realize Aboriginal employment and business opportunities, to establish collaborations among Aboriginal communities that allow for better outcomes, and to facilitate the financial participation of Aboriginal communities in energy projects. Advancing Reconciliation: recommends targeted efforts to build effective relationships including refinements to Canada's current approach to consultation and engagement, to explore mutually beneficial initiatives that support reconciliation, and to encourage Aboriginal communities to resolve shared territory issues. Taking Action: recommends the establishment of a Crown-First Nations tripartite energy working group to create an open and sustained dialogue and action on energy projects."

The official response to the Eyford report from Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn Atleo states: "First Nations are not anti-development but if any project is going to proceed it must be responsible, sustainable, we must be involved, our rights must be respected and there must be meaningful engagement consistent with the principles of free, prior and informed consent as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." The official response of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is more strongly worded. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip states: "It is clear that Mr. Eyford listened to our communities as many, if not all, of his recommendations reflect the public positions and statements of many First Nations standing against Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline and Kinder Morgan's proposed expansion of their Trans Mountain pipeline. Unfortunately, many of his recommendations will be ignored. The Harper Government has time and time again demonstrated their jobs agenda trumps, ignores and arrogantly dismissed our constitutionally-enshrined, judicially-recognized inherent Title, Rights and Treaty Rights."

Almost 1,000 delegates met in Gatineau, Quebec for the Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly, from December 10-12, coinciding with the first anniversary of the Idle No More protests. Their press release states that they discussed and made progress on a policy towards a First Nations Energy Policy, although their first priority was the recent government proposals regarding aboriginal education. An article in the Globe and Mail Report on Business on December 14th is an on-the-ground profile of "a community in conflict", the Fort McKay First Nation in Alberta, as it tries to balance the economic benefits of oil sands development with the resulting environmental damage.

LINKS

Forging Partnerships Building Relationships: Aboriginal Canadians and Energy Development. A Report to the Prime Minister. (The Eyford Report ) is at: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/www/pdf/publications/ForgPart-Online-e.pdf

"First Nations Leaders Cool to Blueprint for Garnering their Support on Energy Projects" in Globe and Mail (December 5, updated Dec. 6) at:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/first-nations-support-for-energy-projects-hinges-on-ottawa-changing-its-ways-pm-told/article15784461/ Assembly of First Nations Chief Welcomes Eyford Report and calls for Action...is at: http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/news-media/latest-news/assembly-of-first-nations-national-chief-welcomes-eyford-report-and-ca UBCIC Responds to Forging Partnerships Building Relationships is at: http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/News_Releases/UBCICNews12061301.html#axzz2nNjdoHsH Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly Concludes press release is at: http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/news-media/latest-news/assembly-of-first-nations-special-chiefs-assembly-concludes-reaffirmed "A Line in the Oil Sands: the Dispute the entire Oil Industry is Watching" in the Globe and Mail (Dec. 14th) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/the-fort-mckay-first-nation-a-line-in-the-oil-sands/article15968340/

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International Meeting Addresses the Role of Labour in Reducing Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:13:18 +0000

Labour, Climate Change, and Social Struggle was the theme of the international conference in Toronto from November 29 to December 1, organized and hosted by the Work in a Warming World project at York University. The presentations at the 3-day event reflected the participants: trade unionists, academics, and representatives of social justice organizations from Canada, U.S. U.K., EU, Sweden, India, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Asia. Keynote addresses made by David Miller, former Mayor of Toronto and now CEO and President of the World Wildlife Fund Canada, and Philip Jennings, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, the international union federation which includes 20 million members. The plenary speakers were Hassan Yussuff, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress and Chris Tollefson, Professor and Executive Director of the Environmental Law Centre in Victoria, British Columbia. Other union speakers and panellists included representatives from the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Public Service Alliance of Canada, British Columbia Federation of Labour, and the Labour Network for Sustainability (U.S.). Speakers and workshops throughout the conference reflected a healthy balance and respect for both academic research and practical experience in striving for a worker-led strategic response to climate change. A broad range of topics were covered - to name a few: the role of worker capital and pensions funds, greening the built environment, the energy sector, power relationships between the global south and north, the emerging model of climate change law, gender and climate change, and greening the healthcare sector. A constant theme throughout the conference was the crucial leadership role that organized labour can play in the struggle for a sustainable, just economy, and the need for understanding and relationship-building with allies in the environmental movement. A strategy meeting in Toronto in November brought together just such a gathering of like-minded union and environmental groups of the Green Economy Network: participants included the Council of Canadians, the Polaris Institute, the Climate Action Network, KAIROS, and unions including the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Unifor and the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE).

LINK Labour, Climate Change, and Social Struggle (W3 international conference): full list of speakers and topics is now available at: http://www.workinawarmingworld.yorku.ca/w3conference/program/program-details/; Papers will be available online in 2014. Activists Rally around Green Jobs press release (summarizing the Green Economy Network Strategy Meeting) is at the CUPE website at: http://cupe.ca/green-jobs/Rally-green-jobs

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Davos World Economic Forum has Leaders Talking Climate Investment

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 22:58:46 +0000

nd to 25th. UNFCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim called for strong climate action, and Figueres warned that failure to establish a binding international agreement on climate change by 2015 would place the global economy at risk. Talks that addressed global finance and the green economy noted the potential of green bonds to fund adaptive and mitigative efforts while stimulating the economy. Kim suggested doubling the size of the green bond market to $20 billion before the next Climate Summit, and doubling it again before the following summit in December 2015.

ANY_ITEM_HERE

In early January, WEF released Climate Adaptation: Seizing the Challenge that similarly emphasized the role of investment and the private sector in addressing climate change. According to the report, investing in adaptation measures could help avert up to 65% of the projected increase in losses due to climate change. The report presents a framework developed by Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) to assist the public and private sector to quantify possible losses and the cost of adaptation projects, as well as attract private investors to fund those projects. The final day of Davos focussed on discussion of the circular economy - the use of circular supply chains, and increased re-use, recycling, and remanufacture. (See the feature item above for more).

For highlights of speeches, blogs and press releases related to climate change and sustainability at the WEF, see: http://forumblog.org/topic/sustainability/

Climate Adaptation: Seizing the Challenge is available at: http://www.weforum.org/reports/climate-adaptation-seizing-challenge

For coverage by the Globe and Mail, see "Davos summit Aims to Press Reset Button" (Jan 20) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/davos-summit-aims-to-press-reset-button/article16419504/; "Davos summit calls for cleaner energy, focus on climate change" (Jan. 22) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/davos-summit-calls-for-cleaner-energy-focus-on-climate-change/article16457713/; "Sovereignty is Canada's top priority in the North, Baird tells Davos forum" (Jan. 23) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/sovereignty-is-canadas-top-priority-in-the-north-baird-tells-davis-forum/article16470142/.

Live Coverage by The Guardian (U.K.) is at:

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/jan/24/davos-2014-climate-change-resource-security-sustainability-day-three-live?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 and http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/jan/25/davos-2014-climate-change-resource-scarcity-sustainability-day-four-live.

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UN Climate Chief Urges Institutional Investors to Move to Low-Carbon Assets

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:00:36 +0000

Investor Summit on Climate Risk at the United Nations has been the pre-eminent forum for leading institutional investors in North America, Europe and the rest of the world to discuss the implications of climate change for capital markets and their portfolios." At this year's summit on January 15, Christine Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told the audience of 500 global leaders: "The pensions, life insurances and nest eggs of billions of ordinary people depend on the long-term security and stability of institutional investment funds. Climate change increasingly poses one of the biggest long-term threats to those investments and the wealth of the global economy." She urged investors to move out of high-carbon assets and into assets built on renewable energy, energy efficiency and more sustainable ways of business that green global supply chains. A related report by CERES, Investing in the Clean Trillion: Closing the Clean Energy Investment Gap, was released at the Summit. It provides recommendations for investors, companies and policymakers to increase annual global investment in clean energy to at least $1 trillion by 2030- up from a current investment level of approximately $300 billion. A related report by Cleantech Group pegs the level of worldwide global investment in cleantech venture companies at $6.8 billion in 2013. LINKS: 2014 Investor Summit on Climate Risk website is at http://www.ceres.org/investor-network/investor-summit UNFCC press release regarding Christine Figueres' statement is at: http://unfccc.int/files/press/press_releases_advisories/application/pdf/pr20140115_ceres_final1.pdf. Watch a 2-minute video of an interview with Ms. Figueres' at: http://climatedesk.org/2014/01/un-climate-chief-calls-for-tripling-of-clean-energy-investment/ To download the CERES Report: Investing in the Clean Trillion: Closing the Clean Energy Investment Gap, or the Executive Summary go to: http://www.ceres.org/resources/reports/investing-in-the-clean-trillion-closing-the-clean-energy-investment-gap/view - registration required. Summary of the Cleantech Groups Investment report is at http://www.cleantech.com/2014/01/08/i3-quarterly-investment-monitor-reports-6-8-billion-cleantech-venture-investment-2013/]]>

EU Proposes New Emissions Targets for 2030, Weak Regulation of Fracking, and No Extension to the European Fuel Quality Directive

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:02:36 +0000

ANY_ITEM_HERE See "EU May Scrap Green Fuel Law in Boon for Tar Sands Industry" at Inside Climate News http://insideclimatenews.org/content/eu-may-scrap-green-fuel-law-boon-tar-sands-industry, and for background, the Natural Resources Defense Council blog, Canadian Tar Sands Exports to Europe could Grow from a Trickle to a Flood Undermining Europe's Climate Goals (Jan. 2014) at: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aswift/canadian_tar_sands_exports_to.html The European Council will consider the framework proposals at its spring meeting in March. From the EU Commissioner on Climate Action: "...The details of the framework will now have to be agreed, but the direction for Europe has been set. If all other regions were equally ambitious about tackling climate change, the world would be in significantly better shape." Read the analysis from The Guardian (U.K.)(Jan.22) at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/22/eu-carbon-emissions-climate-deal-2030 and the New York Times (Jan. 22) at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/international/european-union-lowers-ambitions-on-renewable-energy.html?hp. The press release, with links to official documents, is at the European Commission website at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-54_en.htm. Environmental groups disagree with the positive spin: according to the Friends of the Earth Europe, the negotiators "...seem to have fallen for the old-think industry spin that there must be a trade-off between climate action and economic recovery. This position completely ignores the huge financial cost of dealing with the impacts of climate change and the €500 billion the EU is spending every year on oil and gas imports". (at: https://www.foeeurope.org/2030_climate_energy_plan_220114). About fracking, the FOE had this to say: "... attempts to regulate the fracking industry have been undermined by heavy corporate lobbying and pressure from certain member states intent on fracking their lands." ... "With the heavy support from José Manuel Barroso, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Romania have all played a leading role in undermining shale gas legislation, with allies Hungary, Lithuania, Czech Republic and Slovakia." See https://www.foeeurope.org/shale_gas_framework_220114. An article in The Guardian (Jan. 14) offers a detailed analysis of the significant role played by the U.K. to weaken the fracking regulations (see at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/14/uk-defeats-european-bid-fracking-regulations).]]>

WikiLeaks Releases Environmental Chapter in the Transpacific Trade Talks, Labelling it a "Public Relations Exercise"

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:04:33 +0000

th, Wikileaks released the draft Environmental Chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The Chapter was written on Nov. 24, 2013, in advance of the December 10th Singapore meetings of the participant countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. Wikileaks had this to say about the proposed environmental provisions of the trade deal: "The dispute settlement mechanisms it creates are cooperative instead of binding; there are no required penalties and no proposed criminal sanctions. With the exception of fisheries, trade in 'environmental' goods and the disputed inclusion of other multilateral agreements, the Chapter appears to function as a public relations exercise." (see http://wikileaks.org/tpp-enviro/pressrelease.html). Wikileaks also posted an analysis of the Environment Chapter from a New Zealand perspective, by Professor Jane Kelsey, at: http://wikileaks.org/tppa-environment-chapter.html. In a blog by Stuart Trew of the Council of Canadians, the provisions in the TPP draft chapter are likened to the current environmental protections under NAFTA (see http://www.canadians.org/blog/climate-change-safeguarded-tpp-environment-chapter). This is a point of view also expressed in a 2013 report by the Sierra Club, which reviewed all chapters of the TPP (see Raw Deal:How the Trans-Pacific Partnership threatens our Climate at: http://sc.org/RawDealReport). The more recent response to the leaked Environment chapter from the Sierra Club, in conjunction with Natural Resources Defence Council and the WWF, describes the dispute resolution process as a "vastly insufficient process" "...an unacceptable rollback of previous commitments and renders the obligations in this chapter virtually meaningless." (see http://sc.org/TPPEnvironment). Even before the Wikileaks revelations, BlueGreen Alliance, like many others in the U.S., was protesting the attempt to "fast-track" the TPP approval process through the U.S. Congress; see http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/news/latest/bluegreen-alliance-statement-fast-track-bill-strips-transparency-restricts-democratic-process. The Council of Canadians is one of more than 30 organizations participating in a January 31 Intercontinental Day of Action against the TPP and Corporate Globalization. (see http://www.flushthetpp.org/inter-continental-day-of-action-against-the-tpp-corporate-globalization/).]]>

Rail Transport of Oil and Gas is an Issue for Worker Safety as well as Public Safety

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:08:07 +0000

th and appointed a Railway Safety Advisory Committee, composed of railway companies, Transport Canada, the Railway Association of Canada, provinces, shippers, suppliers and municipalities. The Advisory Committee is tasked to look at issues including operator fatigue and crew sizes, yet there is no inclusion of labour unions, even though the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and their Maintenance of Way Employees Division (TCRC-MWED) represent 12,000 workers who operate the trains and repair the tracks, and Unifor Rail Division represents another 9,000 rail workers in Canada. The Teamsters have launched their own rail safety campaign, Things are Falling off the Rails, at: http://teamstersrail.ca/background.htm. Read the Canadian Transportation Safety Board communique at: http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/communiques/rail/2014/r13d0054-20140123.asp. The response by Transport Canada Minister Lisa Raitt to the CTSB communique is at: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=811029. See also the January 10 press release re:rail car regulations at: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?mthd=advSrch&crtr.page=2&crtr.dpt1D=6695&nid=808769 and the appointment of the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (Oct. 2013) at: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?crtr.sj1D=&crtr.mnthndVl=1&mthd=advSrch&crtr.dpt1D=&nid=783579]]>

Was the Oil and Gas Lobby Behind Bill C-38?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:09:07 +0000

Environmental Assessment Act under Bill C-38 were drawn from a report from the Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), an organization whose members include all the major oil and gas companies. EPIC's recommendations, written in August 2012 but only recently uncovered, included eliminating external costs including climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and upstream and downstream effects from energy project analysis, completing assessments early and only asking for details later, and excluding effects that are common to other projects. Who Writes the Rules? A Report on Oil Industry Influence, Government Laws and the Corrosion of Public Process asserts that Bill C-38 violates the public right to voice opinions during project review processes. The bill granted the National Energy Board (NEB) the authority to select hearing participants from those who submitted a newly-required nine-page application. Further, all concerns regarding external costs, such as downstream health effects, can no longer be included in project analysis. Similar concerns were voiced in a December 2012 report from the Polaris Institute, which said federal cabinet ministers met six major oil industry players 53 times during the year Bill-38 was being developed. During the same period, a minister met an environmental group only once. Read the backgrounder for Who Writes the Rules? A Report on Oil Industry Influence, Government Laws and the Corrosion of Public Process at: http://www.forestethics.org//sites/forestethics.huang.radicaldesigns.org/files/ForestEthicsAdvocacy_Who-Writes-The-Rules-BACKGROUNDER.pdf, and the full report at: http://forestethics.org/sites/forestethics.huang.radicaldesigns.org/files/Who_writes_the_rules.pdf. Big Oil's Oily Grasp (2012) by the Polaris Institute is available at: http://polarisinstitute.org/bigoilsoilygrasp.]]>

Canada Reports Climate Progress: 2020 Targets Further out of Reach as Oil Sands Emissions Rise

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:11:02 +0000

th release of a progress report on the Plan, outlining US federal initiatives to reduce carbon pollution and increase energy efficiency. LINKS: Canada's Sixth National Communication and First Biennial Report on Climate Change (January 2014): The Executive Summary is available at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/default.asp?lang=En&xml=109109A8-6636-418C-B743-94CD3459FB6B, and the full report is available at: http://www.unfccc.int/files/national_reports/non-annex_i_natcom/submitted_natcom/application/pdf/final_nc_br_dec20,_2013%5B1%5D.pdf. "Emissions will Soar after 2020 without Oil-sector Regulation, Federal Report Says" in the Globe and Mail (Jan. 8, 2014) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/emissions-will-soar-after-2020-without-oil-sands-regulation-federal-report-says/article16250220/. "Canada's New Emission Rules on Hold Again, Harper Says" in the Globe and Mail (Dec. 19, 2013) is at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canadas-new-emissions-rules-on-hold-again-harper-says/article16065033/. 2014 U.S. Climate Action Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/rls/rpts/car6/index.htm. January 2014 Progress Report: President Obama's Climate Action Plan is at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/fact_sheet_-_cap_progress_report_2014-01-16.pdf.]]>

The Business Case for a Circular Economy: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle as a Solution to Coming Shortages of Raw Materials

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:14:35 +0000

Towards the Circular Economy, the report which accompanied the launch, finds that "over US$1 trillion a year could be generated by 2025 for the global economy and 100,000 new jobs created for the next five years if companies focused on encouraging the build-up of circular supply chains to increase the rate of recycling, reuse and remanufacture." As an article in The Guardian points out, this initiative intends to tackle the scale and complexity of global supply chains-as well as a crucial stumbling block in recycling - the toxic contents of some products. Canadian readers will be familiar with these concepts from the 2013 report, Closing the Loop: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Zero Waste in BC, which focused on the benefits to consumers and the environment. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has published reports on the Circular Economy since 2010. LINKS: Towards the Circular Economy Vol.3: Accelerating the Scale-up Across Global Supply Chains is available from a link at: http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/business/reports/ce2014, and previous reports are available at: http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/business/reports "Circular Economy offers Business Transformation and $1tn of Savings" (Jan. 24) in The Guardian at: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/circular-economy-business-transformation-one-trillion-savings Closing the Loop: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Zero Waste in BC, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Climate Justice Project (March 2013) is available at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/closing-loop]]>

Disputing Oil and Gas Industry Claims for Job Creation in the U.S. and in California

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:20:30 +0000

Too Big to Believe, five prominent economists from California universities critique the methodology and results of an influential study published in March 2013, Powering California. Powering California, conducted at the University of Southern California and sponsored by Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), included optimistic and widely publicized estimates of an increase of 512,000 net new jobs by 2015 and 2.8 million net new jobs by 2020. Yet Too Big to Believe states: "Each of the economists said the study's findings were unreliable and inflated. They cast doubt on its methodology, which did not base its estimates on any projections for oil production or capital investment in California oil; instead, the study's authors said they extrapolated from the effects of economic growth in North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming." In Keeping the Story Straight, the final article in the NextGeneration series, the results of Powering California are contrasted with two other economic impact studies done by industry-related organizations: one by IHS Consultants, and another commissioned by the Western States Petroleum Association and conducted by California State University at Fresno. In both cases, estimated job impacts were "negligible" or modest. LINKS:

Big Oil, Small Jobs: A Look at the Oil Industry's Dubious Job Claims is at the Center for American Progress at: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2014/01/22/82571/big-oil-small-jobs-a-look-at-the-oil-industrys-dubious-job-claims/

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Too Big to Believe: Top Economists Doubt California Oil Industry's Jobs Figures at: http://thenextgeneration.org/blog/post/top-economists-doubt-california-oil-industrys-jobs-figures, and Keeping the Story Straight: Industry Reports at Odds in California Oil at: http://thenextgeneration.org/blog/post/industry-reports-at-odds-on-california-oil Powering California: The Monterey Shale and California's Economic Future is at: http://wms.communicationsinstitute.org/energy/powering-california-project/powering-california-the-monterey-shale-californias-economic-future/ ]]>

Coalition for Infrastructure Investment Adopts Framework with Community Labour Standards

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:23:06 +0000

The West Coast Infrastructure Exchange (WCX) is a partnership between Oregon, California, Washington state, and British Columbia. It's goal is "to promote near-term job creation and long-term economic competitiveness by improving and accelerating infrastructure development, as we look to make $1 trillion in infrastructure investments along the West Coast in the next 30 years in a time of fiscal uncertainty and climate change." On January 2nd, WCX released the final version of its Framework document to define the types of public infrastructure projects they will seek and how they will structure investments. WCX states that it has chosen to use the terms "Infrastructure Investment Partnership (IIPS)" and "Performance-Based Infrastructure Solution (PBIS)", on the grounds that the traditional term, Public Private Partnership (P3), is misunderstood and misinterpreted. The Framework document uses these terms in Section 1.6.7 relating to Community Labor Standards: "Projects executed through IIPs or PBISs should adopt labor standards as would be afforded under the traditional public procurement and operations model, providing comparable wages, benefits, and worker protections, including the right to organize and collectively bargain, as well as ensuring that contractors have a history of compliance with community health and safety, wage and working hour standards. All projects should follow the relevant labor requirements of the sponsoring jurisdiction, including working with labor representatives to provide continued employment opportunities for the existing workforce and to maintain wages and benefits where relevant."

LINKS:

West Coast Infrastructure Exchange website is at: http://westcoastx.com/Infrastructure Project Certification - Principles and Framework is at:http://westcoastx.com/home/discussion-forum.html An explanatory press release is at: http://westcoastx.com/news/wcx-releases-final-project-standards.html

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Unifor Condemns Northern Gateway & Keystone XL, Supports Line 9, and Establishes a New Energy Council within the Union

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:26:22 +0000

In December, Unifor released a "primer" explaining its opposition to the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines, and support for the smaller Line 9 pipeline. The national union condemns all recent major export pipelines on both economic and environmental grounds, asserting that export pipelines do not prioritize Canadian consumers or maximize Canadian jobs. It also fears massive exports will harm other sectors, such as manufacturing, as the Canadian dollar rises.

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Unifor asserts that the smaller Line 9 pipeline does not suffer from the same problems as the enormous export pipelines. Provided Line 9 oil is not shipped to Maine, and pending strict environmental and safety measures and First Nations approval, the union backs the Line 9 promise of energy independence and value-added manufacturing jobs, especially in Quebec. Unifor's position echoes a statement issued by the Alberta Federation of Labour in October, which also contraposed Line 9 and major export pipelines.

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In contrast to the Unifor and AFL positions, some labour activists continue to dismiss Line 9 benefits as "myths", instead emphasizing the magnitude of safety, environmental, and economic threats. January revelations regarding an influx of Enbridge maintenance notices filed with the NEB has reinforced concerns regarding the age and fragility of the pipeline.

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Delegates to Unifor's Ontario Regional Council meeting in December approved recommendations for a long-term national energy strategy, including emissions targets and a climate action plan, energy independence, and a national energy grid. They also endorsed the National Executive Board's call for a moratorium on unconventional fracking, until environmental and First Nations concerns have been addressed. Arriving at a national energy and environmental strategy for Unifor will be the task of its new Energy Council, soon to be constituted by delegates from all energy-related locals in the union.

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LINKS:

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Debating Pipelines: A Primer is available at the Unifor website at: http://www.unifor.org/sites/default/files/documents/document/pipeline_primer_dec_2013.pdf

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Press release regarding Unifor Ontario Council Recommendation for a National Energy and Environmental Policy is at: http://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/news/unifor-ontario-council-calls-national-energy-and-environmental-strategy.

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The official statement of Recommendations is available at: http://www.unifor.org/sites/default/files/attachments/ont_council_energy_recommendation.pdf

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The Alberta Federation of Labour statement is available at: http://www.afl.org/index.php/Press-Release/afl-makes-final-argument-in-favour-of-enbridge-line-9-pipeline.html. "Six reasons why some labour is rallying against Line 9", a Rabble.ca blog (Nov. 2013) is available at: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/jesse/2013/11/six-reasons-why-some-labour-rallying-against-line-9 Enbridge launches hundreds of digs for cracks in Line 9 (Jan. 21, 2013) at CBC Hamilton website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/enbridge-launches-hundreds-of-digs-for-cracks-in-line-9-1.2504175

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LNG Production Powered by Renewables would Create More Jobs, Less Pollution, without Sacrificing Competitiveness

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:30:35 +0000

On January 15, CleanEnergy Canada released the latest in its reports regarding the production of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in British Columbia. Lock in Jobs, Not Pollution urges the government of British Columbia to use renewable electricity to power the LNG facilities. The report explains that the heart of LNG facilities are their compressors, which can be powered by the traditional technology of gas turbine drives (also called direct drives or D-drives), or by the more innovative electric motor drives (E-drives), now in use in Norway. The report contends that, in comparison to the use of fossil fuels, the use of renewable energy to power e-drives would "increase regional permanent employment by 45 percent, decrease carbon pollution by 33 percent, reduce smog, and build the foundations of a renewable energy economy in Northwestern British Columbia." The report contains detailed appendices of the methodology by which job projections and estimates of cost and competitiveness were calculated.

The report quotes numerous government statements that claim that the LNG initiatives will be the "cleanest in the world"; notably, Premier Clark stated at the World Economic Forum in China in 2012, "We want our LNG plants to be principally fuelled by renewables." Yet in a radio interview in response to the report's release, the B.C. Minister of Energy stated, "If we were to introduce a brand new condition, at this stage of our discussions with these LNG proponents, it would first of all be foolhardy, it would be unprofessional." Two government-industry agreements for LNG development were announced in January, one for Kitimat and one for Prince Rupert. For a broader discussion of the many potential sources of carbon emissions from LNG production (including the extraction of shale oil gas and transportation to the LNG processing facilities), see a recent OpEd by Alison Bailie. According to Pembina Institute estimates, if LNG development is to achieve the revenue claims made by the B.C. government, B.C.'s LNG sector would produce three-quarters as much carbon pollution as the oil sands, by 2020. The author contends that the government could reduce the carbon footprint by limiting the growth of the LNG sector, prioritizing low-carbon job creation, and setting high standards for emissions reductions technology for any projects that are allowed to proceed. LINKS: Lock in Jobs, Not Pollution is at CleanEnergy Canada at: http://cleanenergycanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Lock-in-Jobs-Not-Pollution.pdf, with links to previous CleanEnergy Canada reports about LNG at: http://cleanenergycanada.org/category/news-coverage/ Carbon Footprint of B.C. LNG Boom Could Rival Alberta's Oilsands, OpEd by Alison Bailie, from Pembina Institute, originally posted at The Tyee, (Jan. 13), at: http://www.pembina.org/op-ed/2515 B.C. Government press releases re industry agreements for LNG facilities are at: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/01/major-lng-contract-awarded.html (Jan. 13, Kitimat) and http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/01/second-lng-agreement-reached-for-grassy-point-with-woodside.html (Jan. 16, Grassy Narrows, Prince Rupert). Radio interview with Energy Minister Bennett in response to the CleanEnergy report is at: http://www.cknw.com/2014/01/16/energy-minister-says-no-to-electricity-powered-lng-plants/, with response from CleanEnergy Canada at: http://cleanenergycanada.org/2014/01/16/media-statement-re-minister-bennett-remarks-powering-lng-plants/]]>

World Cities Filling the Gap with Climate Change Initiatives

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:13:43 +0000

http://www.c40.org/blog_posts/CAM2. The report was accompanied by the appointment of former mayor of New York and President of the C40 Board of Directors to the position of UN envoy for Cities and Climate Change. Michael Bloomberg pledged to harness the global mayoral power to raise political will and bring "concrete solutions" to the 2014 Climate Summit. Bloomberg, whose contributions in New York included rebuilding aging water mains and creating energy-efficient buildings, asserted that cities are "forging ahead" as progress at international levels stalls. The UN news release on the appointment is available at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp/story.asp?NewsID=47055&Cr=climate+change&Cr1#.UwaSNIXPxkW. The Guardian coverage including Bloomberg's reaction is available at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/05/michael-bloomberg-world-leaders-climate-deal. According to a new report from the National Municipal Adaptation Project (NMAP) large Canadian cities are keeping pace with the global trend and have climate action plans. However, 65% of smaller communities have no plan in place despite the fact that many have already faced damage from flooding or extreme rainfall in the last ten years. The report is available at: http://www.localadaptation.ca/results-of-the-nmap-survey-of-local-governments.php. An online library of climate change adaptation policies from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities is available at: http://www.fcm.ca/home/programs/partners-for-climate-protection/program-resources/municipal-reports.htm.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has launched an initiative called "Urban Solutions" to help American cities become cleaner and more resilient by tackling food systems and clean energy, transportation, and storm-water infrastructure. Mayors from 10 major American cities also announced their participation in the City Energy Project, a partnership between the NRDC and the Institute for Market Transformation. The cities are expected to save a combined $1 billion in energy bills, cut 5 million to 7 million tons of annual carbon emissions, and create jobs in architecture, engineering, construction, and more. Read more about Urban Solutions at: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/spoticha/reconnecting_america_legacy co.html. The NRDC press release regarding the City Energy Project is available at: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2014/140129a.asp.

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'Intense' Government Audits Threaten Canadian Environmental Groups

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:18:46 +0000

ANY_ITEM_HERE See the CBC report at:http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/7-environmental-charities-face-canada-revenue-agency-audits-1.2526330.

Mark Winfield of York University has written a thoughtful blog, pointing out the dangers of these CRA audits, at:marksw.blog.yorku.ca/2014/02/11/five-functions-of-non-governmental-organizations-in-a-democratic-society/

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Concerns over Spills if Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline Allowed to Triple Volume

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:22:02 +0000

Applications to participate in hearings on the proposed twinning of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline have flooded the National Energy Board. The expansion would triple the amount of oil shipped through the pipeline from Strathcona County, Alberta to Burnaby, B.C. Over 40 First Nations, including some coastal nations in the U.S., cite concerns over the impact of potential spills on the salmon and shellfish stocks they depend upon for their livelihoods. The city of Vancouver has filed a submission that identifies increased tanker traffic and potential spills as threats to its $3.6-billion a year tourism industry and the port's massive contribution to the overall Canadian economy. The province of BC has filed for status as an intervener, which Environment Minister Mary Polak says will ensure the province has a say in environmental and public health protection standards.

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See "First Nations Sign Up For Kinder Morgan Pipeline Hearing" in The Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/first-nations-sign-up-forkinder-morgan-pipeline-hearing/article16888886/; "Vancouver Cites Environmental Impact, Tanker Traffic Concerns In Trans Mountain Submission" in The Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/vancouver-cites-environmental-impact-tanker-traffic-concerns-in-trans-mountain-submission/article16820452/; and a National Energy Board press release listing issues surrounding the pipeline is available at: http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rthnb/nws/nwsrls/2013/nwsrls22-eng.html, with more information at: http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rthnb/pplctnsbfrthnb/trnsmntnxpnsn/trnsmntnxpnsn-eng.html.

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Industry Estimates of the Economic Impact of the Oil Sands

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:24:12 +0000

Oil Sands Economic Benefits: Today and in the Future (Jan. 2014) at: http://www.ihs.com/pdfs/OSD-2013-Economic-Benefits-Jan-2-2014.pdf.]]>

Energy East Pipeline Could Increase Canada's Emissions More than Keystone

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:27:59 +0000

A new report from the Pembina Institute says that TransCanada's Energy East pipeline could increase Canada's greenhouse gas emissions by 32 million tonnes per year, surpassing estimates for Keystone XL. The new pipeline would have the capacity to transport 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta to New Brunswick. Terminals near Rivière-du-Loup and in Saint John would likely export crude by tanker. Climate Implications of the Proposed Energy East Pipeline argues that because the oil sands are "land-locked", pipelines are a vital component of accessing international markets and are therefore directly linked to rising oil sands emissions. Pembina asserts that the National Energy Board should consider those "upstream" effects as part of Energy East's environmental impact assessment, though it has neglected to do so for past pipelines.

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See Climate Implications of the Proposed Energy East Pipeline and the media release at: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2519.

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Oil Sands Emissions - Even Greater than we Thought

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:30:05 +0000

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/oilsands-air-pollutants-underestimated-researchers-find-1.2521134. The full article, "Evaluating Officially Reported Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emissions In The Athabasca Oil Sands Region With A Multimedia Fate Model" is available at: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/01/29/1319780111.

A second article published in Environmental Science and Technology, the journal of the American Chemical Society, uses new technology to measure and differentiate between naturally occurring pollution from bitumen deposits and pollution from oil sands processing. The authors conclude that "oil sands process-affected water (OSPW)" from tailings ponds is reaching the Athabasca River system. The research was conducted under Environment Canada's regular research program - and not surprisingly, Environment Canada told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that it was unable to provide an interview with the report's main author, Richard Frank.

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"Profiling Oil Sands Mixtures from Industrial Developments and Natural Groundwaters for Source Identification" appears in Environmental Science and Technology Article ASAP (Jan. 21, 2014); an abstract is available at: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es500131k (full text available for a $35 fee). The Edmonton Journal summary is at: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Federal+study+confirms+oilsands+tailings+found/9530481/story.html.

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Keystone Pipeline: Protests Continue: Obama Takes his Time

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:32:35 +0000

The U.S. State Department released its Final Environmental Impact Report regarding the Keystone XL pipeline on January 31 (see: http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/finalseis/index.htm), yet a date for the final decision is still unclear, and at the North American leaders summit in Mexico on February 18, President Obama rebuffed Prime Minister Harper's attempts to elicit approval. On February 19th, a court in Nebraska ruled that a 2012 law did not give the governor the authority to approve the Keystone route through the state. As a result TransCanada would have to negotiate with each landowner directly to build the pipeline through that state. See: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/keystone-xl-access-through-nebraska-shut-down-by-judge-1.2543898.

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In the U.S., Keystone continues to be a rallying point for environmental groups with an estimated 10,000 people attending anti-Keystone XL vigils in 280 locations across the U.S. shortly after the State Department release, and a planned "act of civil disobedience" announced by 350.org for Washington D.C. on March 2. Read the Inside Climate News report at: http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140210/environmental-movement-test-its-muscle-keystone-final-stretch.

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"Keystone XL and the Tar Sands: Voices from the Front lines" (Feb. 4) at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/178224/keystone-xl-and-tar-sands-voices-front-lines, includes a profile of Alberta Chippewa activist Eriel Deranger and her comments to the Tar Sands Exposed Tour in Boston and outlines the Chippewa First Nations arguments and actions against Keystone XL.

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According to an article at the Trade Unions for Energy Democracy website, five U.S. unions are on the record as opposing Keystone XL, while the Laborers' International Union (LIUNA) and the AFL-CIO Building Trades support it. See "U.S. Unions Still Divided On Keystone XL Pipeline" at: http://energydemocracyinitiative.org/u-s-unions-still-divided-on-keystone-xl-pipeline/.

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Northern Gateway Headed to Court as NEB Approval Provokes Criticism of Review Process

avadkl — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 22:49:00 +0000

After 14 Years, Forestry Companies and Environmentalists Reach Joint Recommendations to the B.C. Great Bear Forest Agreement

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:46:04 +0000

http://forestethics.org/news/forest-companies-and-environmental-groups-deliver-joint-recommendations-great-bear-rainforest. The B.C. government press release is at: http://www.coastforestconservationinitiative.com/pdf2014/2014FLNR0005-000099.pdf.]]>

Advancing the Role of Women in Ontario's Renewable Energy Sector

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:48:30 +0000

http://womeninrenewableenergy.ca/; "New Ontario Organization is Advancing the Role of Women in Renewable Energy" Blog post at the Alternatives Journal website at: http://www.alternativesjournal.ca/community/blogs/renewable-energy/new-ontario-organization-advancing-role-women-renewable-energy. Women of Wind Energy website is at: http://www.womenofwindenergy.org/;Women in Renewable Energy Scotland website is at: www.wirescotland.com/; Hawaii Women in Renewable Energy website is available at: http://hawaiiwire.org/.]]>

Solar Jobs Growing at Almost 20% in the U.S.

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:58:10 +0000

The U.S.-based Solar Foundation released its annual National Solar Jobs Census for 2013 on January 27 followed by the State Solar Jobs Map on February 11. According to the Solar Foundation there are now 142,000 workers employed in the solar industry. Employment has increased by 24,000 jobs since 2012 nationally, a growth rate of almost 20% (compared to a rate of 1.9% for the economy as a whole). Employment growth in the coming year is estimated at 15.6%. The average solar installer earns between $20.00 (median) and $23.63 (mean) per hour - comparable to skilled electricians and plumbers in the U.S. Wages for production and assembly workers averaged $15.00 (median) to $18.23 (mean) per hour, slightly more than the national average for electronic equipment assemblers. California continues to lead the U.S. in the number of solar workers at 47,223. And on Feb. 13th, after more than 3 years in construction, the world's largest solar thermal energy project went live in California: the Ivanpah Solar Electricity Project, a joint effort between NRG, Google, and BrightSource Energy. We have no comparable measures for the Canadian solar industry. The latest report appeared in November 2013, from the Renewing Futures research project, which assessed the capacity of Canada's skilled workforce to meet the labour needs of all electricity-related renewable energy systems, including solar. It estimated that there were 41,000 employees in the entire renewable electricity sector in Canada in 2012. The latest labour market survey conducted by the Canadian Solar Industries Association was published in 2009.

LINKS

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National Solar Jobs Census 2013, the State Solar Jobs Map, and detailed reports for California, Arizona, and Minnesota are all available at: http://thesolarfoundation.org/

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A summary of the Renewing Futures reports appeared in the November issue of Work and Climate Change Report at: http://workandclimatechangereport.org/2013/11/22/a-strategy-for-growth-for-human-resources-and-training-in-renewable-electricity-sectors/ Canadian Solar Industries Association is at: http://www.cansia.ca/market-intelligence/labour-force-market Press release regarding Ivanpah is at: http://www.brightsourceenergy.com/ivanpah-achieves-commercial-operation#.UwIxw4Uz33V]]>

Job Losses and Bankruptcies Result from California's Drought

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 19:00:24 +0000

The worst drought in recorded California history will take a severe toll on the regional and American economy, particularly in the agricultural, fishing, tourism, and even energy industries. The drought, which President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack have linked to climate change, may result in an $11 billion loss in annual state revenue from agriculture according to the California Farm Water Coalition. Farmers may be forced to fallow up to 500,000 acres of land during this year's planting season, threatening some with bankruptcy and endangering the livelihoods of the 117,000 Californians who work in farm production, processing and transportation. While the wine industry and its associated tourism is suffering, livestock farmers may be taking the hardest hit as parched pasture is replaced with expensive imported feed. In the highly fertile Central Valley jobs directly related to agriculture comprise nearly 40% of employment. Previous droughts have seen unemployment in some towns skyrocket as high as 45%, while the 2011 to 2012 drought took an estimated $50 billion toll on the American economy as a whole. The availability of hydroelectric power, the state's cleanest and cheapest energy supply, has also been adversely affected. The state's salmon population could be severely affected, particularly if legislation from four California and Oregon senators is passed that would allow more water to be diverted to farms. The bill would contradict EPA regulations that protect fish stocks in the Bay-delta estuary. According to the National Resources Defense Council, the regulations themselves sustain thousands of jobs associated with the fishing industry and preserve water quality for regional farmers.

California Governor Jerry Brown has announced $687.4 million in drought relief funding drawn partly from voter-approved bonds and the state's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Money will go to local governments and agencies for water conservation and efficiency projects, food assistance, and emergency drinking water initiatives for communities facing severe water shortages. President Obama's response to the drought includes $100 million in federal aid to livestock ranchers, as well as $15 million for areas hit hardest by the drought, and $60 million for California food banks.

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LINKS California Seeing Brown where Green Used to be" in the New York Times is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/us/california-seeing-brown-where-green-used-to-be.html?_r=0

"Punishing Drought has California Fearing the Worst" article from the Globe and Mail is available at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/punishing-drought-has-california-fearing-the-worst/article16650342/ "Drought Forces California Farmers To Idle Cropland" article from Reuters available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/06/usa-drought-california-idUSL2N0LB00U20140206

"California, Orgeon Senators Introduce Drought Relief Legislation" from Senator Feinstein available at: http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=e7668832-d0be-4329-a30f-d1e5e47863aa "California Drought: Gov. Jerry Brown proposes $687 million Aid Plan" from the San Jose Mercury News is available at: http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_25181590/california-drought-aid-plan-set-687-million-plan

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New Evidence About the Climate Impacts of Methane Leaks Sparks a Union Call for a Global Moratorium on Fracking

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 19:25:39 +0000

The January 28 meeting of the Global Advisory Group of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy considered a draft paper concerning fracking. The paper, prepared by the Cornell Global Labor Institute states, "This paper has been prepared to assist unions and their close allies who wish to better understand the impacts of shale gas drilling, or 'fracking', and want to develop a position or approach to fracking that protects workers, communities and the environment..." It is an extensive review of the core issues driving anti-fracking activism, and the current activities of social movement groups and unions (chiefly in the U.S. and Canada, but also in Europe and Argentina). It highlights the pro-fracking position of the AFL-CIO Building Trades union in the U.S. and the anti-fracking statements of Canada's Unifor and CUPE. About Unifor and CUPE, the paper states: "their perspective on fracking combines a social movement approach that prioritizes solidarity with other movements but it is also grounded in a pragmatic approach to Canadian energy policy involving the use of their natural resources in ways that are responsible and beneficial for the Canadian economy as a whole".

In a separate document, the Trades Union Congress of the U.K. reiterated its 2012 position in its February 13, 2014 presentation to an Inquiry of the House of Lords into shale gas. It encapsulates two competing interests of trade unions on the issue: the TUC "... wishes to focus on two issues of concern...the need for reliable forecasts of economic and employment benefits; and setting the highest standards for occupational health and safety at work". It follows up on the TUC policy statement which is based on the precautionary principle and effectively calls for a moratorium on fracking. Although water consumption and contamination were the initial concerns of anti-fracking activism, the TUED paper states that recent scientific research reveals that methane (the major component of natural gas) is "34 times stronger as a heat-trapping gas than CO2 over a 100-year time scale, and 86 times more powerful over a 20-year time frame". Reinforcing the TUED summary, a new paper published in Science in February analyzed more than 200 technical publications examining methane leakage in the natural gas industry, and by expanding the focus to include the production and delivery stages, the authors conclude that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is underestimating the amount of methane emitted in the United States by about 50 percent. The TUED draft paper argues that natural gas can no longer be promoted as a "bridging" fuel towards a lower carbon energy system, and it is no longer appropriate for the fight against shale gas production to be led by local groups at the level of local government. The paper calls for a "global conference sponsored by one or more global trade union bodies", [to] "work towards a common trade union approach, with the 'precautionary principle' as a point of departure". The paper concludes by proposing a draft resolution for a global moratorium.

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LINKS

Global Shale Gas and the Anti-Fracking Movement: Developing Union Perspectives and Approaches is available from the Trade Unions for Energy Democracy website from a link at: http://energydemocracyinitiative.org/professor-robert-w-howarths-presentation-for-trade-unions-for-energy-democracy/

ANY_ITEM_HERE

An additional summary of scientific research on methane leakage in natural gas and fracking is at: http://energydemocracyinitiative.org/professor-robert-w-howarths-presentation-for-trade-unions-for-energy-democracy/

TUC press release regarding the House of Lords Inquiry into Shale Gas is at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/node/119642

"Methane Leaks from North American Natural Gas Systems" by Brandt et al. in Science (Feb. 14, 2014) is available at: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6172/733.summary?sid=7f1c6729-6268-488d-9c49-88bdd0b553a1, or summarized in "Study Finds Methane Leaks Negate Benefits of Natural Gas as a Fuel for Vehicles", (New York Times, Feb. 14) at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/us/study-finds-methane-leaks-negate-climate-benefits-of-natural-gas.html?_r=1

For those involved in community-level action in Canada, see the February publication by the Council of Canadians, The Fractivist's Toolkit, at: http://www.canadians.org/publications/fractivists-toolkit

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Government Scientists Have their Say Through their Union's Survey

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 19:28:13 +0000

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada released a new report with insights into the effects of the Harper government's attitude to environmental issues. Vanishing Science: The Disappearance of Canadian Public Interest Science summarizes the results of two surveys by Environics - one, a survey of scientists who work for the federal government, and the other a survey of Canadians. Nearly 73% of Canadians believe public health, safety and protection of the environment should be a top government priority. Yet the survey states that "Over three-quarters of federal scientists (78%) report cuts to capacity in their own workplace. Nearly 7 out of 10 scientists (69%) at Environment Canada and over 8 out of 10 (83%) at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) believe Canada is doing a worse job of environmental protection and sustainable resource management than 5 years ago". An article by Andrew Nikoforuk in The Tyee gives voice to specific prominent scientists who have been let go.

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LINKS

Vanishing Science: The Disappearance of Canadian Public Interest Science is at: http://www.pipsc.ca/portal/page/portal/website/issues/science/vanishingscience

"Report Lists Top Scientists Who Lost Jobs Due To Federal Cuts" in The Tyee (Feb. 12) at: http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2014/02/12/Federal-Science-Cuts/

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B.C. Engineers Recognize Professional Challenges of Climate Change

avadkl — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 19:30:44 +0000

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) has published a position paper which asserts that the sector's professional standards and duty to protect public safety now imply a need to consider climate change as part of engineering and geosciences practice. A Changing Climate in British Columbia: Evolving Responsibilities for APEGBC and APEGBC Registrants states that engineers and geoscientists in particular face new professional challenges in light of uncertainty surrounding the climatic future. Fulfilling the professional standards outlined in the Engineers and Geoscientists Act has become more complicated, as project planning and providing advice to decision makers now must account for potential extreme weather events or unprecedented ongoing climatic stresses which may impact long-term safety and resilience. Some engineers are already being asked to consider climate change by their employers and clients, as they were during the development of legislated flood assessments in B.C.

In recognition of the gaps in current knowledge, training, and professional codes, APEGBC states it will implement professional development opportunities, update training procedures and codes, and ensure improved access to sound climate change data along with recommendations about its appropriate use. Entirely new professional guidelines may eventually be introduced. In the position paper, APEGBC instructs its registrants to remain informed and states that engineers and geoscientists are uniquely positioned, given their technical expertise, to help navigate the process of adaptation and building resilient communities.

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LINKS

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A Changing Climate in British Columbia: Evolving responsibilities for APEGBC and APEGBC Registrants is available at: https://apeg.bc.ca/News/News-Releases/APEGBC-Releases-Climate-Change-Position-Paper

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"Engineers Leading the Way on Climate Change" Blog post at the West Coast Environmental Law website at: http://wcel.org/resources/environmental-law-alert/engineers-leading-way-climate-change

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American Scientists Frame Climate Change as a Risk Management Issue

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 16:32:44 +0000

Public Opinion on Climate Change Issues: North American and European

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 16:48:26 +0000

The Social Cost of Carbon Attacked and Defended

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:23:26 +0000

A review of the SCC is currently underway in the U.S., led by the Office of Management and the Budget (the public comments period closed on February 27, 2014). Inevitably, this has been controversial, with oil and gas interests leading the push to prohibit the use of the SCC, on the grounds that it is imprecise and inaccurate. A joint submission by the Environmental Defense Fund, Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University School of Law, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Union of Concerned Scientists supports the use of the SCC and refutes the arguments of its critics; their statement is available at: http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/Joint-Comments-to-OMB.pdf. See the terms and links to the Technical document at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/01/27/2014-01605/technical-support-document-technical-update-of-the-social-cost-of-carbon-for-regulatory-impact. ]]>

Global Survey of National Climate and Energy Legisation Ranks Canada as a Laggard

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:31:28 +0000

See the 700-page GLOBE Climate Legislation Study: A Review of Climate Change Legislation in 66 Countries (4th edition) at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/publications/Policy/docs/Globe2014.pdf; the GLOBE website is at: http://www.globeinternational.org/. And, for a further review of Canadian policy initiatives, see Regulating Carbon Emissions in Canada: Climate Policy Year in Review and Trends, 2013 at: http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2014/canadian_carbon_policy_review_2013.pdf. This annual review by the International Institute on Sustainable Development was released in February 2014, summarizing landmark policy initiatives and predicting issues to watch in 2014. For the coming year, it emphasizes the importance of provincial action, in the absence of central, federal leadership.]]>

Capacity for Climate Change Action Diminishes in Canada, Grows in the U.S.

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:39:59 +0000

Cuts to Statistics Canada are also on the books amidst talk of "alternative data sources". In contrast, the U.S. White House announced on March 19th that "we are launching the Climate Data Initiative, an ambitious new effort bringing together extensive open government data and design competitions with commitments from the private and philanthropic sectors to develop data-driven planning and resilience tools for local communities....Data from NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of Defense, and other Federal agencies will be featured on climate.data.gov, a new section within data.gov that opens for business today". See http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/19/climate-data-initiative-launches-strong-public-and-private-sector-commitments. ]]>

On its 20th Anniversary, Criticism of NAFTA for Environmental, Economic Damage

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:45:58 +0000

According to the report, exports from Canada to the U.S. increased by 200 percent from 1994 to 2008, yet wages stagnated. Further, NAFTA contract obligations for oil encouraged development of the oil sands, while alternative energy sectors suffered, and NAFTA restricted Canada's ability to regulate oil sands emissions. Pollution increased in the U.S. due to growth in dirtier manufacturing sectors, although employment in American manufacturing dropped overall.

In Mexico, small farmers were unable to compete with large-scale, export-oriented intensive agriculture. Many failed in attempts to improve profits by converting carbon-sequestering forest to arable land. While the mining industry in Mexico did enjoy a boom, smallholders lost out to associated industrial pollution. Wages in the maquila manufacturing sector near the U.S. border simultaneously stagnated, even as operations and pollution levels grew.

Other environmental impacts noted by the report include a significant jump in North American greenhouse gas emissions, unsustainable water use, and the rippling effects of NAFTA clauses that provide corporations with legal avenues to challenge environmental regulations, such as Lone Pine Resources' ongoing lawsuit against Canada over the Québec fracking moratorium (see our previous report at: http://workandclimatechangereport.org/2013/11/22/fracking-company-suing-for-lost-profits-in-quebec/).

See NAFTA: 20 Years of Costs to Communities and the Environment at: http://www.sierraclub.ca/en/main-page/new-report-reveals-environmental-costs-north-american-free-trade-agreement-environmental-d, and "NAFTA Report Warns of Trade Deal Environmental Disasters" from the Huffington Post at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/11/nafta-environment_n_4938556.html.]]>

Commercial Fisheries Still on Hold in the Arctic

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:48:58 +0000

Fisheries in the News: Collaboration is Moving Newfoundland's Cod Fishery to Sustainability

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:52:24 +0000

After the collapse of the cod fishery in the 1990's, this is an historic milestone, and according to World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF) President David Miller: "It demonstrates that good management and collaboration can lead to the recovery of cod populations - and that struggling fisheries can once again thrive, not only in Atlantic Canada but across the world". The recovery of the fishery is indeed the result of extensive collaboration and co-operation- led by Icewater Seafoods Inc. and Ocean Choice International, partnering with WWF (formerly World Wildlife Federation) to manage the FIP, with additional financial support from the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Resources Legacy Fund, and High Liner. The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are also cited as key supporters.

Read the press release at WWF at: http://www.wwf.ca/newsroom/?14901/Newfoundland-cod-fishery-announces-milestone-sustainability-assessment. Read about the FFAW Stewardship Program at: http://www.ffaw.nf.ca/?Content=Science_Research/Fisheries_Stewardship_Program, and an overview of the WWF Conservation Program in Atlantic Canada at: http://www.wwf.ca/conservation/oceans/atlantic_canada/. ]]>

Recommendations for Québec's Next Energy Policy Emphasize Energy Efficiency, Support Pipelines

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:01:28 +0000

Nova Scotia Approves LNG Facility at Goldboro, with 40 Conditions

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:03:29 +0000

BC Budget Announces Tax on LNG, Silent on Carbon Price

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:06:37 +0000

Controversial New Water Legislation Introduced in B.C.

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:16:49 +0000

In a November 2013 posting during the lengthy consultation phase, the government had outlined how the proposed changes would impact oil and gas development, including a pledge that "in completing the new Act we are looking closely at the Oil and Gas Activities Act and the Environmental Management Act to ensure that surface and groundwater are protected during hydraulic fracturing operations" (see http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/2013/11/14/blog-post-6-water-and-oil-gas-development/). Yet on March 19, Western Canada Wilderness Committee and the Sierra Club of B.C. went before the Supreme Court of B.C., alleging that Encana has systematically avoided the current water licensing regulations by applying to the provincial Oil and Gas Commission for repeated "short term" water permits for fracking (see http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/encana-s-water-permits-for-b-c-fracking-illegal-lawsuit-alleges-1.2578788). The aspect of pricing commercial and industrial water use has been deferred by a period of further consultations; see the consultation paper, Pricing B.C.'s Water, at: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/files/2014/03/Pricing-B.C.s-Water.pdf. Public comments will be accepted until April 8th. ]]>

Recommendations for an Equitable Green Growth Architecture

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:21:12 +0000

LINKS Green Economy Barometer: Who is Doing What Where and Why? by the Green Economy Coalition and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is available at: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/16573IIIED.pdf Summary of the report and discussions from the conference are at the International Institute for Environment and Development website at: http://www.iied.org/support-for-green-economy-surges-crucial-gaps-remain, and a Reuters summary is at: http://www.trust.org/item/20140227105421]]>

The Importance of New Skills Training for Construction, Managers and all Occupations, in a Low Carbon Europe

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:25:15 +0000

LINKS Greener Skills and Jobs is available at: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/industry-and-services/greener-skills-and-jobs_9789264208704-en (read-only, or download with OECD credentials). It is not yet available in French. Links to all the OECD Green Growth Studies are available at: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/fr/environment/oecd-green-growth-studies_22229523 Meeting skill needs for green jobs: Policy recommendations (November 2013) is a related document published by the International Labour Organization, which describes the complex international policy environment related to green vocational education. It was prepared for the G20 Working Group relating to Human Resources Development. It is available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_234463.pdf]]>

Expanding Recycling will bring New Jobs to California

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:33:23 +0000

From Waste to Jobs: What Achieving 75 Percent Recycling Means for California is a follow-up to a 2011 report that asserted a 75% recycling rate for the entire U.S. could generate 1.5 million new jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 515 million metric tons.

Using recovered materials to create new products and packaging is more labour-intensive than incineration or sending them to the landfill. If California sticks to the 2011 AB 341 bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown, it will increase its solid waste diversion rate from half to three quarters while creating 34,000 jobs in materials collection, 26,000 jobs in materials processing, and 56,000 jobs during the manufacture of products using recycled materials. Plastics recycling is particularly significant, potentially delivering 29,000 new jobs alone. 38,600 indirect jobs could also be created in related sectors, such as equipment and services used by the recycling sector.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which commissioned the report, recommends encouraging product stewardship and extended producer responsibility programs requiring packaging manufacturers to support the expansion of recycling infrastructure. LINKS From Waste to Jobs: What Achieving 75 Percent Recycling Means for California is available at: www.nrdc.org/recycling/files/green-jobs-ca-recycling-report.pdf The 2011 Tellus report More Jobs, Less Pollution is available at: docs.nrdc.org/globalwarming/files/glo_11111401a.pdf NRDC California Recycling Website is at: http://www.nrdc.org/recycling/green-jobs-ca-recycling.asp ]]>

Growth of Canada's Clean Tech Sector

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:36:52 +0000

Canadian Clean Technology Industry Report by private consulting company Analytica Advisors was released on March 6 in Ottawa, stating that the clean-tech industry is "coming of age". According to the report, the industry is comprised of over 700 Canadian companies which in 2012 generated $5.8 billion in exports, spent $1 billion in research and development, and created 41,100 new jobs across Canada. Twenty percent of the workforce in the sector is 30 years old and under. The survey authors predict that, at current growth rates, "this will become a $28 billion industry by 2022, employing over 75,000". The clean tech industry has benefited from government investment of $598 million in 246 projects through the Sustainable Technology Development Fund and the NextGen Biofuels Fund, both administered by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). LINKS Press release re Canadian Clean Technology Industry Report is at: http://analytica-advisors.com/sites/default/files/2014%20Canadian%20Clean%20Technology%20Industry%20Report%20Analytica%20Press%20Release%20March%206th%202014%20SHORT_EN_Final.pdf.

The Table of Contents is at: http://analytica-advisors.com/sites/default/files/CTIR_TOC_2014.pdf, indicating the level of detail of the survey, but the full report is available only for sale at $2,500. Sustainable Technology Development Canada website is at: http://www.sdtc.ca/index.php?page=alias-3&hl=en_CA (English), and http://www.sdtc.ca/index.php?page=home&hl=fr_CA (French); their Knowledge Centre has an archive of reports on the sector. ]]>

Energy East Pipeline: Transporting Crude Oil for Export, not Processing

avadkl — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:43:34 +0000

TransCanada's Energy East Pipeline: For Export, Not Domestic Gain argues that the crude delivered by Energy East would exceed the processing capacity of existing Canadian refineries, given that they also source crude from the U.S., the Newfoundland offshore, and in the future, the newly-approved Line 9 pipeline project. The authors argue that new refineries are unlikely to be built in Canada, and point to TransCanada's proposed plans for export terminals at Gros Cacouna, Québec (east of Québec City) and Saint John, New Brunswick to prove that the intended purpose of the oil is export. LINKS TransCanada's Energy East Pipeline: For Export, Not Domestic Gain, prepared jointly by the Council of Canadians, Ecology Action Centre, Environmental Defence and Equiterre, is available at: http://www.canadians.org/publications/transcanada%E2%80%99s-energy-east-export-pipeline-not-domestic-gain CBC summary is at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/energy-east-pipeline-benefits-overblown-report-says-1.2576782 Energy East: The Economic Benefits of TransCanada's Canadian Mainline Conversion Project (Sept. 2013) is on the Deloitte website at: http://www.energyeastpipeline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Energy-East-Deloitte-Economic-Benefits-Report.pdf]]>

Mandatory Emissions Trading Scheme for China

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:54:34 +0000

U.S. Announces Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:56:33 +0000

Keystone Decision Delayed Again

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:58:07 +0000

National Energy Board Rejects B.C. Academics' Participation in Transmountain Pipeline Hearings

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:00:43 +0000

Pipeline News: Kitimat, First Nations Reject Northern Gateway; the Government Downgrades Protection for Humpback Whales

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:05:04 +0000

Divestment Still a Necessary Strategy as ExxonMobil Reports on Stranded Assets

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:09:12 +0000

Low-Carbon Solutions to the GTA Gridlock - What Do They Mean for Workers?

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:13:47 +0000

Investment in Canadian Clean Energy Mirrors Global Trend to Solar Pre-Eminence

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:15:57 +0000

The Future of Canada's Electrical System

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:17:07 +0000

Canadian Cities Rank High in Climate Change Adaptation - and Some Examples

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:18:49 +0000

Oil and Gas Sector Contributed Almost One Quarter of Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:20:05 +0000

Links to IPCC 5th Assessment Reports, and Reactions

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:20:58 +0000

Eco-Industries Can Thrive with Supportive Government Policies and a Culture of Innovation

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:22:15 +0000

LINKS How Crisis-resistant and Competitive are Europe's Eco-Industries? Is available at: http://www.ecologic.eu/10477 ]]>

U.K. Union Makes Green Progress on Three Fronts

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:23:24 +0000

LINKS Becoming a Greener Union is available from a link at the Public and Commercial Services Union website at:http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/resources/green_workplaces/index.cfm, which also gives a link to the full report and a video from the 2013 Green Forum ]]>

New Brunswick's Controversial New Forestry Plan Allows for Expanded Cutting on Crown Lands

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:24:36 +0000

LINKS Putting Our Resources To Work: A Strategy For Crown Lands Forest Management on the New Brunswick government website at: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/nr-rn/pdf/en/ForestsCrownLands/AStrategyForCrownLandsForestManagement.pdf J.D. Irving press release is at: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1335353/new-crown-forest-policy-drives-16-8-million-investments-in-the-forests-mills-and-suppliers-74-jobs-created Unifor's March press release: "Atlantic's Largest Forestry Union applauds Long term plan for Sector" at: http://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/press-room/atlantics-largest-forestry-union-applauds-long-term-plan-sector; February press release at: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1298929/forestry-plan-much-needed-for-new-brunswick For Reactions: The Crown Lands Debate, a Feature on the CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/nb/features/crownforestrydebate/ including, "Irving clout with Government challenged in wake of Forest Deal" at:http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/irving-clout-with-government-challenged-in-wake-of-forest-deal-1.2572410; and "New Crown Forest Plan slammed by retired Provincial Biologist" at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-crown-forest-plan-slammed-by-retired-provincial-biologist-1.2580430; "New Crown Forestry Plan greeted with Shock, Dismay" at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-crown-forestry-plan-greeted-with-shock-dismay-1.2570803 "J.D. Irving's Crown Forest Contract Made Public" is at the CBC at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/j-d-irving-s-crown-forest-contract-made-public-1.2620780 ]]>

British Columbia Tripartite Working Group Makes Workforce Recommendations for LNG Development in the Face of Environmental Controversy and Public Opinion

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:25:53 +0000

LINKS Premier's Liquefied Natural Gas Working Group: Final Report is available at: http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pdf/lng_final_report.pdf, with a press release and backgrounder from B.C. Premier's Office at: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/04/premiers-lng-working-group-recommendation-road-map.html "Key Native Group in Northern B.C. threatens to Stop Talks on Pipelines" in the Globe and Mail (April 21) at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/native-group-threatens-to-stop-talks-on-pipelines/article18088799/, but also see "B.C. and First Nations sign first LNG revenue-sharing Agreement, and Backgrounder" at: https://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/04/bc-and-first-nations-sign-first-lng-revenue-sharing-agreements.html Public Opinion Survey is available from the Pembina Institute website at: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2539 See also the BC LNG Info website, maintained by the Northwest Institute, SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, and Headwaters Initiative, with the stated goal of providing impartial, up to date information about the LNG industry in B.C. for the benefit of the community. See http://bclnginfo.com/newsroom for news and updates. ]]>

Canada's Oil Economy Through the IMF Lens

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:26:45 +0000

LINKS IMF Country Report 14/28: Canada: The Unconventional Energy Boom in North America; Macroeconomic Implications and Challenges for Canada is at: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2014/cr1428.pdf Summary and commentary are at the DeSmog Blog at: http://desmog.ca/2014/04/09/benefits-canadas-energy-boom-remain-energy-sector-alberta-reports-imf, or in an article by Andrew Jackson at the Broadbent Institute at: http://www.pressprogress.ca/en/blog/imf-oil-exports-aren%E2%80%99t-so-key-canada%E2%80%99s-economic-future-after-all ]]>

Canada's Oil Economy Through the "Staples" Lens

avadkl — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:27:36 +0000

LINK The Staple Theory @ 50: Reflections on the Lasting Significance of Mel Watkins' "A Staple Theory of Economic Growth" is available at: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2014/03/Staple_Theory_at_50.pdf ]]>

Bad News for Climate Change in the First Budget of Australia's Abbott Government

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:17:23 +0000

U.S. Makes Progress in Pollution Regulations, Set Back in Energy Efficiency

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:18:54 +0000

U.S. Scientists and Generals Sound the Alarm on Climate Change

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:21:18 +0000

Fraser Institute Argues the Economic Importance of the Energy Industry

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:22:46 +0000

Shale Gas Reports Call for "More Research" and "Better Communication"

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:25:30 +0000

Report Re B.C. Site C Dam Draws Little Attention or Controversy

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:27:22 +0000

Improvements to Canadian Regulations for Oil Tankers and Pipelines

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:29:05 +0000

Actions By International Unions: A Global Campaign for Climate Goals, and Demands for Labour Rights in TIPP Trade Agreement

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:31:20 +0000

LINKS The Unions4Climate Action website, including a sign-up form for individuals, is at: http://act.equaltimes.org/unions4climate; the full Statement, Climate Change is a Trade Union Issue, is at: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/en_unions4climate.pdf. The website for the 3rd Congress is at: http://congress2014.ituc-csi.org/, and includes a press release about the campaign. "ETUC position on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership" statement from the European Trade Union Confederation is available at: http://www.etuc.org/documents/etuc-position-transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership#.UxX0sYW7Tm4. See also "What does the TTIP really mean for workers?" (March 10) from ETUC's Equal Times at: http://www.equaltimes.org/what-does-the-ttip-really-mean-for?lang=en. Sierra Club and Power Shift TTIP analysis: Energy Trade in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Endangering Action on Climate Change is available at: http://sierraclub.typepad.com/compass/2014/05/exposed-transatlantic-trade-pact-endangers-action-on-climate--1.html. "Hundreds of Protesters Arrested In Brussels as Business Leaders Debate 'Maintaining Citizen's Trust'" at: http://www.euractiv.com/sections/european-business-summit-2014/hundreds-protesters-arrested-brussels-business-leaders-debate.]]>

Drought Brings Economic and Job Loss in California's Agricultural Industry

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:33:13 +0000

LINKS Preliminary 2014 Drought Economic Impact Estimates in Central Valley Agriculture is at: https://watershed.ucdavis.edu/files/biblio/Preliminary_2014_drought_economic_impacts-05192014.pdf, with a press release summary at: http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10933. To keep abreast of the hardships and actions relating to California's drought, go to the government website at: ca.gov/drought. ]]>

Roadmap for Corporate Sustainability Practices Includes Employee Recruitment, Retention, Training and Support

avadkl — Thu, 29 May 2014 21:36:21 +0000

LINKS Gaining Ground: Corporate Progress on the Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability is at: http://www.ceres.org/roadmap-assessment/progress-report, with interactive links to topics and company information. The Summary of employee related information is at: http://www.ceres.org/roadmap-assessment/roadmap-in-action/explore-by-topic/performance-employees. See the Ceres Climate Declaration and list of signatories (including some Canadian companies) at: http://www.ceres.org/bicep/climate-declaration/climate-declaration-full-signatory-list. ]]>

President Obama's Landmark Executive Actions to Cut Coal Plant Emissions and Protect Oceans

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 15:53:05 +0000

New Canadian NGO Promotes Polluter Responsibility and a Clean Economy

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 15:54:56 +0000

A Path to Sustainable De-Growth

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:02:14 +0000

No to Light Rail for the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:05:28 +0000

Clean Electricity in Alberta Means Less Reliance on Coal

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:08:15 +0000

Ontario Electors Return a Liberal Government, Avoid Conservative Cuts to Green Energy

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:11:22 +0000

House of Commons Standing Committee Applauds the Oil and Gas Industry

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:14:36 +0000

Carbon Taxes and the Need for Social License

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:16:56 +0000

Reaction to the Harper Government Northern Gateway Decision

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:20:49 +0000

Lord Stern Proposes an Alternate Model of the Economic Cost of Climate Change

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:23:44 +0000

Proposed Carbon Tax Model Forecasts Job Increases; Hank Paulsen Calls Urgent Action Against Climate Change, Including a Carbon Tax

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:27:07 +0000

6.5 Million People Employed in the Global Renewable Energy Industry

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:29:45 +0000

Canada Ranks #1 Outside the U.S. for LEED Projects; A New Guide for Engineers Recognizes the Impact of Sustainability Requirements

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:33:00 +0000

Canadian Forestry Industry Rebrands Itself as Innovative and Green

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:36:53 +0000

Proposed Pipelines would Bring Miniscule Benefits to Quebec; Moratorium Urged for Oil Exploration in the Gulf of St.Lawrence

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:40:37 +0000

Information and Communications Technologies as a Path to Sustainable Infrastructure and Systems

avadkl — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:43:19 +0000

http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications... (224 pages). The Backgrounder, with links to summaries, is at http://www.scienceadvice.ca/en/assessments/completed/greenict.aspx .]]>

China Announces Coal Restrictions and a National Carbon Market to Begin in 2016

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:22:26 +0000

Sydney Morning Herald at: http://www.smh.com.au/business/china-coal-ban-to-rescue-domestic-mines-20140917-10ibcl.html. See also a Wall Street Journal report at: http://online.wsj.com/articles/china-coal-ban-highly-polluting-types-banned-starting-in-2015-1410852013. In September, China also announced that it plans to launch a national carbon market in only two years, in 2016. See the New York Times announcement at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/01/business/international/china-plans-a-market-for-carbon-permits.html, a brief summary by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development at: http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/china-unveils-plans-for-national-carbon-market-by-2016 or a detailed analysis by Caron Brief at: http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/09/analysing-china-carbon-market/. ]]>

Leaked IPCC Updates

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:24:38 +0000

Climate Change: Implications for Employment is available from http://www.etui.org/Publications2/Guides/Climate-change-Implications-for-employment. In late August, news media obtained a leaked version of the IPCC draft Synthesis Report of the AR5, scheduled for official release in November. While the facts are unchanged from the three reports it summarizes, the tone was reported to be blunter and more "stark". See Bloomberg News at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-26/irreversible-damage-seen-from-climate-change-in-un-leak.html or the New York Times at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/science/earth/greenhouse-gas-emissions-are-growing-and-growing-more-dangerous-draft-of-un-report-says.html?ref=science&_r=4. The leaked draft emphasizes the need for urgent action - a point also made by in the July 31 report from the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors. See The Cost of Delaying Action to Stem Climate Change at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/the_cost_of_delaying_action_to_stem_climate_change.pdf. ]]>

IMF Calls for Higher Taxes on Fossil Fuels Around the World, including Canada

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:26:52 +0000

Getting Energy Prices Right: From Principle to Practice "green-shift" tax analysis calculates the cost of carbon energy - including health effects of pollution - in 156 countries, and proposes precise levels of taxation: higher levels on fossil fuels, and lower levels on people and capital. Their prescription is gradual tax increases which would be balanced by decreases to income taxes - for Canada, the tax increases average out to about 52% on gasoline and diesel. Canadian Finance Minister Joe Oliver rejected the proposals, according to a report at the CBC website at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/imf-calls-for-green-shift-with-52-gas-tax-hike-in-canada-1.2724294. See also the Globe and Mail article at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/imf-calls-on-canada-to-raise-carbon-taxes-cut-income-taxes/article19872600/. The full report is available for purchase ($28) at: http://www.imfbookstore.org/ProdDetails.asp?ID=9781484388570. ]]>

...From the World Bank

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:28:28 +0000

Released in June, a World Bank report presents "simulated case studies" of Brazil, China, India, Mexico, the United States and the European Union. It examines the benefits of implementing three sets of policies on clean transportation, energy efficiency in industry, and energy efficiency in buildings. The report introduces a new macroeconomic modeling framework that can incorporate socioeconomic benefits such as public health and environmental externalities. See Climate-Smart Development: Adding Up the Benefits of Actions that Help Build Prosperity, End Poverty and Combat Climate Change at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/06/23/study-adds-up-benefits-climate-smart-development-lives-jobs-gdp. The World Bank has also praised British Columbia, along with Sweden, California, and even China for their carbon pricing initiatives in "What does Carbon Pricing Success Look Like? (September 18) at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/09/18/what-does-carbon-pricing-success-look-like-ask-the-leaders, along with a June 3 2014 Statement, Putting a Price on Carbon, at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/pricing-carbon

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Statements of European Policies for a Green Economy

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:31:06 +0000

In early July, the European Commission adopted the Green Employment Initiative Communication, a labour market and skills policy framework document which advocates developing labour skills and improving forecasting of which skills will be needed, anticipating sectoral change and promoting worker mobility, supporting job creation by shifting taxation from labour to pollution, and increasing transparency and data quality to better monitor changes to the labour market. See the European Commission press release is at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-765_en.htm; for more specifics see the FAQ's re the Green Employment Initiative Communication at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-446_en.htm.

Much of the theory behind the policy framework is reiterated and elaborated in the European Environment Agency (EEA) report Resource-efficient Green Economy and EU Policy, released on July 15th. Noting that change is coming too slowly, it states: "what is required is a much bigger, deeper, and more permanent change in the EU economy and society to create both new opportunities and substitution processes across the economic structure". The report then emphasizes the importance of strong fiscal reforms to support the green transition, including environmental taxation, emissions-trading, and phasing out subsidies to harmful industries, but notes that keeping the EU competitive will take delicate balance. The EEA report also underscores the need for eco-innovation and reducing barriers to adoption and diffusion through the free circulation of green knowledge, greater financial resources. See Resource-efficient Green Economy and EU Policy at: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/resourceefficient-green-economy-and-eu.

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No Contradiction Between Climate Progress and Economic Growth

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:33:13 +0000

In September 2014, with the U.N. Summit on the horizon, the Global Commission on the Climate and the Economy released a consultation document, Better Growth, Better Climate, which culminates in a 10-point plan of key recommendations, aimed at the international community of economic decision-makers. According to The Guardian newspaper, this report is the most significant intervention in climate politics for Lord Nicholas Stern since his 2006 report. "The report from the international commission concludes that making progress on the climate would not come at the expense of the global economy, but that there will have to be a sharp shift away from carbon-intensive fossil fuels if the world is going to avoid the worst impact of a changing climate". See reaction at The Guardian at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/16/barack-obama-report-economy-grow-fight-climate-change-un-summit?CMP=EMCENVEML1631. The Toronto Globe and Mail reaction honed in on the implications for Canada's oil and gas industry of the report's call for higher carbon pricing and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies - see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/oil-reliant-firms-at-risk-report/article20607843/#dashboard/follows/. Paul Krugman wrote an OpEd in New York Times on Sept.18 at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/opinion/paul-krugman-could-fighting-global-warming-be-cheap-and-free.html. The Global Commission on the Climate and the Economy was commissioned in 2013 by seven countries, with its programme of work conducted by eight research institutes, led by Washington-based World Resources Institute. The Commission is chaired by former President of Mexico Felipe Calderón, and includes Nicholas Stern amongst its other prominent members. Read Better Growth, Better Climate: the Synthesis Report at: http://static.newclimateeconomy.report/TheNewClimateEconomyReport.pdf.

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People's Climate March Under the Eyes of the World

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:35:44 +0000

The Climate Leadership Summit convened by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York City on September 23 has created a flurry of reports and statements, some of which are summarized below. Most world leaders are expected at the Summit, with the notable exceptions of the leaders of China, India, and Canada - which will be represented by Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq. See the official U.N. website at: http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit. Oxfam International has published The Summit that Snoozed, which calls for government action at the meeting and provides a checklist/toolkit for sorting out promises from greenwash at: http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/file_attachments/bkm_climate_summit_media_brief_sept19.pdf.

On September 21, the People's Climate March, organized by 350.org and Avaaz, brought together people from diverse social movements from across the globe to demonstrate the size and diversity of the support for urgent climate action. In New York, Avaaz presented a petition containing 2.1 million signatures. Donald Lafleur, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress marched - as did an estimated 311,000 other people, including U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, Al Gore, New York mayor Bill de Blasio, Ontario Environment Minister Glen Murray as well as Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein. According to the New York Times coverage at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/nyregion/new-york-city-climate-change-march.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0, "the People's Climate March was a spectacle even for a city known for doing things big"... and it was only one demonstration of hundreds across the globe. The official March website is at: http://peoplesclimate.org/; see also the Toronto Star coverage, which reported 3000 demonstrators including leaders from the Sierra Club, Toronto 350, and Quebec-based Equiterre, at: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/09/21/3000_join_climate_march_at_nathan_phillips_square.html; CBC Vancouver estimated a crowd of 1000 for that city at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/un-climate-summit-vancouver-joins-thousands-in-worldwide-rallies-1.2773535, see the CTV video from Calgary for a taste of the demonstration there at: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canadians-join-global-climate-protest-in-nyc-1.2017167#, and the Montreal Gazette at: http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Montrealers+march+back+climate+summit/10223004/story.html.

See Britain's The Guardian for a world-wide report, with photos, at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/21/-sp-climate-change-protest-melbourne-london-new-york-protest.

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Need for Energy Efficiency will Transform Manufacturing

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:44:03 +0000

A report released on July 30 by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) describes the components of "smart manufacturing" - networked devices, predictive and anticipatory software, culminating in an integrated, cloud-based, open-access smart manufacturing platform which "in a few decades will transform the industrial sector and fundamentally alter the way products are manufactured".

See The Energy Savings of Smart Manufacturing at: http://aceee.org/research-report/ie1403.

See also the July 4 white paper Smart Freight: Applications of Information and Communications Technologies to Freight System Efficiency, which describes and provides examples of companies using new, more sophisticated information and communications technology (ICT). Although examples are given of new systems of electronic monitoring of truck drivers, the majority of the report describes sophisticated logistics innovations. The report is at: http://aceee.org/files/pdf/white-paper/smart-freight-ict.pdf.

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Canadian Food Industry Targets Waste Reduction

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:45:33 +0000

A new report on waste in Canada's food industry calls for a collaborative, coordinated approach that includes businesses and consumers to reduce waste. An estimated 30-40% of all the food produced in Canada is wasted. The report asserts that because businesses tend to focus narrowly on the waste of food products, it overlooks the waste of energy, water, labour, and productive capacity. Where efforts are made to reduce food waste, they tend to emphasize waste diversion, particularly recycling. Far more effective is waste reduction, which eliminates waste diversion costs before they arise. Although consumers are the greatest source of food waste, the report states that one of the main barriers to preventing food waste at source were the attitudes and behaviour of management and staff. Developing an Industry Led Approach to Addressing Food Waste in Canada was commissioned by Provision Coalition (a national association of food and beverage manufacturers), and written by Provision Coaliton, Network for Business Sustainability at the Ivey School of Business, and Value Chain Management Centre. See a summary at: http://www.provisioncoalition.com/blog/blogdetail/Industry%20Collaboration%20Needed%20To%20Tackle%20Food%20Waste%20Challenge%20in%20Canada. The full report is at: http://www.provisioncoalition.com/assets/website/pdfs/Provision-Addressing-Food-Waste-In-Canada-EN.pdf. For a recent article on the "food waste hierarchy" and the growing international concern about food waste, see the Food Climate Research Network at: http://www.fcrn.org.uk/research-library/waste-and-resource-use/food-waste/food-waste-hierarchy-framework-managing-food-surp. The authors argue for a distinction between food surplus and food waste, and advocate a hierarchy of action, beginning with prevention, followed by re-use, recycle, recovery and finally, disposal.]]>

An Update on Canadian Climate Change

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:47:29 +0000

Canada in a Changing Climate: Sector Perspectives on Impacts and Adaptation synthesized over 1500 publications since 2007, and includes chapters on natural resources, food production, industry, biodiversity and protected areas, human health, and water and transportation infrastructure. Editors of the compilation are F.J. Warren and D.S. Lemmen of the Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Division of Natural Resources Canada; over 90 authors and 115 expert reviewers contributed to the document. See http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/environment/resources/publications/impacts-adaptation/reports/assessments/2014/16309 for the 2014, 2008, and 2004 assessment reports.]]>

Tsilhqot'in Landmark Decision with Implications for Resource Developments in Canada

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:51:01 +0000

The decision by the Supreme Court of Canada to grant British Columbia's Tsilhqot'in nation title over a portion of their ancestral lands marks the first time Aboriginal title has been formally recognized in Canada. Gowlings law firm calls it "one of the most significant Aboriginal law cases in Canadian history" and a blog at West Coast Environmental Law calls the decision "a watershed moment".

Notably, the decision clarifies the test for whether an indigenous group has title over an area, including such criterion as occupation prior to the Crown assertion of sovereignty and continuous occupation since. In particular, the case established that "nomadic or semi-nomadic" land use, such as that of the Tsilhqot'in, does not preclude title.

It also offers some explanation about what legal rights and responsibilities title entails, such as decision-making power over how the land will be used, the right to derive economic benefits from the land and to use and manage it. Yet considerable uncertainty remains about resource extraction or other projects espoused by the government. The decision stops short of requiring consent, but recommends seeking consent from title-holders prior to project approval.

The West Coast Environmental Law blog offers an analysis of the text of the decision and how it may impact pipeline development in B.C. See the Supreme Court decision at: http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14246/index.do; subsequently, the B.C. government announced a letter of agreement with the Tsilhqot'in in a press release at: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/09/tsilhqotin-bc-sign-historic-letter-of-understanding-set-the-stage-for-lasting-reconciliation.html.

See also: "Supreme Court of Canada grants Tsilhqot'in Aboriginal title claim" summary from Gowlings Law Firm available at: http://www.gowlings.com/KnowledgeCentre/article.asp?pubID=3399

and "Tsilhqot'in Nation v. British Columbia: Implications for the Enbridge Tankers and Pipelines Project" from West Coast Environmental Law is available at: http://wcel.org/resources/environmental-law-alert/tsilhqotin-nation-v-british-columbia-implications-enbridge-tankers.

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Nova Scotia Bans Onshore Fracking; Explores Energy Options

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:54:23 +0000

Following a two-year moratorium and the release of the report of a 10-person expert panel chaired by Cape Breton University president David Wheeler, Nova Scotia announced its decision to prohibit onshore high-volume fracking on September 3rd. The ban does not include less risky onshore extraction methods or offshore high-volume fracking. Nova Scotia's offshore oil and gas reserves are significantly larger and have already attracted $2 billion in investments and proposals to build three LNG plants. The South Canoe wind project, currently under construction, and a tidal turbine to be built next year will further buttress the province's energy resources. Consultations with the public and Mi'kmaq communities revealed a strong mistrust of fracking. See the website of the Hydraulic Fracturing Review at: http://www.cbu.ca/hfstudy, with links to submissions, studies and press coverage. See also "High-volume fracking to be banned in Nova Scotia" available at the CBC at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/high-volume-fracking-to-be-banned-in-nova-scotia-1.2754439. On the heels of the announcement, a study released by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that some fracking workers are exposed to unsafe volumes of benzene when inspecting storage tanks. "Evaluation of Some Potential Chemical Exposure Risks During Flowback Operations in Unconventional Oil and Gas Extraction: Preliminary Results" is available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/.VBDknKOuRas#.VBySDmOln4U, summarized in the Los Angeles Times at: http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fracking-benzene-worker-health-20140910-story.html#page=1. ]]>

Clean Energy From Canadian Perspective: a Call for Renewable Policies in Canada and a Global Review

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:58:39 +0000

"A New National Prize: Making Clean Energy the Next Oil Sands" by Clare Demerse and Dan Woynillowicz appears in the September October issue of Policy magazine. The article distills the findings of the UN-backed study, Pathways to Deep Decarbonization, in which research teams from 15 countries, including Canada, proposed strategies for national energy reform that will allow us to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees.

The report of the U.N.-based Pathways project was presented to the Secretary General in July, to support the UN Climate Summit in September. The press release and details of the Pathways project is at: http://unsdsn.org/news/2014/07/08/ddpp-press-release/.

The Demerse/Woynillowicz article summarizes the overall findings and focuses on the Canadian findings, including that by 2050, wind and solar sources could comprise 27% of Canadian electricity generation, up from 2% today. The article concludes by proposing two simple policy changes to kick off a stronger commitment to clean energy in Canada: more favourable tax treatment for power storage and solar technologies, and consumer incentives for electric vehicles. See "A New National Prize" at: http://policymagazine.ca/pdf/9/PolicyMagazineSeptember-October-14-DemerseWoynillowicz.pdf.

Citing the "wave of hope" generated by the People's Climate March, on September 21, Clean Energy Canada released its first-ever annual review, called Tracking the Energy Revolution: Global Edition at: http://cleanenergycanada.org/2014/09/21/tracking-energy-revolution-builds-surging-wave-hope/. With maps, photos and infographics, it is loaded with statistics that reveal the extent of the global shift to renewable energy by governments and businesses.]]>

Provincial Updates, including the Premiers Agreement on a National Energy Plan

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:06:00 +0000

As the annual Premiers conference ended on August 29, Canada's premiers announced a reinvigorated Canadian Energy Strategy (CES), a shared vision and set of principles emphasizing environmental responsibility, a diversified, climate-friendly energy and clean technology sector, and a robust, lower-carbon economy utilizing carbon pricing. A driving force at the Premiers Conference may have come from Ontario Premiers Kathleen Wynne and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, who had agreed to revive the Ontario-Québec partnership at a bilateral meeting one week earlier. The central Canadian bloc will increase economic and energy integration between the provinces and advocate for national progress on climate change. Reaction to the Energy Strategy announcement from Keith Stewart of Greenpeace provides historical context to the Premiers' meetings, and laments the failure of the federal government to contribute meaningfully to the development of a coherent, effective national approach. Yet Canadian provinces have made uneven progress on their climate action plans, according to monitoring reports released over the summer. In Alberta, the Auditor General's report stated that the province lacked a plan to meet its goals. British Columbia has achieved its first interim target of a 6% emissions reduction below 2007 levels by 2012, largely due to government policies, including its well-regarded carbon tax. The Ontario Environment Commissioner reported that Ontario will meet its 2014 target (a 6% reduction in emissions below 1990 levels) largely because of the shutdown of the province's coal plants, but it will miss the 2020 target because so little else has been done. In New Brunswick, the Climate Action Plan 2014-2020 document reports that New Brunswick's GHG emissions declined by 17 per cent between 2005 and 2010, thus meeting its goals for 2012. A new plan establishes provincial GHG emissions reduction targets of 10 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 75 to 85 per cent below 2001 levels by 2050.

LINKS:

The Canadian Energy Strategy and premiers' news release are available at:

http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/latest-news/74-2014/398-canadian-energy-strategy

The Ontario news release on partnering with Québec is available at: http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2014/08/quebec-and-ontario-partner-to-strengthen-central-canadas-economy.html?utm_source=ondemand-multimedia&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p

Comments from Keith Stewart of Greenpeace are available at: http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/Blog/provinces-leave-harper-increasingly-alone/blog/50444/ A Letter to the Ottawa Citizen by Mark Winfield and Pierre Olivier Pineau provides insight into Ontario's and Quebec's electricity markets at: http://marksw.blog.yorku.ca/2014/06/11/ontario-quebec-electricity-and-climate-change-time-for-a-new-relationship/

For a summary of the energy-related policies in Ontario's July 2014 Budget statement, including the Industrial Electricity Incentive program to promote job creation, see the Gowlings Newsletter at: http://www.gowlings.com/KnowledgeCentre/article.asp?pubID=3675 Alberta Auditor General's report is at: http://www.oag.ab.ca/webfiles/reports/AGJuly2014Report.pdf, with a Pembina Institute analysis at: http://www.pembina.org/blog/auditor-generals-scathing-review-ups-pressure-to-improve-albertas-weak-climate-policy Ontario's Environmental Commissioner's report, Looking for Leadership: the Costs of Climate Inaction is at: http://www.eco.on.ca/index.php/en_US/pubs/greenhouse-gas-reports/2014-ghg-looking-for-leadership

In British Columbia, Climate Action in British Columbia Progress Report 2014 is at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/pdfs/2014-Progress-to-Targets.pdf. The Pembina reaction to the report is generally positive at: http://www.pembina.org/blog/bc-climate-action-plan-2

New Brunswick released its Progress Report for 2012-2013 at: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/env/pdf/Climate-Climatiques/ClimateChangeProgressReportSummary2012-2013.pdf, followed by a new Climate Change Action Plan 2014 to 2020 (April 2014) at: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/env/pdf/Climate-Climatiques/ClimateChangeActionPlan2014-2020.pdf. Energy and fracking are dominant issues in the provincial election, held on September 22. See CBC at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-votes-2014/new-brunswick-election-voters-challenged-to-choose-on-resources-jobs-1.2739029 and http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-votes-2014/brian-gallant-defends-stance-on-natural-resource-jobs-1.2748023.

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Architects Commit to Build Zero Emissions World by 2050

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:09:46 +0000

In early August, at the International Union of Architects (UIA) World Congress, architects from around the world signed the "2050 Imperative", committing them to eliminating emissions in the built environment by 2050.

UIA member organizations alone represent 1.3 million architects in 124 countries. From Canada, the declaration was signed by The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). From the text: "We recognize our responsibility to seize this unique opportunity to influence ethical, socially responsible development throughout the world: to plan and design sustainable, resilient, carbon -neutral and healthy built environments that protect and enhance natural resources and wildlife habitats, provide clean air and water, generate on-site renewable energy, and advance more livable buildings and communities".

LINKS:

The 2050 Imperative and the media advisory from Architecture 2030 are available at: http://architecture2030.org/news/uia_declaration_081414.html. The 6-page declaration is at: http://www.architecture2030.org/downloads/uia_declaration_full.pdf

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Business and Climate Change: Canada, US, and a new International Coalition

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:11:38 +0000

Energy Efficiency: Measuring the Multiple Benefits

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:13:53 +0000

LINKS: Green Growth: A U.S. Program for Controlling Climate Change and Expanding Job Opportunities by Robert Pollin, Heidi Garrett-Peltier, James Heinz and Bracken Hendricks, released by the Center for American Progress (CAP), and the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) is available at: http://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/GreenGrowthReport.pdf. Reaction is at: http://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PERI_quotesheet9.18.pdf Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency is summarized at: http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2014/september/name-125300-en.html, with an executive summary at: http://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/MultipleBenefits2014SUM.pdf Press release for 2014 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is at: http://www.aceee.org/press/2014/07/germany-italy-eu-china-and-france-to]]>

Energy Efficiency Investment Bring Jobs in US Scenario

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:16:25 +0000

Greening the Workplace: UK Unions Experience

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:21:18 +0000

LINKS: The Union Effect: Greening the Workplace is available at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/economic-issues/social-issues/environment/climate-change/union-effect-greening-workplace]]>

Union Should Embed Climate Change in their Core Agenda, says TUED Report

avadkl — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:24:09 +0000

LINKS:

Climate Change and the Great Inaction: New Trade Union Perspectives by Sean Sweeney is at: http://unionsforenergydemocracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/TUED-working-paper-2-Final.pdf Agenda for the TUED meeting, Power to the People: A Strategy Discussion on Advancing Social Ownership of Energy is at: http://unionsforenergydemocracy.org/tued-strategy-discussion-sept-20-draft-agenda Naomi Klein's website is at: http://www.naomiklein.org/main; see the book review of This Changes Everything in the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/naomi-kleins-this-changes-everything-a-convincing-case-that-global-warming-is-the-defining-issue-of-our-era/article20700657/, and an excerpt at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/naomi-klein-the-price-of-free-trade-is-unchecked-climate-change/article20578823/ ]]>

New European Targets for Emission Reductions and Renewables

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:05:09 +0000

Climate Compensation: Considering the Liability of Oil and Gas Companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:07:39 +0000

Payback Time? What the Internationalization of Climate Litigation Could Mean for Canadian Oil and Gas Companies at the CCPA website at: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/payback-time. ]]>

Cities Making Progress in the Fight against Climate Change

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:11:40 +0000

Energy Efficiency in Canadian Industrial Sectors

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:17:44 +0000

B.C. LNG Setor: New Legislation and a New Report

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:21:46 +0000

Ontario is the First Canadian Province to Issue Green Bonds

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:26:21 +0000

Canada will miss 2020 Copenhagen Emissions Target, says Environment Commissioner

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:30:29 +0000

Climate Change is the Theme of ILO World Day for Decent Work, and CLC Announces a Climate Change Week of Action

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:34:03 +0000

LINKS: ILO Director's blog is at: http://iloblog.org/2014/10/08/there-are-no-jobs-on-a-dead-planet/ CLC announcement of Climate Change Week of Action is at: http://www.canadianlabour.ca/news-room/statements/october-7-2014-world-day-decent-work ]]>

New York Climate Summit: Labour Marches and Business Makes Pledges

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:38:24 +0000

LINKS: "A Group Shout on Climate Change" Editorial in the New York Times (September 27) is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/opinion/sunday/a-group-shout-on-climate-change.html?emc=edit_th_20140928&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=67440933&_r=0. In contrast, see also "Moving Forward after the People's Climate March" in Canadian Dimension at: https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/moving-forward-after-the-peoples-climate-march "At Least Some Unions Step Up for Big Climate March!" by Abby Scher in Truthout at: http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/26137-at-least-some-unions-step-up-for-big-climate-march, with a list of the unions who officially endorsed the People March at: http://peoplesclimate.org/organizedlabor/. See also the BlueGreen Alliance statement at: http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/news/latest/members-of-labor-environmental-partnership-front-and-center-in-peoples-climate-march For Business documents, see Global Investor Statement is at: http://investorsonclimatechange.org/; Carbon Supply Cost Curves: Evaluating Financial Risk to Oil Capital Expenditures is at the Carbon Tracker Initiative at: http://www.carbontracker.org/report/carbon-supply-cost-curves-evaluating-financial-risk-to-oil-capital-expenditures/; We Mean Business website is at: http://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/, with The Climate has Changed at: http://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/stories. CalPERS statement is at: http://www.calpers.ca.gov/index.jsp?bc=/about/newsroom/news/montreal-carbon-pledge.xml; California Teachers Retirement System press release is at: http://www.calstrs.com/news-release/calstrs-commits-increase-clean-energy-and-technology-investments; "Companies take the Baton in Climate Change Efforts" in the New York Times at: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/business/energy-environment/passing-the-baton-in-climate-change-efforts.html?_r=3 Climate Protection as a World Citizen Movement by the German Advisory Council on Global Change is at: http://www.wbgu.de/fileadmin/templates/dateien/veroeffentlichungen/sondergutachten/sn2014/wbgu_sg2014_en.pdf ]]>

Labour Should Lead with a Worker-Friendly Climate Plan

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:41:18 +0000

LINKS: "If Not Now, When? A Labor Movement Plan to Address Climate Change" in New Labor Forum (v.23, #3) is at: http://nlf.sagepub.com/content/23/3/40.full.pdf+html]]>

Productivity Loss due to Workplace Heat Stress: an Issue for North America, too

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:44:24 +0000

LINKS: "Productivity Losses Ignored in Economic Analysis of Climate Change" in Our World (September 23, 2014) at: http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/productivity-losses-ignored-in-economic-analysis-of-climate-change American Climate Prospectus: Economic Risks in the United States (June, updated August 2014) at: http://rhg.com/reports/climate-prospectus "Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities for Global Health" in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) at: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1909928 For more, see the Hothaps website at: http://www.climatechip.org/. Hothaps = High Occupational Temperature: Health and Productivity Suppression, an international research program which studies "the effects of heat exposure on working people (including gender aspects and effects on pregnant women and on children), to quantify climate change-related increases in workplace heat exposures and the impact this will have on human health and productivity".]]>

Federal Government Scientists: an Open Letter in their Support, and an Injunction for Energy East Based on their Concerns

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:51:23 +0000

The letter states: "Canada's leadership in basic research, environmental, health and other public science is in jeopardy...We urge you to restore government science funding and the freedom and opportunities to communicate these findings internationally". The letter was signed by more than 800 scientists from 32 countries, from institutions such as Harvard Medical School in the U.S. and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. PIPSC, which represents scientists employed by the federal government, has published earlier surveys of its members to document their perceptions of being "muzzled"; a related advocacy group, Evidence for Democracy, released its own report on October 8, compiling and ranking the communications policies of federal government departments. The world has seen this before, as described in a blog by the Union for Concerned Scientists, and coincidentally, by the New York Times obituary on October 19, 2014 for Rick Pitz. Pitz was a U.S. whistleblower who exposed the subtle manipulation of scientific reports on climate change in the Bush administration between 2002 and 2003. Ignoring the opinions of federal government scientists has its perils. On September 23, the Quebec Superior Court issued a temporary injunction to stop TransCanada's exploratory drilling for the Energy East pipeline. Part of the reason for the injunction: environmental groups provided internal documents showing that scientists from the federal department of Fisheries and Oceans had been raising concerns for months about the impact of the exploratory drilling on the habitat of threatened St. Lawrence beluga whales, and of the proposed oil terminal that would be built to service 250-metre long supertankers. The court ruled that, by ignoring the scientists' concerns, Quebec's Minister of the Environment erred in issuing a permit for the exploratory work. LINKS: PIPSC Press release, with a link to the Open Letter, is at: http://www.pipsc.ca/portal/page/portal/website/news/newsreleases/news/21102014 Can Scientists Speak? Grading Communication Policies For Federal Government Scientists is at: https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/canscientistsspeak, with a blog which summarizes Canadian and U.S. experience at the Union of Concerned Scientists at: http://blog.ucsusa.org/want-to-talk-to-a-scientist-in-canada-dont-look-to-the-federal-government-678 See the CBC report at:http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/foreign-scientists-call-on-stephen-harper-to-restore-science-funding-freedom-1.2806571 for links to previous stories in this ongoing issue. Rick Pitz obituary in the New York Times (Oct. 19, 2014) is at: http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/a-passing-rick-piltz-a-bush-era-whistleblower/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&_r=0, and the related expose of Philip A. Cooney, "Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming" in the New York Times (June 8, 2005) at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/politics/08climate.html?emc=eta1 "TransCanada work on St. Lawrence port Suspended by Quebec Court Order" on the CBC website (September 23) at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/transcanada-work-on-st-lawrence-port-suspended-by-quebec-court-order-1.2775613]]>

Electric Vehicles Good for Ontario Economy

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:56:17 +0000

According to a new report from the non-profit Windfall Centre, Ontario's economy would enjoy major economic benefits from increased electric vehicles (EV's), including considerable energy savings, government revenue, and thousands of new skilled, well-paid jobs in manufacturing, research, business and professional services, and infrastructure development. According to Windfall, these benefits would outweigh losses in other sectors, including oil and gas and Ontario's sagging gasoline vehicle manufacturing sector. The report estimates that if 10% of Ontario's passenger vehicles were to be electric by 2025, the province's total income would increase by more than $3.6 billion with an added 34,000 person years of work. The importance of such a conversion is underlined in a September report from the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport. "Without transport contributing in a significant manner to the mitigation of climate change it will not be possible to shift to a global stabilization pathway that can keep warming below 2 Degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels".

California's Governor Jerry Brown also cast his vote for EV's in September with S.B. 1275, The Charge Ahead California Initiative, to get 1 million EV's driving in the state by 2020. Governor Brown's decision was celebrated by the BlueGreen Alliance, who noted that most EV's in California are union-made in the U.S.

LINKS:

The Economic Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption in Ontario is available at: http://www.windfallcentre.ca/drive-electric/studies/ev-adoption/report/

For more about electric vehicles, see "Plugged in: Electric Vehicles Coming to Canada in 2015" from the Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/technology/plugged-in-electric-vehicles-coming-to-canada-in-2015/article20592549/, or follow the Electric Vehicle News Blog at FleetCarma at: http://www.fleetcarma.com/category/electric-vehicle-news/ Land Transport's Contribution to a 2°C Target is at: http://www.slocat.net/transporttwodegree "The Effort to Get One Million Electric Vehicles on California's Roadways Just Got A Jumpstart" from BlueGreen Alliance is at: http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/blog/the-effort-to-get-one-million-electric-vehicles-on-californias-roadways-just-got-a-jumpstart

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Canada's Forests, Climate Change, and the Roles of Government and Professionals

avadkl — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 16:05:00 +0000

In contrast, a September report from the Intact Forest Landscapes Initiative states that Canada has led the world in forest loss from deforestration since 2000 (half of such forest loss occurred in just three countries: Canada, Russia and Brazil). According to Global Forest Watch Canada, the major causes of Canada's forest loss are massive increases in oil sands and shale gas developments, as well as logging and road building. The Intact Forest project is produced by the Global Forest Watch Network, an international collaboration that includes Greenpeace, University of Maryland, and World Resources Institute among others, and uses satellite imagery technology to determine the location and extent of the world's last large undisturbed forests. In British Columbia, four professional associations related to the forestry industry released an "unprecedented" joint statement in July, which states, "Our members have crucial roles to play in both climate change mitigation and adaptation; their knowledge, expertise and professionalism are key parts of the solution. But they also have important professional and ethical responsibilities related to the changing climate. Professional associations have an obligation to define those responsibilities and to provide the training and structures that will allow members to meet their responsibilities to their clients and to the public". The statement also calls on government to show leadership, and calls for a review of a range of provincial laws in light of climate change. Signatories to the joint statement are: the Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP), the Association of Professional Biology (APB), the College of Applied Biology (CAB), and the Planning Institute of BC (PIBC). LINKS: State of Canada's Forests 2014 is available, with accompanying infographics and summaries at: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/forests/report/16496 (English version), and http://www.rncan.gc.ca/forets/rapport/16497 (French version) Intact Forest Landscapes is at: http://intactforests.org/; Global Forest Watch Canada is at: http://www.globalforestwatch.ca/ Professional Associations of B.C. Joint Statement is at: http://www.abcfp.ca/about_us/media_centre/documents/Pro_Leadership_in_a_Changing_Climate-Joint_Statement_20140708.pdf; accompanying 1-page background document is at: http://www.abcfp.ca/about_us/media_centre/documents/Joint_Statement_on_Climate_Change-Backgrounder_20140708.pdf. The Association of B.C. Forest Professionals released their own position paper in January 2014 at: http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/ABCFP_Climate_Change-Position_Paper_2014.pdf]]>

How Should Canada Prepare for Climate Migrants?

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:31:23 +0000

As part of its Climate Justice program, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - B.C. Office released a report in November, asking: "given Canada's historical and ongoing contribution to global warming, what is our collective obligation to people fleeing regions most affected by climate change, and how prepared are we to meet these obligations?" Researchers found serious gaps in current policies and thinking around climate migration, and recommend legislative reform to create a new immigration class of "climate migrants", with targets and programs to ensure Canada absorbs its fair share of those migrants. Recognizing that most climate migrants will remain in developing countries, Canada should also increase its support to those countries which will bear the brunt of climate displacement. Read Preparing B.C. for Climate Migration.

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Pipeline News: Energy East Application filed at NEB; Quebec Response

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:33:47 +0000

On October 30th, Trans Canada filed a formal application for its Energy East pipeline project from the National Energy Board (NEB). See the NEB website for information about the Energy East application and the National Energy Board process, including how to participate, or see the CBC website for "TransCanada Formally Applies to NEB for Energy East Pipeline Approval".

TransCanada claims the project will directly or indirectly create 14,000 jobs, and help create $36 billion worth of economic activity, basing its projections on a new Conference Board of Canada report, which updates a previous report by Deloitte consultants. See Energy East Pipeline Project: Understanding the Economic Benefits for Canada and its Regions. See also an "Economic Backgrounder" from Trans Canada.

On November 6th, the Québec National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution asserting provincial jurisdiction to conduct its own environmental assessment and casting a vote of non-confidence in the NEB process. The resolution condemned the NEB's exclusion of climate impacts from the factors it considers and the failure of the federal government to adopt national emissions regulations for oil and gas. Québec's Minister of Natural Resources said the province will analyze potential economic and environmental impacts and the threat to its wintertime natural gas supply in consultation with the public, and will appear before the NEB with its findings. Find the resolution in the legislative Votes and Proceedings for Nov. 6 at page 471, and the Quebec press release. See reaction to the resolution from the Pembina Institute, emphasizing climate impacts. The Québec Minister of Environment also sent a letter to Trans Canada on November 18th which outlined seven project conditions, including assurance the province will benefit economically and adequate involvement of the public and First Nations in decision-making. Read the conditions in "Environment Minister sets Conditions for TransCanada in Quebec". ]]>

Pipeline News: Report Questions Economic Benefit of Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Project ahead of Mass Arrests

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:37:31 +0000

A report released by Simon Fraser University and The Goodman Group Ltd. on November 10th asserts that pipeline company Kinder Morgan has exaggerated the number of jobs to be created by its Trans Mountain Expansion Project and drastically underestimated the potential cost of spills. While the company holds that the project will support 36,000 person-years of work for British Columbians, with an additional 2000 jobs in spin-offs, the Goodman Group report estimates a maximum of 12,000 person-years during the construction period - amounting to about 4000 jobs per year. Further, revenues for the province may also be lower than claimed. The Goodman report was released just after Kinder Morgan was granted an injunction on November 14th against a group of residents protesting the Trans Mountain project on Burnaby Mountain. 53 protestors have been arrested as of November 22nd. Read the Goodman report, Economic Costs and Benefits of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX) for B.C. and Metro Vancouver. Read "Economists Question Projected Value of Trans Mountain's Pipeline" from The Globe and Mail. For information about the protests, see "Kinder Morgan Slaps Burnaby Residents with Multi-Million-Dollar Lawsuit" from the Vancouver Observer, and "Kinder Morgan Protests: More Protesters are Arrested as Test Drilling Starts" from the CBC. ]]>

Grid Parity for Solar and Wind Energy

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:40:47 +0000

Global Wind Energy Outlook published by the Global Wind Energy Council and Greenpeace International, wind power alone could supply as much as 19 percent of global electricity needs by 2030, and 30% by 2050, given policy support. The economics of wind and solar production are leading the way: see an overview of recent studies relating to grid parity of solar and wind energy, including the October report by Deutsche Bank analyst Vishal Shah, and a New York Times article. The Deutsche Bank report found that solar has already reached grid parity in the ten states that represent 90 % of U.S. solar electricity production. Wind continues to face community opposition, but a Health Canada study in November concludes that there is no evidence of a causal relationship between exposure to wind turbine noise and self-reported medical illnesses and health conditions. See the Health Canada study.]]>

Analysis of the Canada - EU Trade Agreement

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:46:30 +0000

The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada was announced as a "done deal" in Ottawa on September 26, despite the fact that the text had never been made public till that time.

The agreement abolishes almost all tariffs and reduces many non-tariff barriers, but most controversial is the chapter on investment protection, which includes Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions. The ISDS mechanism gives foreign corporations the ability to sue Canada or a province, if the companies allege that domestic health or environmental policies and regulations interfere with their right to make a profit.

The Council of Canadians has been a vocal opponent of CETA because of these ISDS provisions and released a new book in November. Trading away Democracy (co-published by a number of other organizations, including Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Canadian Union of Public Employees, European Federation of Public Service Unions, Friends of the Earth Europe).

The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development in Geneva has published a detailed review which includes a summary of the Environment and Labour chapters of the CETA . The article points out a departure from past trade agreements such as NAFTA: disputes under the Environment or Labour chapters cannot be initiated by civil society, but only by a government- to -government mechanism specifically defined in each chapter. See "Unpacking the EU Canada Free Trade Deal" in Bridges (Nov. 3).

Also see the Government of Canada website relating to CETA, including a link to the text of the agreement (English version / French version).

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Ontario and Quebec sign Agreements on Electricity Trade and Climate Change

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:49:44 +0000

On November 21, Ontario and Québec announced a number of agreements to "strengthen Ontario and Québec's partnership to build up Central Canada's economy, create jobs and make a difference in people's lives". These agreements specifically focused on electricity trade, climate change (including carbon pricing), infrastructure investments, the Energy East pipeline, interprovincial trade, and the Francophonie.

Relating to Energy East, Ontario affirmed Québec's concerns and insistence that climate change is considered by the NEB and that the unfair burden of risk born by those nearby the converted aging gas pipelines is addressed.

Read Ontario's press release and Ontario's backgrounder, and see CBC coverage in "Ontario, Québec sign deals on Electricity, Climate Change". According to the Globe and Mail, federal and Alberta government ministers will be travelling to Quebec soon to press the case for Energy East. Read reaction to the Ontario-Quebec agreement by Clare Demerse at Clean Energy Canada.

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Climate Change Momentum Continues at the G20 Summit in Brisbane

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:56:12 +0000

Despite the efforts of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to keep it off the agenda, pressure to address climate change was heaped on the G20 group, notably by the climate agreement signed by the U.S. and China. Pope Francis sent a letter to Prime Minister Abbott that admonished "unbridled" consumerism, environmental degradation, and their capacity to undermine global economic stability. See "U.S., EU Override Australia to put Climate Change on G20 Agenda" from Reuters and "Pope Francis to World Leaders: Consumerism Represents 'Constant Assault' on the Environment" from ClimateProgress.

The final communiqué expressed strong support for the Green Climate Fund. Canada announced on November 20 that it would contribute $300 million to the Green Climate Fund. See the government press release and government backgrounder, and see also "Green Climate Fund in the Spotlight at G20 Leaders' Meet" from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development.

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Superlatives for the U.S.-China Agreement on Climate Change, and what it Means for Canada

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:05:17 +0000

Media superlatives signal the importance of the surprising climate change announcement by the U.S. and China on November 11. President Obama pledged that the U.S. will emit 26 to 28 percent less carbon in 2025 than it did in 2005, and will double the pace of reduction it had previously targeted for the period from 2005 to 2020. China's President Xi Jinping pledged to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030, if not sooner, and that clean energy sources would account for 20 percent of China's total energy production by 2030. See the White House press release and the White House Fact Sheet. For a summary of U.S. reactions, see the Blue Green Alliance at "What Leaders are Saying about the Historic Agreement".

What is the impact in Canada? A Globe and Mail article stated that the agreement would put pressure on Prime Minister Harper to act on climate change, yet columnist Jeffrey Simpson wrote, "Leadership means a willingness to spend political capital on an issue, and in Canada's case, there is no such leadership at the top. That this absence would suddenly shift as a result of a China-U.S. understanding is improbable in the extreme".

Alberta's new premier Jim Prentice announced that the province will "stiffen" its regulations for fossil fuel extraction. "It's the desire of Alberta to be participatory in any sort of international agreement that we can arrive at, modeled on what the United States and China have been able to achieve". When the U.S. - China agreement was announced, Ontario's Kathleen Wynne, accompanied by green business leaders, had just returned from a trade mission to China.

According to the University of Victoria PICS Newscan, Guelph's Canadian Solar Solutions signed a $70-million deal to build solar energy plants in China, and China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group signed an agreement for future collaboration.

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Corporate Leaders Sign on to an Open Letter for More Climate Change Leadership, Carbon Pricing in Canada

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:09:46 +0000

In an open letter to Canada's federal and provincial political leaders, including Prime Minister Harper, the Clean 50 states that Canada needs to put a higher priority on climate change action, and specifically, "We believe that one solution is to develop a well thought out framework that includes setting a price on carbon at some specific date in the future, that would reduce other taxes, and provide an incentive for businesses and individuals to take steps to reduce their use of carbon." The Clean 50 is a group founded and managed by Delta Management, a corporate search firm specializing in green jobs; it includes sustainability professionals from corporate Canada, as well as academics and individuals. See the website and their Open Letter. ]]>

A New Commission with a Prescription of "Ecofiscal" Policies for Canada

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:13:44 +0000

LINKS View the

The Ecofiscal Commission website.

Smart, Practical, Possible: Canadian Options for Greater Economic and Environmental Prosperity, Inaugural Report of the EcoFiscal Commission (English Version / French Version).

Chris Ragan is interviewed by Tyler Hamilton of Corporate Knights magazine.

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Canadian Environmental Education: Post Secondary Guides, Context, and New Initiatives for Public Outreach

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:18:51 +0000

Alternatives Journal in October published a special issue addressing environmental education. The fifteenth annual Environmental Education Guide helps students heading to postsecondary education to identify and compare the 700 interdisciplinary programs available in 120 Canadian universities and community colleges. Three accompanying articles emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary studies: "Academic Evolution: Innovation knows no Boundaries", profiles the work of Dr. James Orbinski, who leads research on global health and climate change as the Research Chair in Global Health at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, and Tim Kruger, who is the Coordinator of the Geoengineering Program at the Martin Oxford School at University of Oxford, and one of the authors of the Oxford Principles. A quote from Kruger sums up the point of the article: "Climate change presents systems problems, involving multiple, complex mechanisms...What is left now, are those problems which are not amenable to being solved by a single disciplinary approach." "The Genius of the Generalist", describes the educational paths of three graduate students- two of whom have Masters of Environmental Studies degrees from York University in Toronto and "Meet 6 Environmental Grads" profiles careers after graduation from various environmental programmes in Canada, and one in Freiberg, Germany.

For students heading for an MBA, Corporate Knights magazine released its annual guide to Sustainable MBA programs around the world in October. As in past years, York University's Schulich School of Business ranked first, followed closely by the Sauder School of Business at University of British Columbia. And two new online initiatives to promote climate change literacy and climate justice emerged from British Columbia in October. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the B.C. Teachers' Federation jointly created free classroom-ready materials designed for students in grades 8 to 12. Eight modules explore climate justice within the context of B.C.'s communities, history, economy and ecology. On October 28th the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions at the University of Victoria, launched "B.C Climate Impacts & Adaptation", an interactive online module free to anyone interested in expanding their climate literacy. At the same time, PICS updated the content of the educational section of their website, which houses other modules and mini-lessons.

LINKS

Alternatives Journal Education Issue (October 2014). It includes the A/J 2014 Environmental Education Guide, as well as the following articles: "Academic Evolution: Innovation knows no Boundaries", "The Genius of the Generalist", and "Meet 6 Environmental Grads"

"100 Shades of Green" (a guide to Sustainability in MBA curricula of universities around the world) in the Fall 2014 issue of Corporate Knights Magazine

CCPA/BC Teachers Federation classroom modules about Climate Justice, and Climate Literacy modules and mini-lessons at the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions website

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Literature Review of Job Creation Impact of Energy Efficiency Investments

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:21:28 +0000

A study released by the U.K. Energy Research Centre (UKERC) on November 4 presents an analytical literature review of fifty studies published since 2000 on the relationship between green energy investment and job creation in the U.S., Europe and China. The report outlines the key concepts and modelling methodologies, and provides a comparative analysis of the job impact results of the studies surveyed. Overall, the authors found that renewable energy and energy efficiency create up to ten times more jobs per unit of electricity generated or saved than fossil fuels. However, they conclude that the job creation issue is complex and is often wrongly focussed on short-term benefits. "The proper domain for the debate about the long-term role of renewable energy and energy efficiency is the wider framework of energy and environmental policy, not a narrow analysis of green job impacts."

LINKS

Low Carbon Jobs: The Evidence for Net Job Creation from Policy Support for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is available from the Energy Research Centre website.]]>

Study Examines "High Road", Unionized Jobs in the California Solar Industry

avadkl — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 17:25:20 +0000

A study released on November 10 by the University of California at Berkeley examines the environmental and economic impact of a boom in utility-scale solar electricity generation in California since 2010.

The report describes the overall economic and policy situation, then calculates the new construction, maintenance, and operations jobs created, plus the upstream and downstream jobs. It estimates the income and health and pension benefits of these new construction and plant operations jobs, most of which are unionized.

In California, the union contracts have required payments into apprenticeship training programs; the study calculates the new monies that have been generated for apprenticeship programs, and asserts that the boom in utility-scale solar construction has set in motion a related boom in apprenticeship and other forms of training for electricians, operating engineers, ironworkers, carpenters, millwrights, piledrivers, and laborers. The author estimates how apprenticeship affects lifetime earnings- using the example of electrical apprentices, who are estimated to see a lifetime income approximately $1 million higher than that of workers without similar training.

Finally, the report describes the policy environment that has facilitated this solar boom, and makes recommendations for the future. The author, Peter Philips, from the University of Utah, is currently a Visiting Scholar at the UC Berkeley Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, at the Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy.

LINKS Environmental and Economic Benefits of Building Solar in California: Quality Careers, Cleaner Lives.

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California's New Climate Change Initiative

avadkl — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 17:24:34 +0000

Legal Planet analysis. ]]>

Obama Administration Issues New Methane Emissions Standards for the U.S.

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:00:42 +0000

Fact Sheet, released on January 14, announces a new goal to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 - 45% from 2012 levels by 2025. In general, reaction from environmental groups has been tepid, citing the need to address existing operations, and to rely more on regulation and less on voluntary industry action. Read "Climate Hawks aren't impressed with Obama's Methane Plan" in Mother Jones (Jan. 20) for a summary of reactions. ]]>

Tools to Improve Sustainability at Universities

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:07:49 +0000

A Green Guide for Universities published by Sustainia of Sweden in December, provides suggestions, tools, and best practices for university building maintenance, purchasing, transportation, and student and employee engagement. The main focus of Chapter 8, Employee and Student Engagement, is to urge the establishment of a sustainability office in each university. Case studies are presented from Yale, Cambridge, Peking, and Copenhagen University. Many Canadian universities have well-established Sustainability offices, including: Queen's; University of Toronto; University of British Columbia; Universite Laval. The 2014 Annual STARS Review by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education also presents case studies of sustainability at universities. The 2014 report features 105 higher education institutions, mainly from the United States, several from Canada, and some pilot international participants. The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) rates institutions on a host of practices, including Human Resources practices such as the presence of sustainability information in professional development courses and new employee orientation, commuting and telecommuting policies, etc. ]]>

Government Scientists Continue their Fight for their Right to Speak Out

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:09:20 +0000

The Professional Institue of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) represents scientists employed in some 40 federal departments and agencies, including many directly involved with climate change. Having previously documented the culture of intimidation felt by their members in two reports, The Big Chill and Vanishing Science, the union is now addressing the issue at the bargaining table. Amongst the demands in the current round of bargaining: the right to speak about one's work; the right to attend professional development meetings and conferences; and the development of a scientific integrity policy. The bargaining proposals have both an English version and French version.]]>

Environmental Investigation of Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Unlikely, and Alberta GHG Emissions Regulations Stalled

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:11:00 +0000

The Commission on Environmental Co-operation (CEC) was created under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to resolve environmental disputes and to provide an outlet for the public's environmental concerns. In 2010, Environmental Defense Canada and the Natural Resources Defense Council led a public submission which alleged that tailings ponds from Alberta's oil sands were leaking four billion liters each year, and that the federal government was not enforcing its own Fisheries Act to prevent damage to the Athabasca River. In July, 2015, the CEC ruled that the complaint merited further investigation, but according to a CBC report of January 12, the government is attempting to stop any such investigation. See NAFTA scrutiny of oilsands tailings ponds opposed by Canada. The entire record of the complaint, with all documentation, is available at the CEC website. In the meantime, four Alberta regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, previously set to expire on December 31, have been extended till June, to allow "government to explore new approaches and partnership opportunities" for a new climate change policy framework in 2015. The regulations affected are: The Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER), Specified Gas Reporting Regulation (SGRR), Administrative Penalty Regulation, and the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund Administration Regulation. See the government's news release (Dec. 19) and an explanation of the current framework.

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Ontario Energy Board Consultation on Energy East Pipeline

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:12:51 +0000

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) released four preliminary assessments from its technical advisors on TransCanada's proposed Energy East pipeline project on January 15, 2015. The report relating to socioeconomic aspects is by the Mowat Centre at the University of Toronto and concludes that "TransCanada's estimated benefits are likely inflated while local benefits are expected to be small, particularly along the converted portion of the pipeline in northern Ontario". The OEB Energy East Consultation webpage compiles all technical and background papers and submissions to date. The deadline to make a public submission is February 6, 2015; a link is available on the OEB website. Also see The Council of Canadians Energy East webpage.

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Public Health Concerns Lead to Fracking Bans in Quebec, New Brunswick, New York; and what about Workers Health Concerns?

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:14:22 +0000

Quebec has had a moratorium on fracking since 2011, and in an interview with Radio-Canada in December, the Premier announced that the province would not allow further development. See Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard says No to Shale Gas and also in the Montreal Gazette, "Couillard Rules out Fracking". The premier's announcement came one day after a report from BAPE, Quebec's environmental assessment agency, which cited risks to air and water quality, as well as potential increases in noise and light pollution. The report is available only in French, or see the Montreal Gazette summary in English. In New Brunswick, recently-elected Premier Brian Gallant announced a fracking moratorium at the end of the December legislative session - it will be voted on in February. In New York, a fracking moratorium was announced on the grounds that there were significant public health concerns about water contamination and air pollution, and insufficient scientific evidence to affirm the safety of fracking. "Citing Health Risks, Cuomo Bans Fracking in New York State" in the New York Times (Dec. 17). The article has a link to the report, A Public Health Review of High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing for Shale Gas

Development. Also of interest: a January report from Friends of the Earth in the U.K.: Making a Better Job of it: Why Renewables and Energy Efficiency are better for Jobs than Fracking (January 2015) reviews and critiques economic impact studies from the U.S. and U.K. and concludes that fracking job estimates have been overstated, and that the jobs created are likely to be short-term, with as yet unknown health risks for workers. On that note, the U.K.'s Trades Union Congress on January 20 released its TUC shale gas briefing: Fracking and workers' health and safety issues, which briefly reviews some of the important research to date on the public safety issues, especially exposure to hydrocarbons and silica. It concludes that even with regulation in place, unions are needed to give workers the right to refuse unsafe work without the fear of penalty.

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B.C. Carbon Tax Receives International Praise

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:15:45 +0000

While Ontario hasn't stated whether it will choose a cap and trade system or a carbon tax, British Columbia`s carbon tax has received a recent flurry of praise. In a December 8 speech leading up to the COP Lima meetings, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim stated that "all countries should commit to put a price on carbon" and singled out British Columbia's system as one of the most "powerful" examples..."It's worth noting that British Columbia's GDP has outperformed the rest of Canada's after introduction of the tax".

Read also: a Globe and Mail editorial of December 13, "Why Stephen Harper should Love Carbon Taxes"; Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan in "Cutting Emissions needn`t kill Jobs, Says Oilsands Labour" in The Tyee (December 8). Even well-established conservative Preston Manning, now part of the Ecofiscal Commission, appears to endorse the concept in a November 19 Globe and Mail article: "How to Communicate a Good Idea: Carbon Pricing". Last word goes to Larry Sommers, former Secretary of the Treasury in the U.S., in his January article in the Financial Times titled "Let this be the Year we Put a Proper Price on Carbon".

For more factual information about carbon taxes and how B.C. has achieved revenue neutrality, see Proof Positive: The Mechanics and Impacts of British Columbia's Carbon Tax, released by Clean Energy Canada in December. A new, much more detailed study of the effect of a carbon tax, modelling with various revenue structures, was released by the state of Oregon in December.

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Ontario Taking a Leading Role in Provincial Climate Policy Initiatives

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:17:27 +0000

"Ontario: Tired of Waiting", in Corporate Knights magazine summarizes the recent climate initiatives of Premier Kathleen Wynne. Most notably, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and California issued a Joint Statement on Climate Change at the United Nations Conference of the Parties in Lima on December 9, 2014 (Joint Statement on Climate Change French version) which pledges to "collaborate on mid-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions to maintain momentum toward 2050 targets. This commitment reflects...a collective will to take action and establish these targets prior to the 2015 Conference of the Parties".

On December 10, Ontario announced it would host a pan-American dialogue on long-term climate action at a 2015 Climate Summit of the Americas in Toronto, from July 7-9, 2015. This gathering is likely to be the venue to launch Ontario`s carbon pricing plan, pledged on January 14th; read "Ontario to move forward with carbon-pricing plan this spring" from the Globe and Mail.

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Getting Back on the Climate Track with "Made in Canada" Policies

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:19:15 +0000

A new report from the David Suzuki Foundation overviews Canadian provincial and municipal policies that have effectively reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and calls upon the federal government to implement national policies that would coordinate and expand the ingenuity and skills of the existing green workforce. Building on the Best: Keeping Canada's Climate Promise, also suggests that Canada would now be on track to meeting its 2020 targets if the best policies had been implemented in 2009, when Canada committed to action in Copenhagen. The report focuses on policies that eliminated coal power, boosted renewable energy, and put a price on carbon, along with low-carbon transportation, energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage, and landfill and biogas. Ontario's staged coal phase-out, together with the introduction of the Green Energy and Economy Act, is lauded as evidence that major changes can be made rapidly and that green economics can be fruitful; the burgeoning Ontario renewable energy industry has created more than 20,000 jobs so far. B.C.'s carbon tax is commended for its rigor and broad application, while Québec's cap-and-trade system is favoured for its ability to link to international markets. The report considers the application of successful policies to other jurisdictions in Canada, with each province given policy recommendations, and then rated according to their emissions reduction potential if the best policies were implemented. Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Atlantic provinces have the most potential for improvement. Building on the Best is based on a technical report, Progress on Canadian Climate Policy, commissioned by DSF and prepared by Navius Research. ]]>

Lima Leaves Out Key Labour Language

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:21:24 +0000

BlueGreen advocated for improved international collaboration on best practices for just transition, and joined TUED in calling on the parties to prepare data on the positive and negative employment impacts of climate policies to support decision-making. While a number of governments did raise labour issues at the Conference, co-chairs ultimately left them out of the text altogether. According to the International Trade Union Confederation, however, there was an overall trend of greater recognition of the centrality of just transition to sound climate policy, an active role played by labour organizations at the Conference, and the ongoing expansion and diversification of the climate justice movement, including increasing attention to labour issues. See Lima climate conference deceives, but not the climate movement. A similar assessment was made by the Canadian Union of Public Employees in Climate talks advance slowly, but activism on the rise.]]>

Labour Voices on the International Scene: G20 and Lima Climate Conference

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:23:04 +0000

L20 website and read a summary of the L20 statement.]]>

Union/Community Cooperation Builds on De Blasio's Proposal to Reduce NYC GHG Emissions

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:25:20 +0000

A strategy document released in December tackles the triple bottom line, with ten proposals that would create jobs - up to 40,000 per year - while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. The report is notable for two reasons: it was produced by a broad group of community, environmental and labour union groups in New York, including ALIGN, the National AFL-CIO, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the BlueGreen Alliance, and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.

Secondly, the proposals in Climate Works for All: A Platform for Reducing Emissions, Protecting Our Communities, and Creating Good Jobs for New Yorkers are specific and detailed. They include mandatory energy efficiency retrofits for large buildings; installing solar energy systems on the rooftops of the 100 largest schools in New York City; investing in microgrids; investing in more bus lines and restoring train lines; improved flood protection and storm water management; improved commercial waste management and recycling.

For each of the ten proposals, there is a detailed discussion which includes consideration of workforce issues: for example, the energy efficiency retrofit proposal includes a recommendation that, "building owners should ensure that building operators are trained in energy-efficient operations. To this end, the City Council should pass Intro 13-2014, a bill that will require large buildings in New York City to have at least one building operator who is certified in energy efficient building maintenance".

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Blue and Green Authors Promote Sustainable Forestry over LNG Development in B.C.

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:26:54 +0000

"Trees are the Solution that LNG will never be" in the Times Colonist (Dec. 21). The same article appeared in The Tyee (January 5, 2015) under the title "Prosperity? Forestry not Fracking". The PPWC has also been critical of the unequal distribution of funds in B.C.'s 2014 policy document, Skills for Jobs Blueprint, whereby training support for LNG jobs appears to come at the expense of funding for other sectors, such as forestry. See Local Knowledge and Government Funding Vital to Training the Next Generation of Foresters.]]>

Solar Jobs in the U.S., and a Survey of Working Conditions

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:28:09 +0000

The newly released U.S. Solar Jobs Census 2014 from the Solar Foundation states that there are 173,807 solar workers in the U.S., representing a growth rate of 21.8% since November 2013. The installation segment of the solar sector represents the single largest source of domestic employment growth in the U.S., more than doubling in size since 2010.

The report also asserts that diversity is growing since 2013, and that wages remain competitive, with installers earning $20-$24 per hour; assemblers earning close to $18 per hour, solar designers, $30-$40 per hour, and sales staff ranging widely from $30 to $60 per hour. In his response to the release of the Census, the U.S. Energy Secretary highlights the DOE Solar Instructor Training Network at nearly 400 community colleges in 49 states. He states that the program has trained over 30,000 people since 2010, with a goal of 50,000 new solar workers trained by 2020.

The Solar Census covers all segments of the solar industry in the U.S. In contrast, The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition Annual Scorecard surveys and ranks solar PV manufacturers internationally, with the goal "to enhance transparency around environmental health, safety, and sustainability issues for communities, workers, and the environment". The latest edition, released in late November 2014 names manufacturers and ranks them on environmental issues such as Extended Producer Responsibility, water use, use of conflict minerals, and use of toxic chemicals. It also includes a category for Worker Rights and Health and Safety policies, measured by "a formal commitment to protecting worker rights, health, and safety that goes beyond compliance with local laws and regulations; commitment to improving employee wages; signage informing illiterate workers about minimum wage provisions; coverage of workforce by collective bargaining; workday case rates; recordable incident rates; and adoption of OHSAS for 100% of facilities". Top ranked companies in the workers rights category in 2014, are Trina (owned by Chinese interests), SunPower (headquartered in California), and REC (recently taken over from Norwegian control by a Chinese company).

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Canadian Companies Going Green with Energy Efficiency and More

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:29:36 +0000

Steam Whistle Brewing, facilities are kept cool by harnessing cold water from the bottom of Lake Ontario; company vehicles are fueled with biodiesel, and renewable energy, via Bullfrog Power, saves the equivalent of 128 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Miratel Solutions began the path to greening the workplace with a ban on plastic water bottles, an extensive recycling program, eco-friendly lighting and retrofitting, and energy-efficient electronics. Since 2006, Bullfrog Power allowed the company to support the transition to renewable energy despite the fact that they rent office space and can't control its energy supply. Miratel saves the equivalent of 38.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Other Canadian case studies of energy efficiency projects are profiled in Heads-up CIPEC, the online newsletter of the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC) of Natural Resources Canada.]]>

Growth of Canada's Clean Energy, Wind Energy, and more on Grid Parity

avadkl — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 01:32:53 +0000

Tracking the Energy Revolution - Canada, is the first annual status report by Clean Energy Canada, released in early December 2014. The report states that $25 billion has been invested in clean energy, resulting in a 37 percent employment increase in the sector in the past five years, so that by 2013 the clean energy sector (manufacturing, power production, energy efficiency, and biofuels) accounted for more direct Canadian jobs than the oil sands. To back up their job creation claim, Clean Energy published an explanation of the calculations. Full of infographics and tables, the report goes beyond statistics to highlight the leading provinces, companies, projects, and investor groups. It also makes recommendations for the federal and provincial levels and aims to spur laggard jurisdictions to more action.

More good news comes in a new report by the Canadian Wind Energy Association: 2014 was a record-breaking year for wind in Canada, with 37 new wind energy projects representing over $3.5 billion in investment. Fifteen of the projects involved municipalities, First Nations, and local farmers; activity was strongest in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. The Grand Renewable Energy project in Ontario can be considered a poster child for the industry, with over 98% of the workforce on the project from Ontario - from turbine manufacture to construction, installation, and operation. Samsung and Pattern Energy are equity partners with the Six Nations of the Grand River, which owns 10% of the project; Samsung and Pattern Energy provided a $400,000 donation to the Grand River Post-Secondary Education Office, to help Six Nations students. In B.C., the government has provided more than $5.8 million since 2011 to support the participation of over 90 Aboriginal communities in the clean energy sector, including wind energy, biomass and run-of-river hydroelectric power. See "First Nations Clean Energy Funding tops $5.8 million" in the Vancouver Observer (Jan. 6, 2015). And also of interest, a report in January 2015 by Oceana conservation group concludes that offshore wind has the potential to generate more jobs (91,000 more over 20 years) produce more power, and lead to a higher degree of energy independence than offshore drilling for oil and gas, while posing fewer environmental threats. Read Offshore Energy by the Numbers: An Economic Analysis of Offshore Drilling and Wind Energy in the Atlantic All this, despite the assertion in a December report that the $548 billion that is paid annually in fossil fuel subsidies around the world have impeded the growth of the renewable energy industry by making fossil fuel power generation appear cheaper than it really is. The Impact of Fossil-Fuel Subsidies on Renewable Electricity Generation was published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Yet even so, Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2014, a landmark report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), states that "biomass, hydropower, geothermal and onshore wind are all competitive with or cheaper than coal, oil and gas-fired power stations, even without financial support and despite falling oil prices. Solar photovoltaic (PV) is leading the cost decline, with solar PV module costs falling 75 per cent since the end of 2009 and the cost of electricity from utility-scale solar PV falling 50 per cent since 2010."

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Chilly Climate re Climate Change continues in Canada

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:20:43 +0000

In the U.S., the White House National Security Strategy document was released on Feb. 6, stating that climate change is a significant risk to Americans at home and abroad, along with terrorism and a nuclear Iran. Here in Canada, the intelligence community appears to see things differently. A threat assessment document by the critical infrastructure intelligence team of the RCMP, written in January 2015 and leaked to the press in February, seems skeptical of the world's understanding of climate science and states: "There is a growing, highly organized and well-financed, anti-Canadian petroleum movement that consists of peaceful activists, militants and violent extremists, who are opposed to society's reliance on fossil fuels". See coverage in The Toronto Star (Feb. 17); The Globe and Mail (Feb. 17); or The Guardian (Feb. 18). For reaction by Greenpeace, one of the groups high on the RCMP's radar, see "Caring for the Climate is not a Crime in Canada. Yet", which puts the RCMP document in the context of Bill C-51, Canada's Anti-terrorism Act, introduced to the House of Commons on January 30, 2015. As for the media, consider the facts presented by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (Feb. 12) in "Do you know who's writing your climate change news". The article notes the case of Andrew Weaver, described in more detail in "B.C. MLA Andrew Weaver wins defamation suit against National Post", The Globe and Mail (Feb. 6). PICS puts the Weaver case in a wider context by reporting on the dismissal by Postmedia of both Margaret Munro (nominated for a World Press Freedom Award for her stories on the muzzling of federal government scientists) and Mike De Souza (who wrote about the oil sands and exposed examples of bribery, undeclared conflicts of interest and withheld information relating to the federal government's energy policy). Energy and oil industry news coverage will now be "centralized" at the National Post, according to "Postmedia cuts National Writer Jobs, Offers Newsroom Buyouts" in the Globe and Mail (Feb. 5). ]]>

Sustainable Energy Updates

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:22:41 +0000

The 2015 edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook found that "over the 2007-2014 period, U.S. carbon emissions from the energy sector dropped 9%, U.S. natural gas production rose 25% and total U.S. investment in clean energy (renewables and advanced grid, storage and electrified transport technologies) reached $386 billion". The report was commissioned by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and prepared by analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. On February 2, the 2013 Renewable Energy Data Book was released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Key findings include: Renewable electricity, including hydropower and biopower, grew to nearly 15% of total installed capacity and 13% of total electricity generation in the United States in 2013, compared to 23% of all electricity generation worldwide, and 15% in the UK. Solar electricity was the fastest growing electricity generation technology in the U.S., with cumulative installed capacity increasing by nearly 66% from the previous year.

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Ethical Supply Chains: Different View Points

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:25:18 +0000

Supply Chain Sustainability Revealed: A Country Comparison, 2014-2015 was commissioned by CDP (a member of the We Mean Business coalition) and authored by Accenture consultants. The report reveals how the suppliers of 66 CDP-member corporations (who spend $1.3 trillion in procurement) are approaching risks and opportunities related to climate change and water. Supply chains in the U.S., China and Italy are considered "vulnerable". Suppliers in India and Canada are judged as not doing enough to manage climate change risks. Indian companies, in particular, demonstrate a low propensity to report on emissions, and suppliers in Brazil have done the least to manage climate exposures and recent water shortages. A profile of Canadian suppliers is provided on page 14. A more business-oriented report, Beyond Supply Chains: Empowering Responsible Value Chains was jointly authored by the World Economic Forum and Accenture consultants. It highlights 31 supply chain practices which, it is claimed, can increase revenue by up to 20% for responsible products, reduce supply chain costs from 9%-16% and increase brand value by 15%-30%. This commercial success, combined with improved environmental impact and better local economic conditions, is called the "triple supply chain advantage". The report states that "Adopting the triple advantage can also shrink carbon footprint by up to 22% while enabling companies to contribute to local development".

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Business Voices call for Net-zero Emissions Target at COP21, as well as Carbon Pricing and an end to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:27:14 +0000

The B-Team, a group of international business leaders, released an Open Letter to Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change on Feb. 5, calling on governments to commit to a zero-net-emissions target for 2050 at the COP 21 talks in Paris in 2015. Further, they call for businesses and governments to adopt meaningful and effective carbon pricing; an end to all fossil fuel subsidies, and redirection of that capital to renewable energy solutions; and for businesses and governments "to ensure the benefits of responses to climate change flow to vulnerable and impoverished communities that suffer disproportionately from climate change and are least equipped to cope with its impacts". In October 2014, the B-Team partnered with other business organizations (The Climate Group, Ceres, Carbon Disclosure Project, BSR, World Business Council for Sustainable Business and the Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group) to form the We Mean Business Coalition. ]]>

Local Energy Distribution Vancouver, Guelph, Connecticut

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:29:17 +0000

A February report describes the development of the low-carbon Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU), which uses a hybrid system of sewage heat recovery (SHR) backed up by natural gas boilers to deliver thermal energy to 24 buildings in the False Creek area of Vancouver. The opportunity arose from the redevelopment of former industrial land into a mixed-use community- a highly capital-intensive project which generated approximately 50 FTE jobs over 3 years of construction, and has resulted in 3.5 highly-skilled engineering jobs in the operational phase. Although the job creation impact is small because of the small scale of the project, author Marc Lee maintains that it is important as an example of public sector innovation which challenges the paradigm of centralized energy distribution, and which could be replicated by other cities. See Innovative Approaches to Low Carbon Urban Systems: A Case Study of Vancouver's Neighbourhood Energy Utility, published by Economics for Equity and Environment as part of their Future Economy Initiative. Guelph, Ontario was recently profiled in "Community and Energy in Guelph: Environment and Economy in Partnership" in Engineering Dimensions (Jan/Feb 2015), which briefly describes Guelph's Community Energy Initiative, begun in 2007. More recently, the Guelph District Energy Strategic Plan explains the concept of distributed urban energy systems, and includes case studies from Mannheim, Copenhagen and North Vancouver. The Guelph plan envisions a system which would supply at least 50 per cent of the heating needs of commercial, institutional and industrial facilities as well as residential dwellings. In Connecticut in December 2014, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced a study to evaluate the merits of distributed energy. In response, a working paper by Jeremy Brecher of the Labor Network for Sustainability discusses the monopoly power of electrical utilities and makes seven proposals to reform a system to reduce GHG's and be worker- and community-friendly. Connecticut's Electric Utilities: Time to Revise the Model specifically proposes that the ownership of energy distribution be transferred from private utilities to consumer-owned co-operatives, municipal or state-owned companies, or "other alternatives". And for a more general vision of some of those alternative models, read the EnergyVision document, A Pathway to a Modern, Sustainable, Low Carbon Economic and Environmental Future by the Acadia Center, released February 15.

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Fossil Fuel Subsidies Detrimental to Global Climate

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:30:44 +0000

A report from the International Institute for Sustainable Development was presented at the U.N. Geneva Climate Change Conference, held from February 8-13. Fossil-Fuel Subsidies and Climate Change: Options for Policy-makers within their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions argues that removal of fossil fuel subsidies could lead to global GHG emissions reductions of between 6-13% by 2050. The CEO of IISD also stated: "The billions of dollars spent on these subsidies means less money is available for clean energy, health, education and infrastructure". The report was financed by the Nordic Prime Ministers' Green Growth Initiative. The IISD also provides a comprehensive summary of the Geneva meetings.

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Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaigns in Canada

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:32:36 +0000

Global Divestment Days took place worldwide on February 13 and 14th, organized by 350.org through their Go Fossil Free campaign. In Canada, a divestment campaign led by the UBCC350, (a group of students, faculty, staff, and alumni) climaxed on February 10 with a a largely symbolic vote by UBC Faculty : see "UBC profs vote 62 per cent in Favour of Fossil Fuel Divestment" in the Vancouver Observer (Feb 10 ) and see the press release from UBC350. On February 12, the Financial Post reported that "University of Calgary will not Divest from Fossil Fuels". Also in February, the Sustainability and Education Policy Network housed at the University of Saskatchewan released The State of Fossil Fuel Divestment in Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions, which lists all 27 Canadian post-secondary institutions where divestment campaigns were underway as of October 2014, as well as the amount of money currently invested in fossil fuels. The report notes a "disconnect": "While some campuses have positioned themselves as sustainability leaders, they are still heavily invested in fossil fuel companies". Other related documents from the ongoing research are at the SEPN website. A White Paper, Fossil Fuel Divestment: Reviewing Arguments, Policy Implications, and Opportunities was published by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) in January. It concludes that fossil fuel divestment campaigns can be socially effective but are unable to have any real impact on reducing emissions or financing transition to sustainability without alternative investments that change the structure of the economy. PICS is maintaining a website for ongoing commentary on the issue, and indeed, the paper has been criticized in The Tyee and in the DeSmog Canada Blog for "missing the point" of the importance of divestment to revoke social license.

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Canada's Federal Liberal Party takes a Flexible Position on Carbon Pricing

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:34:19 +0000

Federal leader Justin Trudeau chose Calgary's Petroleum Club on February 6 as the venue to announce that, if elected in October 2015, a Liberal government would set national targets for reducing carbon emissions but allow provinces to design and manage the policies to meet them. The Liberal party website provides text of the speech as well as a video. The Pembina Institute reacted to the announcement, as did Clean Energy Canada, which also provides a comparison chart of the positions of three of the four federal parties. There is no shortage of recent policy reports on the issue of carbon pricing, for example: Carbon Pricing and Mind the Hissing from Sustainable Prosperity (case studies of revenue allocation in the carbon pricing systems of B.C., Alberta, and Quebec); How to Adopt a Winning Carbon Price: Top 10 Takeaways from the Architects of British Columbia's Carbon Tax from Clean Energy Canada; Will Nova Scotia Implement a Carbon Tax? by Brendan Haley at the Progressive Economics Forum. Even the World Bank's Partnership for Market Readiness has a policy "wish list" in its business-oriented new report, Preparing for Carbon Pricing: Case Studies from Company Experience: Royal Dutch Shell, Rio Tinto, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

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Polluter Pays in New Rail Safety Legislation

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:36:01 +0000

The Safe and Accountable Rail Act was announced by the federal Transport Minister on February 20, in the latest of several legislative and regulatory responses to the tragedy of the Lac Megantic derailment and explosion in 2013. "Ottawa announces Rail Disaster Relief Fund" in the Globe and Mail (Feb. 20) summarizes the provisions, which include the requirement, for the first time, that railways must carry a minimum amount of liability insurance, ranging from $25-million up to $1-billion, depending on their volume of dangerous goods. Additionally, a fee of $1.65-a-tonne will be charged to the companies and pooled in a fund to cover the costs of damages that exceed their insurance. The Act also requires that rail companies implement policies and procedures to ensure workers the right to report fatigue without fear of reprisals. See the text of the Act.]]>

Labour Market Impacts of a Circular Economy in the U.K.

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:38:15 +0000

Employment and the Circular Economy: Job Creation in a More Resource Efficient Britain concludes that "if Britain continues to develop its resource efficiency, the country's circular economy sector will create net jobs in regions where unemployment is higher, such as the North East and West Midlands, and among low to mid skilled occupations, where a higher rate of job losses are projected for the future". The public report is based on a technical report, Opportunities to Tackle Britain's Labour Market Challenges through Growth in the Circular Economy, which describes the U.K. labour market, explains the methodology and calculations, and forecasts job creation potential for low-skilled, skilled, and professional workers under three different scenarios. In the best case, by 2030 the sector could require an extra 205,000 jobs, reduce unemployment by around 54,000, and offset 11 per cent of future job losses in skilled employment.]]>

Green Jobs, Green Economies from a Social/Gender Justice Lens

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:40:05 +0000

Green New Deal and the Question of Environmental and Social Justice.]]>

Environmental Groups Stand with U.S. Refinery Workers on Strike for Safety

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:41:34 +0000

The United Steelworkers union represents workers at 65 oil refineries in the United States. On February 1, the union announced an unfair labour practice strike at 9 locations, with the remainder operating under a rolling 24-hour contract extension. In a media advisory, the head of the USW National Oil Bargaining Program states: "This work stoppage is about onerous overtime; unsafe staffing levels; dangerous conditions the industry continues to ignore; the daily occurrences of fires, emissions, leaks and explosions that threaten local communities without the industry doing much about it; the industry's refusal to make opportunities for workers in the trade crafts; the flagrant contracting out that impacts health and safety on the job; and the erosion of our workplace, where qualified and experienced union workers are replaced by contractors when they leave or retire". Indeed, the dangerous working conditions of the oil industry have been well documented by no less than the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. These safety and health issues have been at the heart of the dispute, and have resulted in widespread public support from environmental and community groups, as summarized in "Striking for Climate Justice" in Dissent Magazine (Feb. 21). The Sierra Club issued an almost immediate statement of support on Feb. 3, ready to do so because of an earlier agreement spelled out in A Common Position on the Future of Oil (September 2013). Public statements of support from other green groups: Oil Change International; Labor Network for Sustainability, and Communities for a Better Environment, a California-based group which sums it up: "Environmental justice demands everyone's right to a safe and healthy work environment and challenges the false choice that would force us to choose between our health and our jobs. Indeed, fighting for worker rights protects community health and safety".]]>

British Columbia's Economic Transition and Just Transition Proposals

avadkl — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:43:39 +0000

A January report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives offers insight into the kinds of just transition policies that will be needed to support labour as carbon-intensive industries are phased out. Just Transition: Creating a Green Social Contract for BC's Resource Workers is the result of seven focus groups composed of workers from the forestry, mining, and fossil fuel industries. They were asked about their first-hand experiences with transitioning out of industrial employment, and the changes they felt were necessary for workers and communities to thrive alongside effective environmental and climate policies. Participants stressed the importance of improving training and education programs, which were seen as neglecting transferable and upgraded skills in favour of narrow specialization that plugged current labour gaps but left workers vulnerable to wage suppression and unable to change industries without downgrading. Participants also highlighted personal, family and community strain associated with moving to find work or commuting long distances, pointing to the need for related socioeconomic support, counselling, and policies that keep workers closer to home. Local economy diversification and greener, and value-added industries were identified as a way to lower carbon and create more resilient communities, though workers' concerns highlight that the loss of industrial wages would need to be managed.

The report recommends income security guarantees to maintain stability in resource communities, as well the embrace of alternative models such as worker ownership. Further, the new social contract needed to address the training and socioeconomic needs of transitioning communities should include a just transition fund drawn from resource revenues, harnessing pre-existing tools such as B.C.'s natural gas royalties and carbon tax. The new source of public funds could support investment in job-creating green infrastructure, public transit, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

The B.C. business community is also recognizing the coming economic transition. Business in Vancouver magazine has launched a new series on the economic impacts of climate change in the province, with a first installment based on interviews with Tom Pedersen of the University of Victoria's Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions and Deborah Harford of Simon Fraser University. "Climate Change Looms as Major Threat to Key B.C. Industries" (Feb. 16) considers B.C.'s future in light of problems that have already arisen, including water shortages in the Okanagan, reduced water flow at hydroelectric dams, soil salinization, and ocean acidification impacting shellfish farmers and the salmon industry. The series will continue throughout 2015, engaging experts from diverse fields and industries.

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Literature Review of Climate Adaptation by Multinationals

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:02:26 +0000

A recent working paper by the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics finds that "there is a paucity of work analysing adaptation actions by MNCs, their motivations and contribution to broader adaptation and climate resilient development efforts, as well as possible instances of maladaptation". The review points out research gaps and provides a useful bibliography of the academic literature. See Multinational corporations and climate adaptation - Are we asking the right questions? A review of current knowledge and a new research perspective (March 11). ]]>

Clean Energy Canada Moves to Simon Fraser University

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:04:16 +0000

Clean Energy Canada, formerly a project of Tides Canada, announced on March 2 that it will become a new program within the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The Centre for Dialogue states that "uses dialogue to generate non-partisan and constructive communication around difficult topics. We partner with government, business, and community groups to explore critical issues that impact the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of our communities". Merran Smith, Director of Clean Energy Canada, has been named a Fellow within the Centre and will continue to lead the program, which aims to accelerate Canada's transition to a clean and renewable energy system.

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Fossil Fuel Divestment and the New Campaign by the Guardian Newspaper and 350.org

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:09:24 +0000

The divestment movement has been busy since global Fossil Fuel Divestment Day in February, with news that hundreds of thousands of academics, engineers and lawyers in Denmark will vote on divesting their €32bn pension funds from fossil fuel investments in April, and that Oxford University is facing protest demonstrations because it has deferred a vote on divestment till May. In March, The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. and 350.org launched the Keep it in the Ground campaign, asking the Wellcome Trust and Gates Foundation to divest their endowments from fossil fuels. The Guardian has been relentlessly posting information and arguments for the cause of divestment: "Bank of England warns of huge financial risk with fossil fuel investments"(March 3); "Mark Carney defends Bank of England over Climate Change Study" (March 10); "UN Backs Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign" (March 16); "Wellcome Trust sold off 94 million pound ExxonMobil oil investment" (March 18) and, "Revealed: Gates Foundation's $1.4bn in fossil fuel investments" (March 19). The retiring editor of The Guardian newspaper, Alan Rusbridger, announced the paper's new editorial stance in "Climate change: Why the Guardian is Putting Threat to Earth Front and Centre" (March 6). He states: "The coming debate is about two things: what governments can do to attempt to regulate, or otherwise stave off, the now predictably terrifying consequences of global warming beyond 2C by the end of the century. And how we can prevent the states and corporations which own the planet's remaining reserves of coal, gas and oil from ever being allowed to dig most of it up. We need to keep them in the ground".

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New GHG Emission Reduction Targets for the U.S. Federal Government

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:10:57 +0000

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Federal Government and Across the Supply Chain (March 19) provides more details, and summarizes the emissions reductions commitments made by major suppliers in the federal government supply chain. Those suppliers include such giants as IBM, HP, AECOMM, Northrup Grumman, and United Technologies. ]]>

Toronto, Vancouver amongst Case Studies of District Energy in Cities Worldwide

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:12:27 +0000

A new report released on February 25 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency (C2E2), ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, and UN-Habitat, offers concrete policy, finance and technology best practice guidance on energy efficiency improvements and the integration of renewables in cities. District Energy in Cities: Unlocking the Potential of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, offers an analysis of the 45 'champion cities', which have collectively installed more than 36 GW of district heating capacity (equivalent to 3.6 million households), 6 GW of district cooling capacity (equivalent to 600,000 households) and 12,000 km of district energy networks. The case studies include Toronto, Vancouver, St. Paul Minnesota, Paris, London, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, and Tokyo.

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Oregon joins B.C. and California with Clean Fuel Standards

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:18:24 +0000

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council the state of Oregon "clinched a spot in the clean energy future" on March 12 when the Governor signed Bill SB324A, which removes the December 2015 sunset clause on previous legislation requiring the adoption of clean fuel standards, and extends the target date for compliance from 2020 to 2025. With B.C. and California already regulating clean fuels, the NRDC states that it needs only the state of Washington to pass similar standards to "create a corridor of clean fuel demand encompassing more than 50 million people up and down the length of the West Coast, equivalent to the 5th largest economy in the world". The NRDC draws its information from a detailed and wide-ranging analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation, Potential: Low-carbon Fuel Supply to the Pacific Coast Region of North America (January 2015). Of related interest, The California Energy Commission issued its 2014 Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) Update in March, highlighting its transportation achievements in electric vehicles, fuel cell development, and biofuels.

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Clean Tech Investments in Canada

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:22:55 +0000

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) began its rollout of announcements of recipients from the SDTC Tech Fund in February in Southwest Ontario and in Quebec on February 16. Of the $25 million invested in Quebec, almost half was directed to Nemaska Lithium Inc., for a pilot demonstration project aimed at lowering costs associated with electric vehicle use. On February 20, seven clean technology projects in Ontario received over $26.8 million and on March 4, similar investments in Alberta were announced. In Alberta, with the top three recipients are projects for cleaner technologies for oil sands. It was B.C.'s turn on March 16, when a further $27.3 million was distributed for 10 projects. Each press release names the recipient companies and summarizes their technologies.

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Resolute Forest Products on Notice after 3M Announces a new Sustainability Policy for Paper Procurement

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:25:32 +0000

Following a review of its procurement processes conducted in collaboration with ForestEthics and Greenpeace, multinational 3M released a revised Pulp and Paper Sourcing Policy in March, with high standards for environmental protection and human rights. 3M will no longer use the Sustainable Forests Initiative (SFI) label. Its new policy requires improved monitoring and reporting of source materials, and "free, prior and informed consent by indigenous peoples and local communities before logging operations occur". The company has already cancelled its contracts with Indonesian Royal Golden Eagle Group-owned suppliers and has warned Montreal-based Resolute Forest Products that it must quickly improve its controversial relationships with First Nations, as well as its practices of logging of caribou habitat and in High Conservation Areas. Read ForestEthics Applauds 3M's New Industry-Leading Sustainability Plan (March 5), or 3M's new pulp & paper policy impacts Resolute Forest Products (CBC, March 5). For an excellent history of Resolute's controversial environmental record, see "Resolute and Greenpeace at Loggerheads" in the Montreal Gazette (Feb 13).

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Economic Impact of Alberta Greenhouse Gas Emissions Funds

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:27:45 +0000

nvesting in GHG Emissions-Reduction Technology: Assessing the Economic Impact (free with registration). The study quantifies the economic impact of investments in greenhouse gas emission-reducing technologies that are funded in whole or in part by Alberta's Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC), and concludes that the total economic impact of CCEMC and related investments from 2011 to 2016 will be over $2.4 billion and an additional 15,017 person-years of full-time-equivalent (FTE) employment. The Pembina Institute reaction (March 5) was to point out that despite any economic gains, the problem remains that there are no significant reductions to greenhouse gas emissions. ]]>

Clean Water Week, March 16-22, including the Importance of Water in the Fracking Debate

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:30:01 +0000

The Council of Canadians continues its advocacy for a clean, safe, public water system with a new campaign for a National Water Policy. Their proposals include the creation of a national public water infrastructure fund, a strategy to reduce water pollution (including stronger standards for agriculture, oil sands extraction), a ban of bulk water exports, and exclusion of water from NAFTA and all future trade agreements. On March 12, the Council of Canadians released a new report, On Notice for a Drinking Water Crisis and will be staging protests throughout Canada on World Water Day, March 22. Environmental Defence also marked Water Week with several blogs, including No Energy East Tar Sands in our Water!. And for interesting case studies of the importance of water in the anti-fracking movement, see Getting Off the Frack Track: How Anti-Fracking Campaigns Succeeded in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (Feb. 20) at the Freshwater Alliance website.

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Alberta Regulations Re Water Management and Tailings Management

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:32:06 +0000

On March 13, the Alberta government announced two new policies meant to provide environmental protections in the Athabasca Oil Sands area. The Tailings Management Framework for Mineable Oilsands limits the amount of tailings allowed to accumulate and requires that sites be remediated to a ready-to-reclaim state within 10 years of the end-of-mine-life of a project. Companies are encouraged to invest in new technology, and are required by the Conservation and Reclamation Regulation to post additional financial security to deal with potential remediation issues. Read the Pembina Institute reaction, Tailings Management Framework: A new Chapter in the Alberta Oil Sands Story? (March 16). Regarding water policy, The Surface Water Quantity Management Framework establishes limits for water use during low-flow periods and requires maintenance of an adequate quantity of water for Aboriginal river navigation and pursuit of traditional activities. It does not establish Ecosystem Base Flow (EBF) system, as recommended by scientists. The Council of Canadians reacted by pointing out that the Framework restrictions are voluntary, and provide exemptions to Suncor and Syncrude, even if water levels are low. The explanation? Under NAFTA Chapter 11, the government of Canada could be sued if Alberta were to limit the current water access of the oil sands companies. SumOfUs.org, Keepers of the Athabasca, Environmental Defence Canada and the Natural Resources Defence Council issued a joint press release condemning the new regulations as an "oil industry wish list". See also the NRDC blog, New Tar Sands Water Policy from Alberta favors Industry (March 13).

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Ontario Appoints a Climate Change Advisory Group

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:35:13 +0000

In March 9, the government of Ontario appointed John Godfrey as Special Advisor, and created a new Climate Change Advisory Group which he will chair. The Climate Action Group is composed of academics, business and civic leaders, with one representative from the labour movement: James St. John, the business manager of the Central Ontario Building Trades. The advisory group is meant to collaborate closely with Québec's Climate Change Advisory Committee to support work between the two provinces. ]]>

Workforce Development Issues for the Expansion of Wind Energy in the U.S.

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:37:16 +0000

Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States was released by the White House on March 12, providing an overview of the U.S. wind industry and projections for the future. Analysis focuses on greenhouse gas (GHG) and pollution reductions, electricity price impacts, job and manufacturing trends, and water and land use impacts - for the years 2020, 2030, and 2050. The study provides a roadmap of actions to achieve a goal of 35% wind energy in the U.S. by 2050, at which time the wind industry would employ more than 600,000 people. Workforce development is one of nine core topics in the roadmap, detailed in item M8 of the Appendix. The workforce development recommendations build on previous research published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 2012, National Skills Assessment of the U.S. Wind Industry by Levanthal and Tegen.

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How are U.S. Unions Working Toward a Climate-Safe Economy for All Workers?

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:39:20 +0000

Joe Uehlein, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS), has written A Climate Protection Guide to Organized Labor, which summarizes the issues and arguments regarding the role of U.S. labour in the fight against climate change. Joe's essay also introduces the Labor Landscape Analysis, a "set of tools" compiled by the LNS and consisting of several units. For climate activists not familiar with the labour movement, The Labor-Climate Landscape: A Guided Tour for Worker- and Climate-Protection Advocates explains decision-making in labour unions, relationships in the movement, and the climate change policies of 42 U.S. unions, as well as the role of more than 800 local, regional and national labour leaders. It updates and expands on Labor and Climate Change: A Briefing Paper for Activists (2010). In his introductory essay, Joe Uhelein states: "The threat of global warming requires a different concept of solidarity, one which recognizes the common interest of all workers in climate protection. That concept gives all unions a legitimate role in shaping labor's climate policy. But it also gives them an obligation to protect the livelihoods and well-being of any workers who might be adversely affected by climate protection policies through a just transition to a climate-safe economy".

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CUPE Provides a New Guide for Greener Workplaces

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:41:16 +0000

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, in advance of Earth Day in April 2015, has released Healthy Clean and Green: A Worker's Action Guide to a Greener Workplace. CUPE answers the basic question, "Is climate change a union issue?" and then focuses on workplace actions and solutions, with examples and tips to improve energy efficiency, recycling and reduction of resources, worker education, and workplace environment committees. The book also describes the LEED features of the CUPE National Headquarters in Ottawa. To further encourage greening activities, the union announced the 2015 CUPE Green Workplace Contest, with a deadline of May 2015.

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Climate Action Policy Prescriptions for Canada

avadkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 17:44:02 +0000

Two sets of recommendations were recently released: on March 18, by a new academic collaboration, Sustainable Canada Dialogues (SCD); and on March 19, in the Alternative Budget published annually by the Canadian Centre for Policy Analysis. The Sustainable Canada Dialogues document, Acting on Climate Change: Solutions from Canadian Scholars, and a french-language version, Agir sur les changements climatiques, are characterized as "a scholarly consensus on science-based, viable solutions for greenhouse gas reduction".

Sixty academics from across Canada combined to urge policymakers to adopt a long-term target of at least an 80% reduction in emissions by mid-century. "In the short-term, we believe that Canada, in keeping with its historical position of aligning with US targets, could adopt a 2025 target of a 26-28% reduction in GHG emissions relative to our 2005 levels". Policy recommendations include, most immediately: Either a national carbon tax or a national economy-wide cap and trade program; elimination of subsidies to the fossil fuel industry; and integration of sustainability and climate change into landscape planning at the regional and city levels so that maintenance and new infrastructure investments contribute to decarbonizing.

The paper also advocates establishment of East-West smart grid connections to allow hydro-producing provinces to sell electricity to their neighbours; energy efficiency programs, and a "transportation revolution". The Acting on Climate Change document will be followed by a special issue of Alternatives Journal magazine, to be released on March 27, to include more detailed articles by 20 of the SCD participant authors. Sustainable Canada Dialogues, launched in September 2014, is partnered with three institutions in Panama, and "proposes to advance sustainability education, research and social dialogues in Panama and in Canada".

The second statement of recommended climate policies appears in the CCPA Alternative Budget for 2015, Delivering the Good. The Alternative Budget, like the government budget statement that it shadows, covers the full range of economic and social issues facing Canada. It also includes a section on the Environment and Climate Change, which states: "The best current budget opportunities include implementing a price on greenhouse gas emissions through a carbon tax; not subsidizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) or hydraulic fracturing (fracking); protecting Canada's public lands and species at risk; and supporting power storage through accelerated expense write-offs, electric vehicles through fast-charging recharging stations in high-demand areas, and public transit and energy efficiency home retrofits". A National Harmonized Carbon Tax should be implemented immediately, at $30 a tonne (the current level in British Columbia), increasing to $200 a tonne by 2020. More than half of the HCT revenues should be used to provide a Green Tax benefit for individuals and the remainder transferred to the provinces to fund "climate change abatement measures". It is estimated that the carbon tax would generate annual revenue of $16 billion, with the Green Tax Refund incurring a net annual cost of $8.8 billion (p. 28). Is the time finally right for serious consideration of Canada's climate change policies? As Environmental Defense reported on March 9, NDP, Liberals and Greens agree on an Approach to Assess Carbon Pollution Reduction. Calling it "a step in the right direction", the blog describes the February 19 debate in the House of Commons around Bill C-619, the Climate Change Accountability Act, a private members bill introduced by NDP Matt Kellway in June 2014. NDP, Liberals and Greens are now on record as supporting the Bill's accountability measures and the target of domestic greenhouse gas emissions reductions to at least 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050.

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Alternative Economic Models proposed for the 21st Century by a new U.S. Group

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 15:53:07 +0000

The Next System is a new project "that seeks to disrupt or replace our traditional institutions for creating progressive change". Its backers include Greenpeace President Annie Leonard, clean energy champion Van Jones, United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard, Gerald Hudson, Mark Levinson and Peter Colavito from Service Employees Intl Union, Ron Blackwell, UNITE and AFL-CIO, Joe Uehlein from the Labor Network for Sustainability, climate activist Bill McKibben, and hundreds of other prominent academics including Noam Chomsky, Frances Fox Piven, and Jeffrey Sachs. The project launches with a webinar on May 20th, and has already released its inaugural report, The Next System Project: New Political Economic Alternatives for the 21st Century. The report states that such new movements as the Next System "seek a cooperative, caring, and community-nurturing economy that is ecologically sustainable, equitable, and socially responsible". It draws inspiration from a variety of alternative systemic models and ideas, including employee ownership and self-management, cooperatives, social democracy, participatory economic planning, socialism and public ownership, localism and bioregionalism, and ecological economics. ]]>

Do Governments have a Legal Obligation to Protect their Citizens from Climate Change? Yes, say the Oslo Principles and Citizens in Netherlands and Belgium

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 15:56:11 +0000

In March, a group of experts in international, human rights, and environmental law released the Oslo Principles on Global Obligations to Reduce Climate Change. "These Principles set out the legal obligations of States and enterprises to take the urgent measures necessary to avert climate change and its catastrophic effects". Based on a network of local, national and international laws, the Oslo Principles outline specific measures and assert that these should be undertaken "without regard to cost". The lack of an international agreement does not relieve nations from their duty to their citizens.

The brief Principles document is accompanied by a more extensive Commentary (94 pages). The members of the Oslo Principles group are supporting a court challenge in the Netherlands, the first case in Europe in which citizens attempt to hold a state responsible for its inaction against climate change, and the first case in the world in which human rights are used as the legal basis for its arguments. The Urgenda Climate Case opened on April 14, and a verdict is promised on June 24th. The plaintiffs are asking the Court to order the Dutch State to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. A similar case is under preparation in Belgium.

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Displacement in the Energy Industry: Fossil Fuels have "Lost the Race"; Wind Power Growing; Coal Workers Displaced

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 15:59:09 +0000

Analysis presented at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance annual summit in New York on April 14 was titled: Fossil Fuels Just Lost the Race Against Renewables: This is the beginning of the end (April 14). Bloomberg states that the shift occurred in 2013, when the world added 143 gigawatts of renewable electricity capacity, compared with 141 gigawatts in new plants that burn fossil fuels.

More statistics and a forecast are presented in a White Paper, Medium-term outlook for US power: 2015 = deepest decarbonization ever (April 8). And an International Energy Agency (IEA) press release in March states that global emissions of carbon dioxide from the energy sector stalled in 2014, marking the first time in 40 years in which there is a drop in GHG emissions that was not tied to an economic downturn. "Preliminary IEA data point to emissions decoupling from economic growth for the first time in 40 years" (13 March, 2015). The IEA attributes the halt in emissions growth to expanding reliance on renewables in China and energy efficiency improvements in OECD countries. China alone added 23 GW in wind power, almost half the world's new wind installation capacity in 2014, according to the Global Wind Energy Market Report 2014 by the Global Wind Energy Council. Canada ranked 6th in new wind installations in 2014 and now ranks 7th in cumulative installed capacity in the world. Canada also appears in the report regarding the use of green bonds to finance wind power, illustrated by the case of Northland Power. Duke University researchers used input output modelling to measure job loss, gains, and displacement in each sector of the electricity sector in "Employment Trends in the U.S. Electricity Sector, 2008-2012" in the journal Energy Policy in March (access restricted). They report that the U.S. coal industry lost more than 49,000 jobs, while the natural gas, solar and wind industries together created nearly four times that amount. ]]>

Two out of Three - U.S., Mexico Submit their INDC Targets - but Not Canada

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 16:09:49 +0000

March 31st was the deadline set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for each nation to submit a statement of its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to greenhouse gas emission reduction, as a precursor to the climate discussions in Paris in December. The United States set an ambitious economy-wide target to reduce emissions by up to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025. Read the White House Fact Sheet: U.S. Reports its 2025 Emissions Target to the UNFCCC. Reductions will be accomplished primarily through fuel economy standards, energy efficiency for buildings, limiting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, and reducing emissions from existing power plants. The statement by Mexico was the first by a developing country, and pledges a 22 per cent reduction of GHG emissions and 51 per cent cut in black carbon emissions by 2030. Prime Minister Harper promised our INDC submission by May, and lowered expectations, according to a Globe and Mail article (April 23) "Harper suggests Canada likely won't match U.S. emissions targets". All INDC submissions are cumulated at the UNFCC website. In addition, the U.S. and Mexico issued a joint statement which states, "The two countries will launch a new high-level bilateral clean energy and climate policy task force to further deepen policy and regulatory coordination in specific areas including clean electricity, grid modernization, appliance standards, and energy efficiency, as well as promoting more fuel efficient automobile fleets in both countries, global and regional climate modeling, weather forecasting and early alerts system". Two countries - not including Canada. ]]>

New Website to Monitor Supply Chain pledges Re Deforestation and Agricultural Commodities

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 16:47:56 +0000

On March 25, Forest Trends, in collaboration with CDP and WWF, launched Supply Change.org, a web portal to track corporate supply chain commitments relating to the purchase of palm oil, soy, timber and pulp, and cattle. A report released in tandem with the portal, Supply Change: Corporations, Commodities and Commitments that Count provides an "inaugural snapshot of corporate commitments and performance", based on publically-available data from 243 companies describing 307 commitments.

In April, fast-food giant McDonalds exceeded expectations by pledging to eliminate deforestation from its global supply chain for all commodities linked to deforestation, including beef, fiber-based packaging, coffee and poultry, and palm oil. A summary appeared in The Guardian, "McDonald's to axe deforestation in its supply chain" (April 21), and the 8-point corporate statement is online. ]]>

Cities, including Vancouver and Los Angeles, keep Reducing GHGs

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 16:51:13 +0000

Canadian Study finds no Significant Health Impacts from Wind Energy

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 16:54:08 +0000

Understanding the Evidence: Wind Turbine Noise, was published on April 9 by the Council of Canadian Academies, and concludes that the only adverse health effect of wind turbines is annoyance. From the report: "We identified 32 health issues and then analyzed the published peer reviewed studies on each problem to determine if there was evidence for a causal relationship with wind turbine noise...We can say conclusively that hearing loss is not related to wind turbine noise". The experts also concluded that there is limited evidence for sleep disturbance, but inadequate evidence to link any of the other studied health issues.

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Health Studies of the Oil and Gas Industry

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 16:59:08 +0000

On March 26, the government of British Columbia released the Northeast Oil and Gas Human Health Risk Assessment Study, which includes a scientific literature review, a screening level risk assessment, a detailed human health risk assessment, a review of the current regulatory framework, and recommendations for future research and action. According to the Minister of Health, "After careful review and analysis, the study found that the risk to human health from emissions from oil and gas activities in the Northeast remains low". The report did make 14 recommendations regarding: emergency planning; flaring, venting and fugitive emission management; hydraulic fracturing; information management; and environmental monitoring. All documentation from the study is available online. Of related interest, several recent U.S. studies: "Predictors of Indoor Radon Concentrations in Pennsylvania 1989-2013" appeared in Environmental Health Perspectives on April 9. Researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health measured radon levels in U.S. homes near the Marcellus shale fields since fracking began in 2004 and found higher readings of radon, compared with homes in low-activity areas. Another study, Wasting Away: Four states' failure to manage oil and gas waste in the Marcellus and Utica Shale, conducted by Earthworks, explored state oversight of drilling in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The article particularly focuses on the identification and handling of the potentially hazardous waste materials left behind after fracking. Finally, the Environmental Defense Fund in the U.S. has recently released the latest of 16 studies they commissioned/collaborated on regarding methane leaks in the oil and gas sector.

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Oil and Gas and Canada's Energy Policy

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:01:28 +0000

Two other reports were released in advance of the Premiers meetings in Quebec City. Crafting an Effective Canadian Energy Strategy: How Energy East and the Oil Sands Affect Climate and Energy Objectives by the Pembina Institute reviews Canadian experience with carbon pricing, emissions levels, and states that any energy strategy will only be effective if it takes into account the emissions footprint of new infrastructure projects, including the proposed Energy East pipeline project. The report also recommends that the Council of the Federation create an advisory committee modelled on the disbanded National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. The report is also available in French. Another study, released by Environmental Defence and Greenpeace, makes similar arguments and asserts that "continuing to expand tar sands production makes it virtually impossible for Canada to meet even weak carbon reduction targets or show climate leadership". Read Digging a Big Hole: How tar sands expansion undermines a Canadian energy strategy that shows climate leadership. In April, Environment Canada released the UNFCC-mandated report, National Inventory Report 1990-2013: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada. The report states that the Energy industry was responsible for 81% of Canada's emissions in 2013. ]]>

Cap-and-Trade or Carbon Tax?

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:03:42 +0000

Recent reports have examined the strengths and weaknesses of the two systems. On April 7, the EcoFiscal Commission released The Way Forward: A Practical Approach to Reducing Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions which employs policy analysis and new economic modelling to reach recommendations that every province should put a price on carbon, that existing and new policies should increase in stringency over time, should be designed to be as broad as practically possible, should be tailored to each province's unique economic contexts and priorities, yet should be designed for longer-term coordination. On April 13, Clean Energy Canada released Inside North America's largest Carbon Market: Top Lessons from the Front Lines of Quebec's Fight Against Carbon Pollution. Together with their February report, How To Adopt a Winning Carbon Price, which focused on British Columbia's carbon tax, Clean Energy Canada provides what they call "under the hood" comparisons of the two approaches to carbon pricing. Sustainable Prosperity also weighed in with two Briefing Notes on April 23; Briefing Note #1 summarizes the rationale for pricing carbon, and the main policy approaches i.e. carbon tax and cap-and-trade. Briefing Note #2 reviews the key policy design criteria and considerations, and how they differ across approaches.

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...Also from the Premiers' Summit: Ontario Announces Cap-and-Trade

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:05:36 +0000

The main outcome of the Quebec City meetings occurred beforehand on April 13, with the Joint Statement of Intent from the Ontario and Quebec Premiers. Ontario announced that it would join Quebec in a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions. The Ontario government press release, provides links to earlier discussion papers and whatever details are currently available. Reactions to the announcement were generally positive but tinged with questions about the effectiveness of the cap-and-trade system. See Want to make Polluters pay? Opt for a carbon tax over cap and trade from EcoJustice or reaction from Environmental Defence. From the new Clean Economy Alliance of Ontario, launched on April 8 by 50+ Ontario businesses, labour unions, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and environmental groups: "Ontario should join with the many other jurisdictions around the world in putting a price on carbon. The province must also take complementary actions in other key sectors across Ontario's economy including energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate friendly land-use planning, and low-carbon transportation".

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The Premiers' Summit on Climate Change Reveals Divisions, but the Act on Climate March shows Solidarity

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:13:40 +0000

The Premiers of Canada's provinces met in a Summit in Quebec City on April 13th, sparking high hopes which were not met, according to the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, Interprovincial climate summit a damp squib. In "Interprovincial climate summit reveals rifts in Canada's carbon strategy", the Globe and Mail (April 14) called the final joint communiqué "vague", going only so far as referencing "transitioning to a lower-carbon economy" and "strengthening co-operation" on climate measures. And the Calgary Herald editorial, "On the Hot Seat", criticized Alberta Premier Prentice for skipping the Summit. B.C. Premier Christy Clark spent her day addressing the World Bank instead of attending, but issued a challenge to other Premiers regarding B.C.'s climate action plan 2.0: "meet it or beat it". The Premiers meeting, however, sparked the Act on Climate March, organized by environmental groups, and including First Nations, trade unions, social and citizens' groups, student associations, and individuals. The march attracted 25,000 marchers on April 11 and, according to participant Judy Rebick's article, Huge march raises temperature, "...the Act On Climate march was an historic moment in the fight against climate change in Canada and a major step forward in the movement towards merging the environmental and social justice movements as promoted in Naomi Klein's new book, not to mention a rare common action between Quebec and the rest of Canada...It was an important if not historic moment in our struggle". For a union viewpoint, read also CUPE Says Yes to Action on Climate.

Also, on April 13, the Canadian Roundtable on the Green Economy was organized by SWITCH, the Alliance for a Green Economy in Quebec, a business-environmental alliance. The press release lists all participants, endorses carbon pricing, and affirms the central role of cities to promote a greener economy through sustainable procurement policies and innovative urban development. A second group of business, aboriginal and civic leaders went on record with their position concerning climate change policies in Canadian Leaders Pen Low Carbon Economy Letter to Premiers (April 12), at the Sustainable Prosperity website.

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Two years after Rana Plaza - the Fashion Industry hangs its hat on Greening, not Labour Rights

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:16:32 +0000

On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,134 people and injuring thousands more. Two years later, according to a report, by Human Rights Watch, working conditions and labour rights are unchanged. However, the garment industry is working to burnish its public image on sustainability issues. The recently-released H&M Conscious Action Sustainability Report 2014, discusses "the challenges" in the industry, which they identify as "Clean water, climate change, textile waste and wages and overtime in supplier factories". But in a press release titled, "H&M's sustainability promises will not deliver a living wage" (Apr. 9) the Clean Clothes Campaign states: "Despite announcing partnership projects with the ILO, education schemes alongside Swedish trade unions, and fair wage rhetoric aplenty, H&M has so far presented disappointingly few concrete results that show progress towards a living wage. H&M are working hard on gaining a reputation in sustainability, but the results for workers on the ground are yet to be seen". The Clean Clothes Campaign is an alliance of trade unions and NGOs in 16 European countries.

H&M, along with Target, Gap, and Levi Strauss, has been commended by the Clean by Design program of the National Resource Defense Council for their progress in incorporating environmental performance in their procurement decisions. In April, NRDC also released The Textile Industry Leaps forward with Clean by Design: Less Environmental Impact with Bigger Profits which describes the extent of the pollution in textile mills in China, and highlights the mills which made operational improvements and achieved the most cost savings, chiefly through increased motor and lighting efficiency, process water reuse, and heat recovery from exhaust.

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The European Circular Economy Debate Informed by New Job Creation Report

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:20:02 +0000

An interim report by the Club of Rome examines the social benefits that a circular economy would bring to the Swedish economy. The full report, due out in summer 2015, will include the Dutch and Spanish economies as well. The Circular Economy and Benefits for Society: Swedish Case Study shows Jobs and Climate as Clear Winners estimated the effects of three different scenarios to reduce carbon emissions.

The report found that if all three decoupling strategies were undertaken together, carbon emissions would be cut by almost 70% and job creation would likely exceed 100,000. This report was partly supported by Swedish Association of Recycling Industries, and was released with the stated objective of influencing the current political debate in the European Commission, where a proposed Circular Economy program was withdrawn amidst controversy in 2014. The original proposal, included a 70 per cent recycling and reuse target for 2030, as well as a requirement to increase the recycling rate for packaging waste to 80 per cent by 2030 and a ban on the landfilling of recyclable plastics, metals, glass, paper and cardboard, and biodegradable waste by 2025. Read also Circular Economy Package Consultation Expected Before Summer (April 21) and follow developments from the official EC Circular Economy website.]]>

Job Benefits of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:22:47 +0000

An analysis published at the end of March by the New Climate Institute of Germany estimates the co-benefits associated with the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) targets of the EU, as well as the anticipated statements from the U.S. and China. The co-benefits include the cost savings associated with reduced fossil fuel imports, the reduction in premature deaths associated with reduced air pollution, and the generation of green jobs in the renewable energy sector.

Job creation forecasts were only made for wind, solar, and hydro electricity sectors, and within that, only for manufacturing, construction and installation, and operation and maintenance. Even within those conservative parameters, the forecasts show that if the IDNC's of the three jurisdictions were strengthened so that they actually would meet the 2 degree celsius reduction target, job creation would be 350,000 in the EU, 180,00 in the U.S., and 1.4 million in China. Assessing the Missed Benefits of Countries' National Contributions demonstrates that "the achievement of a 2°C compatible trajectory does not only preserve the well-being of future generations, but may also generate positive economy-wide returns, rather than costs for the current generation". ]]>

U.S. Climate Policy Considers Health Effects of Climate Change, Including Occupational Health

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:25:20 +0000

On April 7th, the Obama administration announced a series of new initiatives which will highlight the health risks of climate change, especially for children, the elderly and the vulnerable. In the companion Climate and Health Assessment report released by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, outside workers are identified as exceptionally vulnerable to heat extremes. " Certain occupational groups that spend a great deal of time exposed to extreme temperatures such as agricultural workers, construction workers, and electricity and pipeline utility workers are at increased risk for heat-and cold-related illness, especially where jobs involve heavy exertion... Lack of heat illness prevention programs that include provisions for acclimatization was found to be a factor strongly associated with death". The report cites numerous other reports on heat effects, including a 2014 report from the Centers for Disease Control, "Heat Illness and Death Among Workers - United States, 2012-2013".]]>

Organizations will need Leaders with Sustainability Competencies

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:26:56 +0000

Sustainability Talent Management: The New Business Imperative is a consultant's report released in April by Alberta firm Strandberg Consulting. Arguing that companies will need to reinvent themselves to secure their access to resources and the social license to operate and grow, the author reviewed the business and human resource management literature since 2005 to arrive at five competencies required for leaders to successfully cope with the sustainability issues. These are: systems thinking, external collaboration, social innovation, sustainability literacy, and active values. It concludes: "Professional associations, management education and business schools should consider their role in equipping future leaders with these competencies. HR, talent and learning and development professionals can identify gaps in their current approach to leadership development and build these leadership qualities to enable future sustainable and commercial success. Organizations can use these competencies to enhance the talent pipeline and develop the next generation of leaders and the organizational capacities to steer corporations toward a sustainable future for all".]]>

Employee-Related Initiatives at Canada's Greenest Workplaces

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:28:33 +0000

The results of the 9th annual Canada's Greenest Employers competition were made available online at the Globe and Mail on Earth Day. "Canada's greenest employers help the Earth - and their bottom lines" (April 22) is a quick overview, but the online list of winners allows readers to select each employer by name, and find much more detail on the reasons why they were selected: e.g. unique initiatives, presence of an environmental audit, organizational responsibility for green initiatives, building LEED rating, community initiatives, etc. Companies are listed both for the environmental impact of their products/services, and their workplace policies. For example, Nature's Path is an organic food manufacturer in Richmond, B.C., but was also cited for its mandatory sustainability training for all new employees. Keilhauer, a custom furniture manufacturer in Toronto, is included for its in-house "Design for Environment" employee training program, which began in 2011 and sparked the switch to more environmentally-responsible manufacturing processes such as water-based wood stains and FSC-certified wood. Not all employers on the list produce green products: e.g. Labatt's Breweries is included because of its significant water and waste reduction programs, and for its employee engagement initiatives - all employee suggestions for green improvements are entered into a searchable database so employees in any of the parent company Anheuser-Busch locations around the world can learn from each other. The Greenest Employers list is linked to the Eluta job search engine to aid job-seekers who prefer to work for a green company.]]>

Good Jobs and GHG Reductions Promised by Vancouver Transit Plan

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:30:51 +0000

Good Jobs, Clean Skies examines the potential economic and climate impacts of the Mayors' Council Regional Transit Plan, which calls for an investment of $7.5 billion over the next ten years, to cope with the expected immigration of 1 million new residents to the Vancouver Tri-City area.

The analysis forecasts 26,322 person years of new direct employment, 43,800 person years of total employment, $2.96 billion in wages, and $4.48 billion toward GDP in Metro Vancouver over its 10 year life span. Additionally, the area would experience an 8.2% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from transport, versus a business as usual approach, and the plan would save more than $1 billion in traffic congestion costs. By improving by 7% the number of jobs accessible by transit, the Plan would support targets for livability, growth, and location of employment.

The study is a co-publication of Green Jobs BC and Blue Green Canada. In February 2015, the Mayors Council had released a report by InterVISTAS Consulting, The Economic Impact of Mayors' Transportation and Transit Plan 2014 - 2045. That report forecasts direct, indirect and induced jobs, finding 40,000 jobs created for the capital phase, and 197,000 created in operations from 2014-2045. The consultants' report doesn't address other economic benefits such as reduced congestion, improved goods movement, and improved labour mobility, nor does it forecast the environmental benefits. The Transit Plan is subject to a Referendum vote underway until May 29, 2015.

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The Role of Work and the Labour Movement to Slow Global Warming

avadkl — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:33:44 +0000

Work in a Warming World, released by McGill Queen's University Press on April 15, begins with the acknowledgement that the world of work - goods, services, and resources - produces most of the greenhouse gases created by human activity. In ten chapters, the book's contributors demonstrate "how the world of work and the labour movement need to become involved in the struggle to slow global warming, and the ways in which environmental and economic policies need to be linked dynamically in order to effect positive change". The book is organized into "Trends and Challenges", such as the dilemma of the Canadian labour movement, and gender analysis of emissions reduction, and "Making Green Work", with examples from the construction, hospitality, and energy industry, as well as chapters on sustainable infrastructure and its implications for the engineering profession, and the role of cities and the green economy. The book has a Canadian focus, but includes an international context. Chapters were written by associates of the Work in a Warming World research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, led by Professor Carla Lipsig-Mummé.]]>

New Legislation Supports Nova Scotia's Ambitions to lead the Tidal Energy Industry

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 28 May 2015 15:15:17 +0000

legislative framework for marine renewable energy was tabled in the provincial Legislature on April 29. (For a plain language version of the Act, click here ) .The legislation implements the 2012 Marine Renewable Energy Strategy, and authorizes the development of regulations to govern the industry. Also in late April, a new report, commissioned by the Offshore Energy Research Association of Nova Scotia (OERA), was released . Value Proposition for Tidal Energy Development in Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada and Canada forecasts that over the next 25 years, the tidal energy industry could contribute up to $1.7 billion to Nova Scotia’s gross domestic product, create up to 22,000 full-time positions and generate as much as $815 million in labour income. Annex 4 of the Report, provides a tabular analysis of supply chain requirements, including a general assesment of the skilled worker/knowledge worker requirements. The Annex is based on Module 9 of the Community and Business Toolkit for Tidal Energy Development prepared by the Acadia Tidal Energy Institute (ATEI) .]]>

7.7 Million People work in the Renewable Energy Sector Worldwide

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 28 May 2015 15:19:26 +0000

Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2015 is the new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). It shows a growth of 18% in one year in the global workforce in renewable energy, and estimates that “doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030, would result in more than 16 million jobs worldwide.” Solar PV is the largest employer in the renewable energy sector, with 2.5 million jobs, mostly in China and the Asian countries. Solar PV employment in the European Union decreased by 35% to about 165,000 jobs in 2013. Countries highlighted in the Annual Review are China, India, Brazil, U.S., EU, Germany, France, Japan, Bangladesh. There are 140 member countries of IRENA , but Canada is not a member. The most recent information about Canada’s renewable energy jobs appeared in Clean Energy Canada’s December 2014 report, Tracking the Energy Revolution 2014 . ]]>

Mapping Clean Energy in British Columbia

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 28 May 2015 15:22:34 +0000

Clean Energy Map which quantifies the number of jobs in the clean energy sector in British Columbia, and maps where renewable energy projects are located. To date, it displays the electricity sector, where 14,100 jobs have been tallied; forthcoming updates will include jobs associated with energy efficiency, green buildings and clean transportation technologies and services. The project is funded by B.C. Government and Services Employees’ Union, City of Vancouver, Green Jobs BC, North Growth Foundation, Pembina Foundation and TIDES Canada . A text description of the project is available here.]]>

Jobs in Canada's Hydroelectric Industry

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 28 May 2015 15:26:16 +0000

Hydropower and the Canadian Economy: Jobs and Investment in Canada's Largest Electricity Source also states that in 2013, “Canada’s hydropower industry’s investment and operations expenditures sustained an estimated 57,800 jobs (FTE) in Canada. When inter-industry purchases are factored in, the number of jobs rises to 100,000 jobs. In total, the investment and operations expenditures made by Canada’s hydroelectric power sector support over 135,400 (FTE) direct, indirect and induced jobs across Canada.”]]>

Canadian Labour Congress Profiles the Green Economy

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 28 May 2015 15:37:14 +0000

Real Alternatives for a Green Economy. The series describes new initiatives across Canada, and call for public policy initiatives to support the growth of a green economy. Regarding Energy, the CLC calls for “public investments totalling $4.65 billion need to be made to simulate the development of renewable energy sources with a priority being put on public sector owned and operated wind, solar, geothermal, and tidal power. “ Regarding transportation , they call for investment in light rail transportation, with strong domestic content rules . One example given for transit is the Ottawa Light Rail transit project; a report for that project compiles estimates of economic benefits, including job creation, for light rail projects around the world. The third segment of the series looks at Green Construction. The CLC posts follow closely the information on the website of the Green Economy Network , an alliance of Canadian labour unions, environment and social justice organizations, of which the CLC is a member.]]>

U.S. Labour as a Force for Climate Protection

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:42:33 +0000

The Nation online describes dozens of examples of cooperative actions by labour and environmental justice groups in the U.S. since the People’s Climate March in New York City in September 2014. Author Jeremy Brecher, one of the founders of the Labor Network for Sustainability, highlights the work of LNS, which is “working to pull together a “convergence” gathering of trade unionists who want to make the labor movement a climate-protection movement” … “ Fortunately for labor-climate activists, there is no element of American society that will gain as much from such a program as the labor movement, and no force as crucial for bringing it about.” Read How Climate Protection Has Become Today’s Labor Solidarity here. Read another article by Jeremy Brecher , The Paris Climate Summit and the Power of the People here , and see his details of his newly-released book, Climate Insurgency: A Strategy for Survival here (Paradigm/Routledge 2015).]]>

What Motivates People to Engage in Climate Change Activities?

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:40:31 +0000

A Synthesis of PICS-Funded Social Mobilization Research: What works – and what doesn’t – for engaging people on Climate Change . The report summarizes the psychology of behaviour change, social movements, social learning, but mainly presents case studies of seven social mobilization projects in B.C. between 2010 and 2014. Based on those experiences, the report provides a range of recommendations—and pitfalls to avoid—for groups trying to mobilize their communities effectively on climate change. “ Overall the recommendations emphasize: (a) the importance of multiple social engagement methods; (b) the power of digital, visual and social media; (c) benefits of collective action at neighbourhood scale; and (d) the need for coordinated top-down/bottom-up action between citizens and government.”]]>

Review of Research on Green Job Growth

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:44:08 +0000

Looking for Green Jobs: The Impact of Green Growth on Employment was released in March 2015 by the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and the Green Growth Institute in Seoul.]]>

Reaction to Canada's GHG Reduction Target to the UNFCC

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:50:36 +0000

announced the submission of Canada’s overdue Intended Nationally Determined Contribution to the UNFCC , pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The government also announced that it will introduce regulations to reduce emissions from methane, chemical and nitrogen-fertilizers, and natural-gas fired electricity. Jeffrey Simpson’s article in the Globe and Mail (May 19^th) sums up reaction: “Having utterly failed to meet its previous GHG reduction target, no one should put any credence in the Harper government’s latest one." “Weak” and “Inadequate” were frequent judgments in other reactions to the announcement: from the the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions ; from Environmental Defence ; from Natural Resources Defence Council; from the Pembina Institute ; from the Climate Action Network ; from the World Resources Institute .]]>

Ambitious Targets for GHG Reduction in the "Under 2 MOU" signed by subnational governments

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:55:16 +0000

Under 2 MOU” was launched with 12 founding signatories, collectively constituting the fourth largest economic entity in the world by GDP. The signatories included Ontario and British Columbia, as well as: California; Oregon; Vermont; Washington; Acre, Brazil; Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Baja California, Mexico; Catalonia, Spain; Jalisco, Mexico; and Wales, UK. The signatories commit to either reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 to 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 or achieve a per capita annual emission target of less than 2 metric tons by 2050. The pact also pledges enhanced cooperation amongst jurisdictions , for example, by sharing technology, scientific research and best practices to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy; collaborating to expand the use of zero-emission vehicles; ensuring consistent monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions; reducing short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon and methane; and assessing the projected impacts of climate change on communities. The full text (44 pages) of the Global Climate Leadership Agreement is available here . See the B.C. press release or the California press release .]]>

All eyes are on Alberta's new government

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:59:53 +0000

The stunning win by the New Democratic Party in Alberta’s election on May 5 2015 has prompted a flurry of articles, such as What the NDP's Alberta Win Means for Energy and Climate Change ( May 6) at DeSmog Blog and Can the NDP get Alberta off the Rollercoaster at Environmental Defence . Sean Sweeney from the U.S. Trade Unions for Economic Democracy writes about the “Alberta election shock” in the context of other recent elections (India, Greece, Spain, UK), and suggests “ a new ‘class and climate politics’ could be on the rise.” The new Premier, Rachel Notley, will be held accountable to the NDP election platform, which included the following: “We will establish a green retrofitting loan program that will assist Alberta families, farms and small businesses to reduce their energy usage affordably, which will reduce environmental impacts and create jobs in the construction industry.” “We will phase out coal-fired electricity generation to reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions and expand cleaner, greener sources, including wind and solar and more industrial co-generation in the oil sands”. For reaction by the oil industry, headquartered in Calgary, see “Boss of Biggest Oil Sands player calls for tougher action on Climate Change” in the Globe and Mail (May 22) ; and “Big Oil to Rachel Notley, Bring on Carbon tax ” at CBC website (May 23).]]>

Recognition of First Nations' Leadership to preserve the Environment

workinawarmingworld — Sun, 31 May 2015 16:08:51 +0000

recognizes her leadership in the fight against the Prosperity Mine which would have destroyed Fish Lake, a source of spiritual identity and livelihood for First Nations. Baptiste presented and prepared comprehensive environmental, cultural and economic data at federal environmental hearings. She also initiated a one-woman blockade in 2011 that prevented construction crews from reaching the proposed mine site. Other winners are profiled at the Goldman Prize website. The list to recognize all the efforts of Canada’s First Nations to protect our environment would be almost endless. Most recently, on May 14, the Lax Kw'alaams Nation rejected an offer of over $1-billion from Petronas LNG, in exchange for their consent to construction of an LNG export terminal on Lelu Island in the Great Bear Sea. See the DeSmog blog or the WWF reactions . Meanwhile, the government of B.C. signed an agreement with Petronas LNG which will promote such ventures. Read the Globe and Mail article, “ B.C. pushing ahead with LNG proposal despite Objections from First Nations” (May 20).]]>

Wind and Solar Energy Updates: May 2015

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 15:32:18 +0000

Energy Technology Perspectives 2015 , published by the International Energy Agency, “ provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term trends in the energy sector, centred on the technologies and the level of deployment needed”..... “Wind and solar PV have the potential to provide 22% of annual electricity sector emissions reduction in 2050 under the 2DS” (2 degree scenario). The report is accompanied by Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2015, which finds that “ the deployment rate of most clean energy technologies is no longer on track to meet 2DS targets”. ….. “Policy certainty, incentives, regulation and international co-operation are required to meet stated ambitions and transform the global energy system”. In the U.S., the U.S. Department of Energy released Enabling Wind Power Nationwide , which supports the U.S. ambition to expand utility-scale wind energy to all fifty states. The Enabling report highlights the the need for technological advancements, especially taller wind turbine towers and larger rotors, currently under development by the Energy Department and its partnering national labs, universities, and private-sector companies. The DOE Wind Program website is available here . A similar focus on the need for research and technological advancement is found in The Future of Solar Energy report , released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative (MITEI) . Read also a related overview of current solar technology, Solar Power for CO2 Mitigation by the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics.]]>

New Canadian Association for Renewable Energy industry

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 15:39:47 +0000

Canadian Hydropower Association, Canadian Solar Industries Association, Canadian Wind Energy Association, and Marine Renewables Canada. The council “aims to engage and educate Canadians on the opportunity to expand renewable electricity and strengthen our nation’s position as a global renewable-energy leader”. Each of the associations continues to maintain its own website, and the new Council website is available at http://renewableelectricity.ca/.]]>

Leadership of the Arctic Council passes to the U.S.; U.S. approves Arctic drilling

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:00:24 +0000

Arctic Council passed from Canada to the U.S., as reported in the Globe and Mail . The U.S. stated their priorities for the chairmanship as addressing the impacts of climate change; supporting Arctic Ocean safety, security and stewardship; and improving economic and living conditions in Arctic communities. Yet barely two weeks later, the U.S. Department of the Interior granted conditional approval to Shell to begin drilling for oil in the Chukchi Sea this summer. See “ U. S. will allow Drilling for Oil in Arctic Ocean” in the New York Times (May 11) . Reaction has been strong: read Bill McKibben’s OpEd in the New York Times , “Obama’s Catastrophic Climate-Change Denial” (May 12) , or “ Letting Shell drill in Arctic could lead to catastrophic oil spill, experts warn” in The Guardian (May 12) . Also in mid-May, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted provisions under the Polar Code which will govern the safety and environmental impact of ships around the Earth’s poles, starting in 2017. The agreed provisions prohibit the discharge of sewage, noxious liquid substances, and oil or oily mixtures; require that fuel tanks be separated from the outer shell; and restrict garbage discharge. Disappointingly, the delegates put off adoption of a GhG reduction target for the shipping industry till a future date.]]>

New Workforce Certification Guidelines for U.S. Commercial Building Occupations

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:04:46 +0000

Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines were introduced in March 2015 and cover four energy-related occupations: Energy Auditor, Building Commissioning Professional, Energy Manager, and Building Operations Professional. See the press release here.]]>

Streaming Video is slowing Efforts to Green the Internet

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:07:49 +0000

Cool It campaign. A new report, Clicking Clean: A Guide to Building the Green Internet identifies two major problems for companies who are moving to greener practices: 1. several critical data centre hubs must rely on monopoly electric utilities which provide only coal-generated electricity; and 2. the rapid rise of streaming video is driving significant growth in power use by data centers and network infrastructure. Profiles of the major tech companies show that Apple leads the way in the greening.]]>

Business Leaders endorse Carbon Pricing, an end to Fossil Fuel Subsidies, and Science-based GHG Reduction Targets

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:15:40 +0000

BUSINESS LEADERS ENDORSE CARBON PRICING, AN END TO FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES, AND SCIENCE-BASED GHG REDUCTION TARGETS : The Business and Climate Summit in Paris on May 20-21 was opened by the President of France, with the UN’s Ban Ki Moon in attendance, along with 2000 international business leaders, policymakers and investors. The final press release called on policymakers to leverage public funds and private sector finance towards low-carbon assets; to introduce carefully designed and predictable carbon pricing; and to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. Another business group, the Caring for Climate program within the UN Global Compact, issued a statement at the Summit which commits them to carbon pricing, to set long-term targets based on science, and to speak up publicly against negative lobbying on climate action. As part of this effort, the Science Based Targets Initiative, led by the Carbon Disclosure Project and WWF, released Mind the Science, and Sectoral Decarbonization Approach: A method for setting corporate emission reduction targets in line with climate science . Both reports are available here .]]>

IMF Report estimates Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies at $5.3 Trillion - More than global spending on Public Health

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:20:26 +0000

How Large are Global Energy Subsidies? reflects the shifting attitudes in the corporate world to the fossil fuel industry . A quote from the summary at the CBC website : “Described as a "post-tax" subsidy, the figure doesn't take into account the pre-tax incentives used to encourage exploration and production, and is still much larger than ever before calculated.”… “The fiscal implications are mammoth: At $5.3 trillion, energy subsidies exceed the estimated public health spending for the entire globe”. The report concludes that energy subsidy reform is urgently needed, and though not perfect, “energy taxes” are the most effective tool currently available .]]>

The Dangers of Stranded Assets and Carbon Bubbles

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:24:38 +0000

Stranded Assets, What Next?. The letter admits that coal and fossil fuel investments are highly likely to become stranded, and advises that there are “reputational as well as economic risks to staying invested”. A blog by the Pembina Institute summarizes the HSBC report and considers the dangers of stranded assets for Alberta. At the international level, G-20 leaders have asked the Financial Stability Board in Basel to convene a public-private inquiry into the dangers to the financial sector as climate rules become much stricter, and fossil fuel assets become stranded. All member countries have agreed to co-operate or carry out internal probes, including the United States, China, India, Russia, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. The investigation will be modeled on that commissioned by Mark Carney at the Bank of England, which is set to report in July 2015. See “G20: fossil fuel fears could hammer global financial system” in The Telegraph (April 29).]]>

Pension Funds ill-prepared for the risks of Stranded Assets

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:28:44 +0000

Risky Management ” at Corporate Knights magazine (April 29) provides a summary of the survey results. The full report is at the AODP website . The Asset Owners Disclosure Project (AODP) is an independent not-for-profit global organisation whose objective is to protect retirement savings and other long term investments from the risks posed by climate change. AODP and a London-based environmental law firm, ClientEarth, have announced they will work with pension fund members to challenge trustees and managers to fulfill their legal duty to protect investments from climate risk. The campaign could result in a test case to clarify the legal duties of pension fund fiduciaries.]]>

Update on the "Keep it in the Ground" Divestment Campaign at The Guardian newspaper

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:39:53 +0000

to Leading Health Charities should divest from Fossil Fuels say Climate Scientists at The Guardian news site (May 23). Information about the Divestment campaign is consolidated here; Sign the Divestment petition here. And watch for: another interactive feature of the Keep it in The Ground campaign at The Guardian, asking readers "How has your job been affected by climate change"... From the website: "We’d like you to complete the sentence “What I wish others knew about climate change ... ” using the form below and we will create an article with contributions from individuals around the world. "]]>

CANADIAN CLEAN TECH INDUSTRY – CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT NEEDS INVESTMENT

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:26:22 +0000

Canadian Clean Technology Industry Report at the Canadian Energy Summit in Toronto at the end of May. The report notes that more than 800 clean tech firms in Canada directly employed almost 50,000 people in 2013 – a growth rate of almost 21% since 2012, making the industry a bigger employer than the aerospace manufacturing sector, logging or pharmaceuticals and medical devices. 20% of workers in the industry are 30 years old or under. While current employment growth is encouraging, continued growth of the sector may not be assured, as the report documents a troubling loss of export markets. U.B.C.’s Sauder School of Business in “ The Ups and downs of Cleantech Venture Capital in B.C.” also casts doubt on the future of clean tech by contrasting the risk-averse culture of Canadian capital markets to that of the U.S. The interview concludes that “Without strategic changes brought on by the private sector and government, business will continue as usual.” – i.e. companies will continue to favour the U.S. over Canada as a place to invest. Case in point: the Obama administration announced “More than $4 Billion in Private Sector Commitments and Executive Actions to Scale up Investment in Clean Energy Innovation ” on June 16. Note also the analysis of the U.S. funding by The Guardian which states “.. arguably more important than the $4bn raised was the fine print: a new federal information source and new financing options for would-be investors.”]]>

ONTARIO’S NEW INFRASTRUCTURE LEGISLATION OPENS DOOR TO GOOD CONSTRUCTION CAREERS FOR YOUTH, IMMIGRANT, WOMEN, ABORIGINAL WORKERS THROUGH COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:31:29 +0000

commitment to invest $130 billion in public infrastructure over 10 years , the Ontario government passed the Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act, 2015 on June 4th. The Act states: “Infrastructure planning and investment should minimize the impact of infrastructure on the environment and respect and help maintain ecological and biological diversity, and infrastructure should be designed to be resilient to the effects of climate change.” And “Infrastructure planning and investment should endeavour to make use of acceptable recycled aggregates.” Regarding the workforce, it requires: “Infrastructure planning and investment should promote community benefits …. to improve the well-being of a community affected by the project, such as local job creation and training opportunities”. Steve Shallhorn, Executive Director of the Labour Education Centre and Chair of the Toronto Community Benefits Network states, “This is a huge step forward” in a Globe and Mail article (June 3 ) . The Toronto Network negotiated the Eglinton –Scarborough Crosstown Line Community Benefits Agreement with transit authority Metrolinx in 2013 . Their website provides “Definition of a CBA” and “CBA’s Here and Elsewhere” , which highlights models from Vancouver, Los Angeles, and other programs in Toronto. Separately, the City of Toronto Council recently passed a motion to consider inclusion of Community Benefits Agreements as part of the review of the city’s Social Procurement Policy for development and infrastructure projects, due at the end of 2015.]]>

U.S. CLEAN POWER PLAN AND ITS EMPLOYMENT IMPACTS

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:38:29 +0000

U.S. Clean Power Plan mandates a 30 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants by 2030, using the baseline year of 2005. The Plan, submitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the White House Office of Management and Budget on June 1, now proceeds to review and is expected to be finalized in August 2015 - when it is also expected that legal challenges will begin immediately. Good background reading about the CPP: The Clean Power Plan: A Climate Game Changer from the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Center for Energy and Climate Solutions website has compiled links to detailed documents, (including an April 2015 report on the impact of the CPP on Canadian hydropower exports to the U.S. .) Amidst the controversy, the Economic Policy Institute has released Employment Impacts of the Proposed Clean Power Plan in the U.S., by Josh Bivens. Bivens disputes the employment impact analysis done by the EPA. He concludes that the Clean Power Plan is likely to lead to a net increase in of roughly 360,000 jobs by 2020, but that the net job creation will diminish rapidly to approximately 15,000 jobs in 2030. Bivens differentiates between job-gaining and job-losing industries, and characterizes the workers in job-losing industries as less likely to have four-year college degrees, and substantially more likely to be unionized. He also points to a geographic concentration of gross job losses in poorer states. Another report, Assessment of the Economy-wide Employment Impacts of EPA’s Proposed Clean Power Plan was released by the University of Maryland in April 2015. Perhaps the most controversial on this topic: “Potential impact of Proposed EPA Regulations on Low Income Groups and Minorities”, was authored by Roger Bezdek and published by the National Black Chamber of Commerce in June . Its dire predictions include that by 2035, job losses would total 7 million for Blacks and nearly 12 million for Hispanics. The Bezdek study is roundly criticized by the Union of Concerned Scientists in “ New Flawed Study of the Clean Power Plan: How the MISI Study Gets It So Wrong” and by the National Resources Defense Council which states: “We should not let the polluter industry mislead us through the use of junk science and "mercenaries with PhDs" whose only goal is to prioritize polluter profits over the well-being and health of people.”]]>

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES: HOW AN INDC BASED ON 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY COULD BENEFIT CANADA, U.S., EU, CHINA AND JAPAN

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:42:40 +0000

Assessing the Achieved and Missed benefits of Countries’ National Contributions: Quantifying potential Co-benefits then presents scenarios for the U.S., China, the EU, Canada and Japan , comparing the impacts of each country’s stated Intended Nationally Determined Contribution targets (INDCs) with those that could be achieved through targets of 100% renewable energy in 2050. For Canada, the report projects that shifting to a 100% renewable energy system by 2050 could prevent 700 premature deaths, compared to 100 premature deaths under Canada’s INDC target , and could create approximately 5,000 additional jobs in the domestic renewable energy sector, compared to the 3,000 jobs predicted under Canada’s target scenario. The Canadian results are summarized in a separate 3 page document .]]>

INTERNATIONAL UNIONS LOBBYING FOR CLIMATE ACTION

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:48:12 +0000

Global Week of Action, from June 1 – 7, 2015. To support the campaign, the ITUC has released two Frontlines Briefing documents: Climate Justice: There are no Jobs on a Dead Planet (March 2015), and Climate Justice: Unions4Climate Action (May 2015) . In May, the ITUC also posted a Sustainlabour report, Reducing emissions from the Workplace and Creating Jobs: 4 European case studies, which describe commitments and proposals from British, Spanish, Belgian and German trade unions. As part of the Global Week of Action, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) sent a letter to Canada’s Environment Minister , urging Canada to participate ambitiously in the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, restating a commitment to a Just Transition for workers, and urging a national energy plan for a low-carbon economy. The ITUC is organizing a Union Climate Summit in Paris on September 14 – 15.]]>

DUTCH COURT RULES THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO ITS CITIZENS TO CUT EMISSIONS:

workinawarmingworld — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:53:46 +0000

BBC report , the court ruling was based on the judgement that under current policy, the Netherlands would only achieve a 17% reduction at most in 2020, which is less than other nations and less than the climate crisis demands. Where does that leave Canada? The BBC describes the case as “unexpected”, a “landmark”, and quotes a Greenpeace official who says “This is the start of a wave of climate litigation" . In fact, similar cases are being pursued already in Belgium and the Philippines . The arguments and progress of the case are thoroughly documented at the Urgenda website – Urgenda is the NGO which sponsored the class action lawsuit on behalf of 900 Dutch citizens.]]>

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN ALBERTA & BRITISH COLUMBIA

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 14:17:39 +0000

announced a $2 million investment in the province’s Municipal Climate Change Action Centre to promote energy efficiency and conservation initiatives led by local governments. The Alberta Energy Efficiency Alliance recently released a brief report, GHG Savings and Energy Efficiency High - Level Opportunity Analysis in Alberta , which forecasts that over 15,000 new jobs could be created in one year, provincial annual GDP increased by $3 billion, and nearly $200 million/year in additional tax revenue could be raised , if the Alberta government were to invest in energy efficiency to a level equivalent to other provinces. The Alberta study uses the same methodology as a Canada-wide study released in November 2014 by the Acadia Center, Energy Efficiency: Engine of Economic Growth in Canada. A Macroeconomic Modeling & Tax Revenue Impact Assessment . The Canada-wide study found that, for every $1 million invested in efficiency programs, 30 to 52 job-years are generated. Both studies were prepared by Dunksy Energy Consulting. Accelerating Energy Efficiency in BC’s Built Environment: Lessons from Massachusetts and California was released by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions at the end of May. The report compares the policy framework for energy efficiency in the three jurisdictions and concludes that B.C.’s Energy Efficient Buildings Strategy had merit when it was launched in 2008, but has lagged in success because it lacks accountability and public reporting mechanisms. Amongst the recommendations: “Appoint an expert, permanent and broad stakeholder representative Energy Efficiency Advisory Council to work with the province to develop, implement and ensure the delivery of an ambitious 20-year building energy efficiency strategy; Empower local communities via legislative changes to become niches for super-efficient buildings; Establish a transparent, deliberative process for setting utility energy savings targets that align with the province’s mitigation and market transformation goals.”]]>

WATER MANAGEMENT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 14:20:55 +0000

California’s Oranges and B.C.’s Apples? Lessons for B.C. from California Groundwater Reform was released in June by the Water Sustainability project of the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at the University of Victoria. Regulations under the 2014 Water Sustainability Act are currently under development. This report looks to the legislation in drought-wracked California., and based on that analysis, argues that there is an urgent need to begin piloting groundwater sustainability plans in critical watersheds in B.C.. It also recommends clear performance standards, timelines, and accountability for local decision-making bodies to ensure successful watershed or aquifer plans; and points to the importance of shared responsibility between senior government and local decision-makers.]]>

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF B.C. LNG DEVELOPMENT

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 14:24:44 +0000

A Clear Look at BC LNG: Energy Security, Environmental Implications and Economic Potential states that government claims of available gas supplies for export are greatly exaggerated, and that production would involved massive disruption, given that most wells would be fracked wells. Further, author David Hughes argues that is unlikely that anything close to the revenue projected by the BC government will ever be realized. And beyond the environmental dangers to the citizens of B.C., LNG will not reduce global GHG emissions: “From wellhead to final combustion, there are substantial leakages of methane, a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Given this, liquefied fracked gas from BC actually has GHG emission rates similar to coal.” Researchers who wish to pursue these concerns will welcome a new interactive planning tool, called the B.C. Shale Scenario Tool , available online at the Pembina Institute website. It allows users “ to quantify the potential impacts of shale gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) development in northeast B.C. in terms of carbon pollution, land disturbance, water use and wastewater.”]]>

OPPOSITION TO KINDER MORGAN’S TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE CONTINUES

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 14:35:09 +0000

compilation of stories about the highly unpopular project and the protests against it, available here . The project is currently under review by the National Energy Board with a recommendation to Cabinet expected in January 2016 – all official documents and proceedings are here . On May 26, the Tsleil-Waututh's First Nation, whose traditional territory includes Burrard Inlet, rejected the project . The City of Vancouver also formally opposes the project and released a report estimating the economic damage to the City from potential oil spills. On May 27, Unifor submitted evidence to the NEB, laying out the union’s reasons for its opposition, which include the environmental risks, but also relate to the economic interests of the union’s membership in the oil and gas sector and the B.C. commercial fishery. Unifor also criticized the narrow scope of the NEB review, which excludes consideration of the impacts of the pipeline project on workers and commercial interests as part of its “public interest” mandate. On June 1, a study released by Simon Fraser University and Living Oceans concluded that the public interest is not served by the project. Public Interest Evaluation of the Trans Mountain Expansion tests a variety of economic scenarios, and concludes that the project will result in a net cost to Canada that ranges between $4.1 and $22.1 billion, mainly because it will create excess pipeline capacity, and because of the enormous environmental risks.]]>

Canadian Reaction to Pope's Encyclical

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 15:56:12 +0000

The global press has made the Pope's June 18th Encyclical, Care for our Common Home, a headline event, although Canadian reaction has been surprisingly quiet. Prime Minister Harper has made no official reaction; the most complete press coverage came from the CBC "Pope Francis Urges Decisive Climate Change Action". One might expect an official reaction to be forthcoming from Kairos, the Canadian ecumenical group. The National Observer summary of reactions to the leaked version of the Encyclical is here. The New York Times ran several stories, including "Championing Environment, Pope Francis takes aim at Global Capitalism" (June 18) and "Pope Francis May Find Wariness Among U.S. Bishops on Climate Change" (June 13). Laudato Si is available from the Vatican website. ]]>

OPEN LETTERS FROM CIVIL SOCIETY: CANADA AND AUSTRALIA

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:00:42 +0000

Open Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper was released by a group of Canadian and U.S. academics, including high-profile names such as Marc Jaccard (Simon Fraser University), Thomas Homer Dixon, ( University of Waterloo), David Schindler, (University of Alberta), Shawn Marshall, (University of Calgary’s Canada Research Chair in Climate Change). The Letter provides 10 reasons, based on science, for its demand that : “No new oil sands or related infrastructure projects should proceed unless consistent with an implemented plan to rapidly reduce carbon pollution, safeguard biodiversity, protect human health, and respect treaty rights.” In Australia on June 16, an Open Letter signed by civil society groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Oxfam, Environmental Farmers Network, and Friends of the Earth urged the government to adopt a zero carbon emissions target, and stressed the economic benefits of moving towards renewables.]]>

CARBON TAXES: THE POPE’S MORAL POSITION AND THE SECULAR ANALYSIS

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:04:00 +0000

Pope’s Encyclical of June 2015 was clear: “The strategy of buying and selling “carbon credits” can lead to a new form of speculation which would not help reduce the emission of polluting gases worldwide. This system seems to provide a quick and easy solution under the guise of a certain commitment to the environment, but in no way does it allow for the radical change which present circumstances require. Rather, it may simply become a ploy which permits maintaining the excessive consumption of some countries and sectors. ” Yet economists continue to take an interest: new analysis by B.Murray and Nic Rivers, released by Duke University, reviews the studies to date on the economic effects of British Columbia’s carbon tax, and discovers “little net impact” either for or against economic growth in the province. See British Columbia’s Revenue-Neutral Carbon Tax: A Review of the Latest ‘Grand Experiment’ in Environmental Policy . And in June, the Ecofiscal Commission released a brief, The Way Forward for Ontario: Design Principles for Ontario’s New Cap-and-Trade System which outlines four fundamental principles of good cap-and-trade design for Ontario, based on their April report.]]>

IF NORWAY CAN DIVEST FROM COAL ASSETS, WHEN WILL THE CANADA PENSION PLAN RECOGNIZE THE RISKS?

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:08:42 +0000

New York Times (June 5) “ Norway’s $890 billion government pension fund, considered the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, will sell off many of its investments related to coal, making it the biggest institution yet to join a growing international movement to abandon at least some fossil fuel stocks.” Yet a June 15th Special Report in The Guardian, “ Coal Crash: How Pension Funds Face Huge Risk from Climate Change ” highlights the coal assets held by the public pension funds of South Africa, Netherlands, U.S. teachers, and Canada, and estimates that Canada’s Pension Plan Investment Fund holds $590m in coal-related investments. The report includes private asset management companies as well, with BlackRock as the clear leader with $24.5billion in coal. The June 14th article in the Globe and Mail, “Campaigns to Divest from Fossil-Fuel Holdings Gain Steam” describes divestment by Canadian universities and the United Church of Canada, but makes no mention of pension funds. Helpful reading on the growing trend away from coal: Chapter 3, “Closing the Coal Plants” in The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy from the Earth Policy Institute ; a series by Inside Climate News “Coal’s Long Goodbye: Dispatches from the War on Carbon”, and “Big Oil takes on King Coal: The Climate Fight Shifts Gears” , a May 28 article from the National Observer in Vancouver, which argues that the petroleum industry will abandon its partner, coal, in the fight for its share of the world’s carbon budget.]]>

31% OF THE WORLD’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM 32 ENERGY COMPANIES

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:11:58 +0000

Global 500 Greenhouse Gas Report: The Fossil Fuel Energy Sector, 31% of the world’s annual GHG emissions can be attributed to the operations and use of the products of 32 companies, ranked in the report. It is important to note that the calculations include emissions from “scope 3 use of product”, which accounts for the high percentage, and which leads the authors to state: “It is these companies’ value chains, and their customers in particular (which includes all fossil fuel users), which bear a burden of leadership and environmental stewardship, and it is the purpose of this report to bring transparency to the role of this sector to help us all manage our collective GHG footprint.” Of the named companies, Gazprom was the single biggest emitter, producing 1.26 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2013, (roughly equivalent to Japan's annual emissions). Coal India was 2nd by far, producing 820 million tonnes. The next biggest emitters, in rank order: Glencore, Petrochina, Rosneft, Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil.]]>

G7 MEETINGS HISTORIC FOR UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT TO PHASE OUT FOSSIL FUELS

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:17:10 +0000

“Just what did the G-7 Leaders Decide about Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment?” in a thorough summary of the communiques from the G7 meetings in Germany in June 2015. All the official documents from the meetings are here. In “ G7 Fossil Fuel Pledge is a Diplomatic Coup for Germany's 'Climate Chancellor' ”(June 8), The Guardian calls the leaders of Japan and Canada, “ climate recalcitrants” and applauds the fact that even Canada has agreed to the G7 plan to phase out fossil fuels by the end of the century. The press release from Prime Minister Harper’s office on June 8 however, doesn’t mention that pledge amongst the achievements of the G7. "Canada commits to G7 plan to end use of fossil fuels" in the Globe and Mail (June 8) hints at Mr. Harper's lack of enthusiasm.]]>

TWO IMPORTANT GLOBAL ENERGY UPDATES

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:21:28 +0000

Renewables 2015 Global Status Report provides up to date data on the global renewable energy industry and policy landscape. It credits China’s increased use of renewable energy and the OECD’s progress for “landmark ‘decoupling’ in 2014 – For the first time in four decades, the world economy grew without a parallel rise in CO₂emissions. “ From the International Energy Agency, the World Energy Outlook Special Report on Energy and Climate Change presents a detailed assessment of the energy sector impact of known and signalled IDNC national climate pledges for the COP21 meetings, and concludes that they will be insufficient to meet the 2 degree C goal. The report states, “A transformation of the world’s energy system must become a uniting vision if the 2°C climate goal is to be achieved.” The IEA sets out “four pillars for success” in that endeavour.]]>

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MEDIA IS ENHANCED BY COOPERATION

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:25:31 +0000

Climate Publishers Network was launched. More than two dozen international news publishers agree to freely share climate change-related news content for 6 months, until December 11 , the final day of the UN Climate Change Summit in Paris. It is coordinated by the Global Editors Network, and also spearheaded by The Guardian in the U.K., and El Pais of Madrid. Montreal's La Presse is a founding member, and the Toronto Star is in the process of signing up, joining a group that includes India Today, The Seattle Times, China Daily, The Sydney Morning Herald , The Irish Times, and others. See “Media failing on Climate-Change Coverage” in the Toronto Star (May 31).]]>

Better Health for Workers: Green Offices, Factories and Hospitals can Help, but What is the Future for Outdoor Workers?

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:26:08 +0000

“Green Buildings and Health”appears in the September issue of Current Environmental Health Reports, and investigates indoor air quality in offices, factories, and hospitals, as well as homes. The authors, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, state that evidence points to superior air quality in green buildings versus non-green buildings, resulting in direct health benefits for the occupants. They propose a framework for identifying direct, objective and leading “Health Performance Indicators” for use in future studies of buildings and health. Concerning outdoor workers, a study led by Sir David King, the U.K. Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative for Climate Change, is relevant. Climate Change: A Risk Assessment is a broad study, but includes discussion of heat stress, and the elevated risk which workers face. Using the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety thresholds regarding Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures (WBGT), , the King report defines an environment as ‘too hot to work’ if the average daily maximum WBGT is 36°C or more for a month. The report states that climate change will likely increase the probability of crossing that temperature threshold in North India, Southeast China, and Southeast USA. Other studies examining the impact of climate change on human health were released over the summer: “Unraveling the Relationship between Climate Change and Health " in the New York Times (July 14); “Health and climate change: policy responses to protect public health” in The Lancet (June)(registration required); and Climate Change and Public Health, a book edited by Barry S. Levy and Jonathan A. Patz, available from Oxford University Press . It has a chapter on occupational health. Finally, “Health and climate benefits of different energy-efficiency and renewable energy choices” was published in Nature Climate Change (August 31) The study by Harvard’s Center for Health and the Global Environment showed that “energy efficiency measures and low-carbon energy sources can save a region between $5.7 million and $210 million annually, based on the accepted dollar value of human life. Those benefits depend on the type of low-carbon energy involved and the population density of the area surrounding a coal-fired power plant whose emissions are reduced by a clean energy project.”]]>

Pension Fund Managers Get It

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:33:34 +0000

Climate Change and the Fiduciary Duties of Pension Fund Trustees in Canada was written by the Toronto law firm Koskie Minsky LLP for SHARE (Shareholder Association for Research and Education) . Released on September 8, it examines the legal responsibilities of pension trustees, with an emphasis on British Columbia, and considers the interface with public policy and governments . Concurrently, SHARE and NEI Investments issued a public letter to the Premier of Alberta, stating “We encourage the Government of Alberta to keep carbon pricing as a central tenet of future carbon policy.” It also urges the government to diversity the economy and to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. The letter was signed by institutional investors and related bodies representing over $4.6trillion in assets under management, most notably the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, the B.C. Teachers Federation, California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the Pension Plan for the Employees of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Pension Plan for the Employees of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and investment and financial officials from churches around the world and across denominations. Pension fund managers have lots to think about, as business-oriented reports continue to warn about the financial risks of climate change and stranded assets. The Koskie Minsky paper acknowledges the influence of the analysis of Mercer Investment Consulting , Investing in a time of Climate Change (2015), and an earlier 2011 Mercer report. Publications over Summer 2015 include: Carbon Asset Risk Discussion Framework (published by World Resources Institute and the UNEP Finance, partly funded by the Bank of America Foundation, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., and Wells Fargo Foundation); The Cost of Inaction: Recognising the value at risk from climate change ( from the Economist Intelligence Unit); and Energy Darwinism II: Why a Low Carbon Future Doesn’t Have to Cost the Earth , (from a division of Citi Bank). A recent report by Trillium Asset Management found that California’s public pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS, had incurred a massive loss of more than $5 billion last year from their holdings in the top 200 fossil fuel companies. Legislation passed the California Assembly on September 2 to force CalPERS and CalSTRS to divest their holdings in coal; Governor Brown has until October to sign the Bill.]]>

Clean Energy Advances in the U.S. with Landmark Clean Power Plan

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:43:31 +0000

finalized Clean Power Plan , which goes even further than the draft version in requiring the states to source 28 percent of their power from renewables by 2030. The U.S. Congressional Research Service published EPA’s Clean Power Plan: Highlights of the Final Rule August 14, 2015 to summarize the document and highlight the differences from the Proposed Rules. The National Resources Defense Council also released an Issue Brief, Understanding the Clean Power Plan , and stated “The plan represents the most important step the United States can take right now to combat climate change and help spur climate action around the globe.” Labor Network for Sustainability provides a union view in The EPA Clean Power Plan, Jobs and Labor , and The EPA’s Clean Power Plan: How Unions and Allies can protect affected workers , both of which discuss the role labor unions can play in lobbying for transition funds and programs for workers in the fossil fuel industry. At the federal level, LNS envisions federal Just Transition programs, modeled after the Base Realignment and Closing Commission (BRAC) initiatives operated by the Department of National Defense when military bases were closed. At the state level, the report urges unions to build alliances among environmentalists, labor, and environmental justice advocates to lobby for Clean Power Plans which incorporate climate justice objectives. See also: "The Very Real Impact of the Clean Power Plan" (Aug. 14) in Corporate Knights magazine, which refutes the negative reaction by Michael Grunwald of Politico , and concludes that “… to dismiss it as insignificant ignores the data and the political context. As the country sees the health and economic benefits of an accelerating movement toward renewable energy, we can expect greater openness to more aggressive actions. We are engaged in a process.” That’s clear from the timeline published by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. The WCR published an earlier summary of studies of the employment impacts of the CPP, including the widely cited report by Josh Bivens. Further, the Obama administration announced initiatives at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas on August 24. Highlights: an additional $1 billion in loan guarantee authority for distributed energy projects using innovative technology, such as rooftop solar and methane capture for oil and gas wells; expansion of the residential clean energy financing program, which makes loans to homeowners who want to purchase home energy improvements; and $24 million to 11 solar research projects.]]>

Updates on Climate Change Action in Cities:

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:48:30 +0000

Accelerating Low-Carbon Development in the World’s Cities was released by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate on September 8. It estimates financial savings of $17 trillion by 2050 if cities around the world invest in low-carbon policies such as public transport, building efficiency, and waste management. A summary at Sustainable Cities Collective points out the positive impact of cooperative relationships at the municipal level – such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), and the Compact of Mayors, and calls for additional support at the federal level. On September 17, CDP (formerly the Climate Disclosure Project) and AECOM released their global survey of cities , showing that Latin American and European cities are the least reliant on fossil fuels for their electricity. In Canada, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) recently released the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) 2014–2015 Annual Report , which gives an overview of funded green projects using a triple bottom line approach. And the City of Toronto has launched a new 2-year initiative, Transform TO to consult with citizens to arrive at new policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.]]>

Highlights of Climate and Energy Policy Changes from Summer 2015:

workinawarmingworld — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 01:13:54 +0000

Alberta: The Climate Change Advisory Panel was appointed and a consultation process begun, based on the Climate Leadership Discussion Document . The Pembina Institute issued a backgrounder, Opportunities to Improve Alberta's climate strategy (Aug. 21) and convened a Alberta Climate Summit on September 9 including a variety of stakeholders. In late summer, a Royalty Review Advisory Panel was appointed to examine and lead public discussion concerning royalties for crude oil and liquids, natural gas, and oil sands. British Columbia: A review of the Climate Leadership Plan began in July, with the release of a Discussion Paper. In December 2015, a draft Plan will be released for public comment, with a final Climate Leadership Plan promised for Spring 2016. Also in July, a consultation period began re proposed regulations under the Greenhouse Gas Industrial Reporting and Control Act , expected to come into force in Fall 2015. In a special session of the Legislature in July, the B.C. government passed controversial legislation which sets the terms for the $36 billion Pacific Northwest LNG project at Lelu Island. British Columbia, as a member of the Pacific Coast Collaborative (PCC), joined with California, Oregon, and Washington, to launch the West Coast Electric Fleets initiative , “a toolkit for public and private fleet managers to quickly assess opportunities for ZEVs and access useful incentives and resources to assist with procurement.” Nova Scotia and British Columbia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 21, pledging to share research and technology related to tidal energy. Nova Scotia discontinued its Community Feed-in Tariff (COMFIT) program for local renewable projects on August 6. A DeSmog blog article provides background and details. The government promises a new electricity policy, including for renewables, in Fall 2015. Ontario: In July, Ontario and Quebec jointly hosted the Climate Summit of the Americas, which resulted in the signing of a Climate Action Statement by Ontario and 22 other states and regions. Feeling the Heat: Greenhouse Gas Progress Report 2015 was released by the Acting Environmental Commissioner on July 7, stating that, although Ontario met its GHG reduction targets for 2014, it is unlikely to achieve its 2020 targets with the current policies in place. Ontario Climate Change Lab: Solutions for Ontario’s Climate Challenge reports on a one-day multi-stakeholder workshop that produced a series of actionable recommendations for the provincial government to include in its climate change strategy. Quebec: On September 11, Quebec and Ontario signed Memoranda of Agreement regarding increased trade in electricty, and collaboration on the cap and trade system currently under development in Ontario. They also committed to attend COP21 in Paris, to which end, the government of Quebec, on September 17, proposed Canada’s most ambitious target for greenhouse gas emissions reduction - 37.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. The proposal follows the recommendations of the Climate Change Advisory panel , tabled in the Legislatureon the 17th. (in French only). In August, Quebec, California, and The Netherlands announced the launch of the International Zero-Emission Vehicle Alliance (ZEV Alliance) to accelerate global adoption of electric vehicles. The press release states that the number of ZEVs registered in Quebec has increased by 134 percent over the last 16 months, thanks largely to government incentives and a well-developed public charging infrastructure. Atlantic Provinces and U.S. Governors : Adopted a regional target of shrinking carbon pollution by 35% - 45% below 1990 levels by 2030 at the 39th annual meeting of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP). And around the World: Australia: Bipartisan agreement brought about the new Renewable Energy Target legislation on June 23, after an 18 month review. A new GHG reduction target of 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 was announced on August 11, and is included in the Australian government INDC submission to the UNFCC in advance of the Paris climate talks. The New Scientist compares this to the U.S. pledge of 41 per cent by 2030, and the UK by 48 per cent (converting to Australia’s 2005 baseline year). The Climate Action Tracker website analyses the goals and ranks them “inadequate”. At the end of June, the Australian Climate Roundtable was formed through the alliance of major Australian business, union, research, environment, investor and social groups, including the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Industry Group, the Business Council of Australia, The Climate Institute, the Energy Supply Association of Australia, the Investor Group on Climate Change and WWF Australia. On September 14th came the stunning news that Tony Abbott had been replaced as Prime Minister by Malcolm Turnbull. However, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on September 15 that Turnbull has signaled no change to Australia’s climate policies. China : China submitted its climate action plan to the UNFCC on June 30, vowing to peak its emissions by 2030 at the latest, to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP to 60-65 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, to increase renewable and nuclear power to 20 percent of the country's energy portfolio, and to increase its forest cover by 4.5 billion cubic meters from 2005 levels by 2030. European Union: The EU restructured its Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) as part of the renewal of its Energy Union Strategy .The European Commission announced changes to the Emission Trading Scheme on July 15 . Under the new plan, only 50 economic sectors (including heavy industries such as steel and cement manufacturing) will receive free allowances, down from the current 177. France: The Energy Transition for Green Growth legislation was approved on July 22, with far-reaching provisions: a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% between 1990 and 2030 ; to halve the country's energy usage by 2050, with a reduced share of fossil fuels in energy production, a cap on nuclear power at 63.2 gigawatts and a goal of 32% of energy production from renewables , and a four-fold increase of the carbon tax on fossil fuel use, to €56 per ton in 2020 and €100 in 2030. The Netherlands: On Sept. 1, the Dutch government announced it will appeal the Courts' June decision in the landmark Urgenda case. United Kingdom: The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change announced surprising cuts to its renewable energy programs, including solar PV, biomass conversion, and a consultation re changes to the Feed-in-tariff program. Cuts to subsidies to off-shore wind farms had been announced in June . As a result, “UK drops out of top 10 renewable energy ranking for first time” according to the latest quarterly report of EY consultants on September 16. Meanwhile, fracking continues to gain government favour in the U.K., with the third of a series of task force reports released on September 17. And on September 17, the U.K. government announced that Prime Minister David Cameron has appointed a former consultant to major oil and gas companies as his key adviser on energy and environment policy heading into the U.N. Paris climate talks. This, in spite of the fact that 24 of Britain’s learned scientific societies issued a joint communique on July 23, urging the British government to curb greenhouse gas emissions through drastic reductions in the burning of fossil fuels, and a shift towards energy efficiency and renewable energy. Two substantial reports on climate change risks and policy were tabled in the House of Commons over the summer: Reducing emissions and preparing for climate change: 2015 Progress Report to Parliament (June 30) ; and Climate Change: A Risk Assessment .]]>

The Green Economy includes Women and the Services Sector

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 17:51:30 +0000

Women and Environments International Magazine (Winter 2014/2015) is devoted to Women and Work in a Warming World (W4) . Co-editors Marjorie Griffin Cohen and Patricia Perkins state: “it is crucial that governments and policy makers (and even environmentalists) broaden the view of what would constitute a ‘green economy’ to include a greater emphasis on care work and the services sectors. This would shift the typical policy focus from an emphasis on cleaning up dirty industries (which of course needs to be done), to including and promoting a more rational society designed to meet people’s fundamental needs: physical, political and social well-being. If a ‘green economy’ meant not just cleaner energy and transportation, but structural sustainability, women’s work would be clearly situated as central in bringing about this transition.” The issue articles include “Opportunities and Constraints for Women in the Renewable Energy Sector in India”, “Gender in Government Actions on Climate Change and Work: the U.S. example”, “Are There Jobs for Women in Green Job Creation?” (re Canada), and “Women and Low Energy Construction in Europe: A New Opportunity?”.]]>

How Green are Electric Vehicles?

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 18:03:10 +0000

“The Battery Revolution is exciting, but Remember they Pollute too” in The Conversation (June 2) also raises a bigger question: “For a technology to be seriously considered ‘green,’ the processes by which the tech is produced and the ways in which it operates, must also be ‘green.’” The authors then discuss the detrimental health consequences of the mining and manufacture of lithium ion batteries, which is the focus of a spin-off article in the National Observer, “ Your green Car could cause Black Rain in China” . Yet there are emission savings to be made, according to researchers from the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, who released the results of their investigation into Canadian consumer attitudes to electric vehicles in July. Electrifying Vehicles: Insights From The Canadian Plug-in Electric Vehicle Study states that “With today’s electricity grids, usage of PEVs can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80—98% in British Columbia, around 45% in Alberta, and 58—70% in Ontario.” In August, Quebec, California, and The Netherlands announced the launch of the International Zero-Emission Vehicle Alliance (ZEV Alliance) to accelerate global adoption of electric vehicles. The press release states uses the term "zero emission vehicles", and states that the number of ZEVs registered in Quebec has increased by 134 percent over the last 16 months, thanks largely to government incentives and a well-developed public charging infrastructure.]]>

U.S. Updates the Social Cost of Carbon to $36 Per Ton

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:35:02 +0000

White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) set the new 2015 Social Cost of Carbon at $36/ton of CO2, representing the cost of the damage to society caused by one ton of carbon dioxide emission. At the same time, the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon released its formal response to the comments and letters submitted during the most recent public comment period in 2013 in Response to Comments: Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866 .]]>

Job Impacts of Infrastructure, Transit, Clean Energy

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:03:48 +0000

JOB IMPACTS OF TRANSIT, INFRASTRUCTURE, CLEAN ENERGY: The Economic Benefits of Public Infrastructure Spending in Canada released by the Broadbent Institute on September 15 includes transit in its definition of public infrastructure – along with highways, and water supply and wastewater treatment facilities. It concludes that a public infrastructure program can help an investment-led economic expansion. Employment impacts vary over short-term and long-term, but the report estimates a short-term job multiplier effect of 9.4 jobs generated per million dollars spent. The study concludes that “while employment gains may be limited, businesses are more productive and competitive, and workers earn higher real wages: up 0.4–0.6 per cent a year on average”. The Benefits of Transit in the United States: A Review and Analysis of Benefit-Cost Studies concludes that jobs and economic stimulus are among the largest benefit categories from transit investments, not only in urbanized areas but in small urban and rural areas also. The report recommends that greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and other important but undervalued transit benefits categories should be considered in future studies. A brief report released in August by the Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy at the University of California, Berkeley estimates the jobs created from California’s renewable energy investments from 2003 through 2014, and forecasts job creation between 2015 and 2030 as the state works to meet its 50% renewables portfolio standard (RPS). Job Impacts of California’s Existing and Proposed Renewables Portfolio Standard includes jobs related to the construction, but not maintenance and operation, of renewable energy facilities. In June, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) jointly released a 2-volume report which examines the policy frameworks needed for development of large-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Global Green Growth: Clean Energy Industrial Investment and Expanding Job Opportunities (Volume 1 ) presents Overall Findings. Volume 2 assesses the employment impacts of the developments in Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, and the Republic of Korea.]]>

Unions demand Just Transition and Climate Justice at COP21

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:07:56 +0000

Trade U nion Climate Summit was held in Paris on September 14th and 15th, organized by the International Trade Union Confederation. It included a session on Alliances: Walking Together and More, presented by Canadians Jerry Dias, (President of Unifor), Naomi Klein, (author of This Changes Everything), and Hassan Yussuff, (President of the Canadian Labour Congress), as well as Kumi Naidoo, (CEO of Greenpeace International). The Summit issued three topline demands for the Paris Agreement , calling on negotiators at COP21 to: “put back the language of just transition that has been stripped from the draft agreement; raise ambition before 2020 and invest in the potential of jobs and climate action and commit to a binding review of effort; support the most vulnerable with the promised financial commitments.”]]>

Green Growth and Climate Justice Considered

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:10:14 +0000

Towards a Social-ecological Transition. Solidarity in the Age of Environmental Challenge concludes with “Ten Proposals for a social-ecological transition”, which include: Re-think working time; Develop rights for the transition; Measure the quality of new jobs; Embark on the third tax revolution; Develop local social-ecological indicators and policies.]]>

Energy East Pipeline is not worth the Risks

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:18:27 +0000

Energy East Pipeline is Not Worth the Risks: The Ontario Energy Board released the conclusions from an 18-month study and consultation on August 13. A Review of the Economic Impact of Energy East on Ontario considered the impacts on tax revenue and local employment, and concluded that “there is an imbalance between the economic and environmental risks of the project and the expected benefits for Ontarians”. The greatest concerns were expressed about potential gas shortages as the pipeline switches from transporting natural gas to oil, proximity to important waterways, and the need for up-to-date technology to prevent and mitigate spills. Employment impacts were difficult to estimate because of lack of data from the Trans Canada proposal, but were considered minimal, especially in Northern Ontario. The final report was prepared by researchers at the Mowat Centre and University of Toronto; consultants’ reports and submissions are available online at the Consultation website, including the Canada’s Building Trades Unions submission. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick describes the natural environment and thriving fishery and tourism industry in its August report, Tanker Traffic and Tar Balls: What TransCanada’s Energy East Pipeline means for the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine . The report cites the dangers to whales increased noise and traffic in already busy shipping lanes, as well as the greater danger of an oil spill. Further, it cites research that states that oil dispersants can by 52 times more toxic than spilled oil to certain marine species. It concludes with 9 recommendations for further consultation, research, and environmental protection legislation. The Council of Canadians also exposed the dangers of Energy East oil spills to waterways across Canada in a 2014 report, Energy East: Where Oil meets Water.]]>

RGGI Carbon Market in the Northeast : An Example of Decoupled Growth

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:20:56 +0000

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has allowed the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States to achieve significant reductions in CO2 emissions while providing economic benefits through the reinvestment of the proceeds from the auctions of carbon allowances. Since 2009, when RGGI began, the emissions in RGGI states dropped by 35% , compared to 12% in non-RGGI states. At the same time, the rate of economic growth in RGGI states was 21.2%, compared to 18.2% in non-RGGI states. Read RGGI: A Model Program for the Power Sector -2015 Update . ]]>

Climate Change Issues in the Canadian Federal Election

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:31:44 +0000

"Canada’s Carbon Moment has arrived" . From their article: “Mr. Harper’s carbon-fuelled energy agenda hasn’t worked out, and that’s put the Canadian economy in precarious shape. But this critical moment of economic and environmental crisis is an opportunity for Canada to confront the reality, costs and urgency of climate change, and find solutions that will both reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and contribute to the economy. This is a challenge that every party in the current campaign should address." On September 15, prominent environmentalists stepped into the campaign with the release of the LEAP Manifesto Canada: A Call for Canada Based on Caring for the Earth and One Another. The Manifesto puts Aboriginal rights at the forefront of the climate debate, calls for energy democracy and a bottom-up revival of democracy, declares austerity “ a fossilized form of thinking that has become a threat to life on earth”, and enumerates clean energy projects and means to pay for them. LEAP is supported by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, which published a companion report, We Can Afford the Leap , offering more detail about specific sources of revenue to accomplish the Manifesto goals . The Canadian Union of Public Employees has also endorsed the Manifesto. An article in The Guardian is titled: "The Leap Manifesto isn't Radical: It's a way out of Canada's head-in-the-sand Politics " . Some websites dedicated to climate issues in the election: Green Pac ; Environmental Laws Matter , 350.org Campaign , or Anyone but Harper, a guide to strategic voting to defeat the Harper government.]]>

Dutch Government Announces it will appeal the landmark Urgenda Climate Change Decision

workinawarmingworld — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 19:42:55 +0000

reported in the June WCR , the courts of the Netherlands ruled that the government has a legal duty of care to its citizens to improve the environment, and ordered the government to cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020. However, on September 1, the Dutch government announced it would appeal the decision. Environmentalists around the world have been inspired by the implications for their own legal systems: see “Around the world in five climate lawsuits” . A sampling of thought from Canada: Dutch climate court win – What does it mean for Canada? (June 26) at and Dutch Judicial Lessons for Canada (West Coast Environmental Law ); What the Dutch Climate Court win means for Canada (Ecojustice); Exciting developments in Climate Change Law (Alberta Environmental Law Centre); "Are countries legally required to protect their citizens from climate change?" (Corporate Knights , July 28). And most recently, the reports sparked by a public lecture in Toronto by Roger Cox, Urgenda lawyer: “Dutch climate lawsuit could work in Canada: lawyer” in The Tyee (Sept. 15); and “Canadian Courts could face Climate Change cases in wake of Dutch ruling” Globe and Mail (Sept. 14). From Australia: Could Australians sue for climate action ?. For a U.S. viewpoint, see The Enormous Significance For Climate Law and Ethics Of a Dutch Court’s Order Requiring the Netherlands To Reduce Its GHG Emissions by 25% by 2020 at the Ethics and Climate website. From a legal viewpoint, The Urgenda decision: Balanced constitutionalism in the face of climate change? (Oxford University Press). Watch the Urgenda Foundation website for news of the appeal by the Dutch government.]]>

Community Input to the Sustainable Canada Dialogue on a Low-Carbon Economy

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:01:34 +0000

In March 2015, Sustainable Canada Dialogues (SCD) released Acting on Climate Change: Solutions from Canadian Scholars - a "consensus paper" which compiled proposals for a national climate action plan from 60 Canadian academics. On October 8, SCD followed up with the release of Acting on Climate Change: Extending the Dialogue Among Canadians - which compiles the formal responses from First Nations, businesses, NGOs, labour, youth and private citizens, organized into topics which include Employment and Labour, Social Justice, Indigenous Perspectives, Reinventing Cities, Renewable Energy Challenges, Youth, and more. Highlight papers: "The role of workers in the transition to a low-carbon economy"; "Protect the Environment by Doing More Work, Not Less" by Lana Payne and Jim Stanford of Unifor, Comments by Andrea Harden-Donahue on behalf of the Council of Canadians; and "Envisioning a Good Green Life in British Columbia: Lessons From the Climate Justice Project" by Marc Lee of the CCPA. The report was accompanied by an Open Letter to the Leaders of Canada's federal parties, and is signed by the participating academics. Catherine Potvin from McGill University, who spearheads Sustainable Canada Dialogues, states that the goal was to "provide the seed for an inclusive, country-wide consultation on the best ways for Canada to transition toward a low-carbon, sustainable economy and society". The overview report, Agir sur les changements climatiques: vers un dialogue élargi à la société civile canadienne, and individual papers are available in French. ]]>

Employment Impacts of Reinstating annual increases to B.C. Carbon Tax

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:04:36 +0000

A proposal made at the September 2015 convention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities called for a reinstatement of an annual increase to the provincial carbon tax, at the rate of $5 per tonne, with new revenues invested in local climate programs such as transit and infrastructure. The carbon tax had been structured with this annual $5 per tonne increase when it was introduced in 2008, but has been frozen at 2012 levels. Although the resolution was defeated by a narrow vote, the new economic impact research which supported it is of interest. Commissioned by the Pembina Institute and conducted by Navius Research, the modeling showed that the $5 per tonne annual increase would stimulate economic growth by an average of 2.1% per year until 2030, creating approximately 850,000 new jobs, reducing B.C.'s carbon pollution by 2.1 million tonnes, and saving households an average $1,200 per year.

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The Boom in Green Construction, and Energy Efficient Buildings

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:06:56 +0000

According to a report prepared for the U.S. Green Building Council by consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, the green construction industry is currently outpacing traditional construction, and will be responsible for 38% of all construction jobs in the U.S. by 2018. The 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study measures gross domestic product (GDP), jobs, labour earnings, individual states' tax contributions and environmental indicators for green building and LEED construction, at the state and national level. The report is free, but requires registration to download.

Pembina Institute released a series of reports about energy efficiency and net-zero buildings over the summer of 2015, to contribute to B.C.'s Climate Leadership consultations. The most recent, concerning passive houses, were presented at the North American Passive House Network conference in Vancouver in October. Barriers and solutions to near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) and High Performance envelope in Europe and North America notes the role of work practices, lack of training, and regulatory barriers. Programs or Policies in North America that have Encouraged Passive Houses lists examples of changes to procurement policies, building codes, and permitting practices which have encouraged the growth of passive houses; most examples are for Vancouver and the west coast of the U.S.

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Job creation impacts of Energy Efficiency Programs: Best practices for measurement

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:10:18 +0000

A September 2015 report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy reviews the current methodologies used in studying the job creation impacts of energy efficiency programs, with a view to establishing best practice and a model framework for future analyses. Verifying Energy Efficiency Job Creation: Current Practices and Recommendations classifies, explains, and compares the methodologies currently in use in North America, as either top-down (modelling) or bottom-up (head-count). It then examines several exemplary studies, including two from Canada: the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) study of its Industrial Accelerator Program (IAP), a financial incentive and resource acquisition program started in 2010, and a study of Efficiency Nova Scotia, which measured the economic impact (in employment, payroll, and GDP) of organizations in the province's energy efficiency sector. ]]>

TUC Report calls for a Just Transition with "Skilled work at its heart"

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:18:49 +0000

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Greenpeace released a joint report on October 19, Green Collar Nation: A Just Transition to a Low Carbon Economy. Acknowledging that the TUC and the environment movement have had their differences in the past, this report looks to a future which identifies "the shared agenda of managing the costs and reaping the benefits of the move towards a cleaner and stronger economy". The report cites several U.K. economic studies of the potential of clean energy and new technologies such as carbon capture and storage, discusses the differences between TUC and Greenpeace policies re the aviation industry, and makes practical recommendations for energy and climate policy. The spirit of the paper lies in a concluding statement: "Drawing on the key pillars proposed by the International Trades Union Congress (ITUC) for a just transition, we have argued in this paper for a transition that puts skilled work at its heart. Achieving this transition cannot rely on a political narrative of guilt, debt and punishment, either at an individual or national level. Instead it should build on the politics of the common good, seeking active co-operation in solving a shared problem, developed through strong relationships, robust institutions and the harnessing of technological innovation and optimism wherever it can".

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What's the best way to Motivate Action about Climate Change?

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:22:08 +0000

News Media and Climate Politics: Civic Engagement and Political Efficacy in a Climate of Reluctant Cynicism was released by the B.C. Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in September 2015. It reports the results of seven focus groups from Vancouver who were selected for high levels of awareness about climate change but relatively low levels of political engagement. The responses indicate that positive, optimistic attitudes result from news of success stories, especially concrete examples which illustrate the connection between individual and collective actions. Local information is more engaging; description is more powerful than prescription; and providing information about how to engage politically is just as important as motivating the desire to do so. In addition to the empirical results, this report provides valuable context about other climate change communications research, especially the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. For an easy-to-read summary of some of Yale's insights, see the September interview of the Director, Anthony Leiserowitz, in Grist - "What's the Best way to communicate about Climate Change: This Expert offers some Answers".

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Canada's new Liberal government: What lies ahead for climate change policy?

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:26:39 +0000

According to the CBC at "New Liberal Government: Where does it get started?", Prime Minister-elect Justin Trudeau's first order of business is to meet with the Premiers to discuss climate change policy before COP 21. For slightly more detailed information, we can also refer to the Liberal platform statement, or a very complete analysis by West Coast Environmental Law (Oct. 22) . Read reactions, ranging from the positive and optimistic by Environmental Defence; to the factual "What Your New Liberal Majority Government Means for Climate, Environment, Science and Transparency" by DeSmog Canada; to the pessimistic "After Harper: Confronting the Liberals" at RankandFile.ca. Internationally, see reaction from The Guardian: "Trudeau victory may not signal a U-turn in Canada's climate policy"; Politico; and the New York Times. In Canada, optimism is tempered, and 350.org is organizing Climate Welcome demonstrations, from November 5 - 8 in Ottawa, to remind the new Prime Minister of the urgency of climate change policy reforms. Justin Trudeau will be sworn into office on November 4th.

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Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement may threaten Environmental Regulation and Labour Standards

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:32:34 +0000

Completion of the Trans Pacific Partnership was announced on October 5th 2015, though the text will only be revealed to the Canadian public when it is debated in the new Parliament. Although environmentalists take comfort in some concessions regarding wildlife protection, the Canadian Centre for Policy Analysis says "Trans-Pacific Partnership a big win for Corporate Interests" (Oct. 5) especially because of the investor protection rules (ISDS). The Council of Canadians furthers the CCPA discussion in "ISDS and the Paris Climate Agreement", as does a detailed paper by Gus Van Harten of Osgoode Hall Law School in An ISDS Carve-out to Support Action on Climate Change, which aims to "identify language for an ISDS carve-out that is reliable and clear considering the importance of climate change action". As Maude Barlow states in the introduction to the Van Harten paper: the ISDS "gives foreign corporations the right to directly sue governments for financial compensation if those governments introduce new laws or practices - be they environmental, health or human rights - that negatively affect corporations' bottom line". Another paper released by the Centre for International Governance (in Waterloo, Ont.), Investor-State Arbitration Between Developed Democratic Countries is the first in a planned series reviewing and assessing ISDS from a global and legal perspective, without a focus on climate change aspects.]]>

Chronicling the Destruction of Canadian Environmental Laws

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:40:29 +0000

Canada's Track Record on Environmental Laws 2011 - 2015 was released by West Coast Environmental Law on October 14. On the same day, Centre Québécois du droit de l'environnement released the french language version, Bilan des changements apportés aux lois environnementales fédérales. The report catalogues "the repeal or amendment of most of Canada's foundational environmental laws since 2011", beginning with Bills C-38 and C-45 in 2012. It notes that socio-economic considerations can now be more easily ignored or excluded under the new Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, damaging Canadian livelihoods. A summary at Desmog Blog and the website Environmental Laws Matter complement the report.]]>

Unifor joins First Nations and Environmental Groups in Court against the Northern Gateway Pipeline decision

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:46:08 +0000

Eighteen lawsuits were consolidated and heard in a Federal Court of Appeal in Vancouver, from October 1 to 8, as eight First Nations, four environmental groups and Unifor challenged the decision of the Federal Joint Review Panel on Enbridge's Northern Gateway Pipeline. Lawyers representing Unifor argued that the Joint Review Panel erred by focusing on the economic benefits of oil sands development and refusing to consider greenhouse gas emissions produced by upstream development (see Unifor's detailed Memorandum of Fact and Law here). West Coast Environmental Law provides a Legal Backgrounder with official documents, a day by day summary of proceedings and will cover the decision when it is announced in the coming months. "How Harper triggered a First Nations legal war over Northern Gateway" in the National Observer (Oct. 1) provides background. ]]>

Enbridge Line 9 Given Green Light

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:48:38 +0000

According to a brief Enbridge press release on September 30, 2015 , the National Energy Board (NEB) has approved the results of required hydro-static tests on Line 9, removing the last safety test required before the pipeline can begin transporting crude oil from Sarnia to Montreal. The Globe and Mail reported the decision, "Canadian Regulators give Enbridge's Line 9 the Green Light" (Sept. 30), yet the official NEB website for Line 9 did not post a press release . As reported by the Globe and Mail, "Approval of Enbridge's Line 9 applauded by Quebec Refineries" (Oct. 1), but CBC reports that "Montreal protesters denounce Energy East, Enbridge Line 9 pipelines".]]>

Public Opinion about Climate Change policies: Alberta and Canada

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 15:52:59 +0000

In September, 2015 Pembina Institute released an opinion poll of Albertans, conducted by EKOS Research. Of the 1,885 respondents, 50% would support an economy-wide carbon tax, rising to 72% if the proceeds were invested in low-carbon projects; 70% want stricter enforcement of the existing environmental rules and safeguards in the oilsands; 70% support investing in renewables to reduce coal use, and 86% want the province to increase support for clean energy and clean technology.

Other opinions were expressed at the 2015 Alberta Climate Summit, convened on September 9 by Pembina Institute. Discussions centred on the economy and jobs, carbon pricing, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.

The Climate Change Advisory Panel of the Alberta government invited submissions from Albertans in August and September. Views of individuals, companies, academics, advocacy groups and associations, and three labour unions are available: A list by name helps to locate items of interest amongst over 400 documents. The union submissions are: #94, by the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 110 (Alberta); #387, by the Alberta Federation of Labour and #494, a 1-page statement by the Business Agent of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 955.

Environics Institute, partnered with the David Suzuki Foundation, released Canadian Public Opinion about Climate Change, showing that support for the B.C. carbon tax is at an all time high in that province, and has increased to 60% in other provinces - notably Atlantic Canada, and amongst women. 74% of Canadians say they believe it is possible for their province to shift most of its energy requirements from fossil fuels to clean renewable forms of energy.

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Following in Urgenda's Footsteps - another Landmark climate change decision by Pakistani Court

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:14:45 +0000

FOLLOWING IN URGENDA'S FOOTSTEPS - ANOTHER LANDMARK CLIMATE CHANGE DECISION BY PAKISTANI COURT

According to the Climate Law Blog of the Columbia Law School, "Leghari v. Federation of Pakistan now joins the Urgenda decision in the Netherlands as an important judicial decision directing a national government to take action on climate change based on fundamental legal principles". When a farmer in Pakistan sued his government for failing to carry out the country's National Climate Policy and Framework, the High Court of Lahore ruled in September that "Climate Change is a defining challenge of our time...On a legal and constitutional plane this is clarion call for the protection of fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan, in particular, the vulnerable and weak segments of the society who are unable to approach this Court". Citing the life-threatening dangers of drought and flooding in the country, the judge directed several government ministries to ensure the implementation of the Framework, with a deadline of December 31, 2015 for action plans. The court also created a Climate Change Commission with representatives from government, NGOs, and technical experts. An article in the Toronto Star (Oct. 3) quotes Canadian legal experts on the decision. See the text of the decision at the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide website.

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China-U.S. Announcements include a National Cap and Trade program for China

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:17:33 +0000

On an official state visit to the U.S. on September 25, China's president, Xi Jinping, announced that China would establish a national cap and trade program in 2017 covering power generation, iron and steel, chemicals and building materials industries. He also committed $3.1 billion in climate financing to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change, capping off a series of recent announcements. The Rocky Mountain Institute summarizes the full slate of pledges made by the U.S. and China on September 25, "Today's U.S.-China Announcement is the Most Significant Milestone to Date for Battling Global Climate Change". Inside Climate News summarizes the Chinese announcement. In the New Yorker (September 25) "What can China achieve with Cap-and-Trade?" cites the irony of a market-based system from a communist country, in contrast to the U.S. approach of regulation from a centralized bureaucracy. ]]>

Brazil and India submit INDC statements before COP21

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:20:07 +0000

All the major emitters have now submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions statements to the UNFCC: Brazil on September 28, with a commitment to reduce GHG emissions 37% by 2025 and 43% by 2030, and a goal to eliminate illegal deforestation and restore 12 million hectares of land.

India, on October 2, pledged to reduce the intensity of its fossil fuel emissions 33 percent to 35 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, and to produce 40 percent of its electricity from non-fossil-fuel sources by 2030. India stated that $2.5 trillion U.S. would be required between now and 2030 to meet its goals; in a softening of its position, India did not make emission cuts conditional on aid, according to the New York Times, although a government official quoted by Inside Climate News quotes states that its efforts will be tied to the "availability and level of international financing and technology transfer". On October 5th, Reuters reported "Germany offers India $2.25 billion for solar, clean energy"; Reuters also reported that India is opening one coal mine a month in a drive to double its coal production by 2020.

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Deep Decarbonization Pathways Reports released

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:23:16 +0000

POLICY PRESCRIPTIONS FOR A DECARBONIZED ECONOMY

The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project is a consortium of energy researchers from the 16 countries which are the world's largest GHG emitters. In mid-September, the DDPP released a Synthesis Report and 16 country studies, outlining policy directions for long-term (to 2050). The Canadian report identifies six decarbonization pathways under three main themes: Deepening Current Trends, Encouraging next generation technologies; and Structural Economic Pathways, for which the report simulated oil price scenarios of $114, $80 and $40 per barrel in current dollars in 2050. The Canada report recommends "regulations that strengthen existing policies for buildings and transport sectors, a cap and trade system to drive abatement in heavy industry, and finally a complementary carbon price on the rest of the economy that returns revenues to reduced income and corporate taxes". All DDPP reports will be tabled at the COP21 meetings in Paris in December.

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Landmark Clean Energy Legislation passed in California

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:29:11 +0000

The Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015, (Senate Bill 350) was signed into law on October 7th, 2015, requiring the state to generate half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, as well as double energy efficiency in homes, offices and factories. It also sets up a framework for an integrated electricity grid, and encourages utilities to install more charging stations for electric vehicles. The Natural Resources Defense Council called it "one of the most significant climate and energy bills in California's history". An earlier version of Bill 350 had been defeated - see the New York Times (Sept. 10) "California Democrats Drop Plan for 50 Percent Oil Cut". Using regulatory authority instead, on September 25, the California Air Resources Board approved the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which requires reduction of the amount of carbon generated by gas and diesel fuels by at least 10 percent by 2020. See "California Says 'Yes!' to Clean Fuels and 'No!' to Oil Industry Lobbyists".

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Sustainability in the corner office: Business and Climate Change

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:32:57 +0000

Corporate Knights magazine released the results of its annual ranking of MBA programs in October - unlike most surveys, it includes measures of social and environmental responsibility in the teaching and research at MBA programs around the world . As in previous years, the 2015 Better World MBA survey ranks Canadian universities at the top: for the 12th year, York University's Schulich School of Business ranked #1, followed by Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University, and Copenhagen School of Business as #3. And the latest Harvard Business Review ranks the "Best Performing CEO's in the World" using a changed system: in 2015, long-term financial results achieved by the CEO are weighted at 80%, rather than 100% as before. The remaining 20% goes to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance.

Most telling: business leaders are making sure that their viewpoint is part of climate change policy discussions, especially leading up to and including COP21. Earlier this year, Citigroup bank announced that it would lend, invest, and/or facilitate $100 billion towards climate and environmental solutions, and more recently renounced investments in coal, led by its Environmental and Social Policy Framework document. Coordinated by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), six major U.S. banks issued a Climate Action Statement in October, as did the CEO's of ten major food companies, including Mars, General Mills, Unilever, and Kellogg, who issued a joint letter to world leaders. C2ES also released Weathering the Next Storm: A Closer Look at Business Resilience. More businesses signed on to RE100, a global business campaign committed to 100% renewable electricity. And on October 19, the White House announced that 81 U.S. companies, with combined revenue of $5 trillion, have now signed the "American Business Act on Climate Pledge", launched in July 2015.

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Landmark Guidance Document for Pension Managers released by UNEP

workinawarmingworld — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:36:19 +0000

On October 8, at the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Lima, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released the final report of the Design of a Sustainable Financial System Inquiry, titled The Financial System We Need, capping UNEP research stream that dates back to 2005. The documents produced include Fiduciary Responsibility in the 21st Century (September) , an analysis of investment practice and fiduciary duty in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Africa, the UK and the US. "This report is a landmark piece in the global dialogue...By clearly defining the full remit of fiduciary duty and providing recommendations for how it should be implemented, this work serves as a definitive guide for any fiduciary unsure of the role that sustainability should play in their decision-making process".]]>

CANADA AT COP21: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS AND CIVIL SOCIETY:

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 15:05:04 +0000

Step Change: Federal Policy Ideas towards a Low-Carbon Canada ; Climate Action Network (CAN), A Paris Package that shows Canada Cares ; the David Suzuki Foundation statement , which endorses the CAN priorities; Powering Climate Prosperity from the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity, and “A Clean Energy Agenda for Canada” in IRPP’s Policy Options (October), written by Dan Woynillowicz of Clean Energy Canada. Resource economist Marc Jaccard also writes in Policy Options (November), with his views that emissions targets are not as important as the right policies, and “ Everything else is fluff, including government spending programs.” On November 18, the Canadian Labour Congress released CLC’s COP21 Statement which inserts workers’ needs in this climate discussion. The statement includes a thorough statement of why Labour cares, and what the CLC demands: “The CLC will strongly advocate for compensation, retraining, re-employment and relocation for affected workers and their communities, and demands Just Transition commitments to support those workers who risk being displaced by climate change or by climate change policies and mitigation measures. …. Carbon reduction policies must be combined with progressive tax and expenditure policies and the establishment of Just Transition funds. These funds should be governed by an independent Just Transition board with labour representation…… The CLC calls on Canada to commit to a legally binding target to cut our domestic carbon pollution by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 38% by 2030, returning it to the trajectory of achieving 80% reductions by 2050. …The Canadian labour movement supports a national cap and trade carbon-pricing system, which will serve to set a maximum emission level, in line with the overall national targets. In many cases, emission reduction activities would result in modernizing plants and improving workers’ health and safety….. The CLC calls on Canada to commit $400 million annually to the Green Climate Fund, and recognize the legitimacy of developing country calls for additional funding, not through the Green Climate Fund, for losses and damage resulting from climate change.” BlueGreen Canada also sent a specific request to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change stating, “… we urge you to keep Just Transition and Decent Work language in the preamble and operational Articles of the future Paris Agreement, as stated in the bracketed section of Article 2, Option 1 of the draft agreement and decision from October 23, 2015.” Other avenues for civil society input: the 100% Possible March in Ottawa on November 29 , planned and organized by a “Who’s Who” of Canadian environmental advocacy , including many labour organizations – CAPE,CLC, CSN, CSQ, FTQ, IATSE,OSSTF, PIPSC, and PSAC. An international Virtual People’s Climate March is also being organized for November 29, especially important in light of the restrictions on demonstrations in Paris. In the first such meeting in seven years, Canada’s Premiers met with Canada’s Prime Minister in Ottawa on November 23 . Two topics are on the agenda: Syrian refugees, and the Canadian position at the UN negotiations at COP21 in Paris, to which the Premiers were invited. To follow developments at COP21 from a Canadian perspective, see Simon Fraser University’s Clean Energy Canada analysis , or the National Observer “Road to Paris” series . The official UNFCC COP21 website is here .]]>

Alberta's NDP Government includes Just Transition in its Climate Leadership Plan

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:17:18 +0000

released by the Alberta government on November 22 2015 are being hailed as a turning point in Alberta, including a plan to replace two-thirds of coal-generated electricity with renewables by 2030 , and to phase in carbon pricing, starting at $20 a tonne in January 2017 and reaching $30 a tonne by January 2018 . Emissions from the be oil sands will be capped at 100-megatons - representing a drastic reduction from the 267 megatons produced in 2013, although no date is attached to the proposal. Reaction is generally positive, even from business, according to the Calgary Herald and the Toronto Globe and Mail . Rabble.ca sums it up in “Rachel Notley builds a coalition of big business, environmentalists and civil society” The proposals are based upon the recommendations of the provincial Climate Change Advisory Panel Report , chaired by Andrew Leach, and made public on November 20. In the “Labour Context” section (page 26) , the report states that revenue from carbon pricing must be reinvested in Alberta, including “To support transition needs of workers and communities and to enable full inclusion of Aboriginal communities in climate change mitigation and adaptation … Just transition programs need to be tailored to the circumstances of workers and their communities, and their selection, design and implementation will require participation of all those involved. Workers, unions, communities and firms will need to be engaged by government to develop specific programs that can include skills development and training, income support and relocation assistance, as well as working with the federal government on pension bridging and benefits programs for displaced workers.”]]>

A Clean Energy and Jobs Plan for B.C., based on more stringent Regulations

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:21:34 +0000

A Clean Economy and Jobs Plan for British Columbia to contribute to those discussions. It characterizes the future as “not a revolution, but an evolution”, and summarizes its policy recommendations as having two core fundamentals: “Introduce and expand clean standards for vehicles, buildings and industry, and “Create a clean economy investment and tax rebate program.” The Jobs Plan document is based on commissioned research by Navius Research, A Plan for Climate Leadership in British Columbia: Forecasting the Benefits and Costs of Strengthening British Columbia’s Greenhouse Gas Policies . The Navius report provides the details of both the economic modelling, and the policy prescriptions. Those deep decarbonization policies include a carbon tax of at least $80 per tonne and stronger sector-specific regulations on buildings, transportation, energy supply, and industry – especially LNG production. Under such policies, Navius forecasts that BC will miss its 2020 emission target, (33% reduction in GHG emissions relative to 2007 levels), but can achieve its 2050 target ( 80% reduction in emissions relative to 2007). The resource sectors are forecast to grow at 2% annually and remain important to BC's economy, but more than 70% of future growth will occur in the service sector, (including healthcare, education, and technical and professional services). Because of the diversity of the economy, approximately 250,000 new jobs are predicted in the next ten years, with total jobs growing by 900,000 between 2015 and 2050.]]>

Pension funds and Divestment: What Canadian Trustees and Workers should know

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:25:17 +0000

Pension Funds and Fossil Fuels: The Economic Case for Divestment , released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in November, examines the top 20 public pension funds in Canada and estimates that their fossil fuel holdings put them at risk of losses of approximately $5.8 billion, because of the potential for new regulations, carbon pricing, emission caps, and stranded assets. The report, aimed at pension fund trustees and concerned workers , argues for divestment of fossil fuel holdings and briefly reviews some of the alternative financial instruments and clean energy projects that could benefit from the divested capital. The analysis is supported by an October report by the Carbon Tracker Initiative, Lost in Transition , which warns that “ Coal, oil and gas companies are misleading shareholders with overly optimistic future demand projections” and “these scenarios are potentially underestimating the pace and scale of the transformation of the energy sector”. And Unhedgeable Risk: How Climate Change Sentiment Impacts Investment concludes that that investors should concern themselves not only with the long-term fundamentals of climate change, but also with the immediate risks of “ sentiment shifts” (such as oil price panic and sell-off).]]>

Banking Executive Compensation should measure Performance in GHG reduction

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:27:52 +0000

A new report from Vancouver-based SHARE (Shareholder Association for Research and Education) examines the impacts that climate change-related risks could have for the banking sector, including their exposure to carbon-intensive assets, but also considering their own administration and operation as corporations. Banking on 2°: The Hidden Risks of Climate Change for Canadian Banks focused on Canada’s five largest banks: Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Royal Bank, Scotiabank and Toronto-Dominion Bank. Amongst the recommendations: banks should have a climate change statement which delineates the steps being taken to reduce the climate impacts of its operations and its financing activities; performance targets to reduce operational and financed GHG emissions should be established and aligned with IPCC models to limit warming to 2°Celsius; and executive compensation and incentive packages should include performance in reducing GHG emissions from operational and financed sources.]]>

U.S. Job creation benefits of Clean Energy Policies

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:33:56 +0000

Economic Analysis of U.S. Decarbonization Pathways. Written by ICF International and using data from Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States (2014) , the report concludes that by investing in clean energy and reducing GHG emissions, the United States could add more than 1 million jobs by 2030 and nearly 2 million by 2050. Nationally, employment gains in manufacturing, construction and other sectors outweigh losses in the fossil fuel sector. Modelling is provided for a Reference case, High renewables, and Mixed case scenarios; results are provided by sector and by region, as well as nationally. The Clean Energy Future: Protecting the Climate, Creating Jobs and Saving Money by Synapse Energy Economics, Labor Network for Sustainability, and 350.org, aims to refute the jobs vs. environment argument. It recommends policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, including transforming the electric system by cutting coal-fired power in half by 2030 and eliminating it by 2050; building no new nuclear plants; and reducing the use of natural gas far below business-as-usual levels. Under these policies, the cost of electricity, heating, and transportation would be $78 billion less than current projections to 2050, and new job creation would be 500,000 more per year over business as usual projections through 2050. The report is based on a Technical Appendix by Synapse Energy Economics explains and documents the calculations; it models employment impacts for direct, indirect and induced jobs, and finds the greatest job activity in energy efficiency (over 500,000 average jobs per year), followed by automobile production, wind and solar.]]>

Just Transition in the U.S.

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 22:35:59 +0000

How to Promote a Just Transition and Break Out of the Jobs vs. Environment Trap , author Jeremy Brecher asks, “what might a Superfund for workers legislation look like?”. He states that, surprisingly, “some of the best ideas for protecting workers and communities hit by the side effects of public policy decisions were embodied in legislation championed in 1988 by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to protect tobacco working people and farmers from tobacco control policy.”]]>

Trudeau’s "Sunny Ways" on the Climate file

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 21:02:42 +0000

Since taking office as Canada’s Prime Minister on November 4, Justin Trudeau has taken steps towards what Elizabeth May of the Green Party called “fixing what Harper broke” . An interview with Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion in the Globe and Mail (Nov. 12) makes clear that climate change issues are to be woven into decision-making in all ministries, and Dion also states that the government is committed to slashing fossil fuel subsidies, building green infrastructure and mass transit, and providing green investment funding. On November 13, the Ministerial Mandate Letters were made publicly available, outlining the cross-Ministry priorities of climate change: for example, the Letter to the Minister of Finance includes “Work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in creating a new Low Carbon Economy Trust to help fund projects that materially reduce carbon emissions under the new pan-Canadian framework”. Also on November 13th, Trudeau called for a moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic for B.C.'s North Coast . This is generally seen as the end of the Northern Gateway pipeline, as explained in The Tyee . And for the first time since 1958, the Prime Minister of Canada addressed labour leaders at a meeting at the Canadian Labour Congress on November 10 ; climate change was one of the topics discussed.]]>

Manitoba commits to Environmental Bill of Rights in Throne Speech

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 21:07:16 +0000

Throne Speech, delivered on November 16 , has committed the government to a new law which will enshrine “the right of every Manitoban to a healthy environment”. An Ecojustice blog provides context . The Premier had also announced in October that the province will invest $400,000 over the next two years in a new research centre, the Prairie Climate Centre, at the University of Winnipeg .]]>

Nova Scotia Moving away from Coal-fired Electricity

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 21:11:47 +0000

Our Electricity Future: Nova Scotia’s Electricity Plan , released on November 9, 2015 the government pledges to be a “green powerhouse” by 2040. Coal will be phased out in favour of renewable electricity so that “By 2050 or before, Nova Scotia’s electricity utilities may be nearly carbon free”. According to the press release, the plan also commits $1.5 million over the next three years to support pilot projects to research technologies related to electricity use, management, and storage, as well as solar and tidal energy. Amendments to the Public Utilities Act and Electricity Act are promised “this fall” to support the electricity plan. Commentary appears in Rabble.ca, and a summary appears in CleanTech Letter (Nov. 10).]]>

Ontario releases Climate Change Strategy and Cap and Trade Discussion Paper

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 21:51:27 +0000

Climate Change Strategy , a broad document that sets out Ontario's vision for achieving the GHG reduction target of 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. A separate five-year action plan is promised for 2016, which will include specific commitments for meeting the 2020 emissions reduction target, as well as establish the necessary framework for the 2030 and 2050 targets. The government has also released a discussion paper: Cap and Trade Program Design Options , (summarized in the Globe and Mail ). Comments about the cap and trade design can be submitted until December 15. A draft regulatory proposal will be tabled early in 2016, triggering another public comment period. The Clean Economy Alliance released Getting it Right: Design Recommendations for Ontario’s Cap and Trade System , which recommends policies to make polluters pay for the pollution they generate, while being “ fair to workers, families and industries that are disproportionately affected”. The Climate Action Network Canada surveyed 857 Ontarians in September 2015 regarding carbon pricing and cap and trade systems. Results are here .]]>

Quebec releases Sustainable Development Strategy to 2020

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 22:44:47 +0000

Sustainable Development Strategy 2015-2020 was released . Full documentation is available only in French, here . The 3-page English summary, Appendix 4 states that the province will support the development of green business practices and models; support green industries; foster investment and funding to support the transition to a green and responsible economy; develop and showcase skills that support the transition to a green and responsible economy; support the electrification of transportation and improve the sector’s energy efficiency; and foster the production and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Further, in Initiatives to Enable the Necessary Shift the government undertakes to update its practices in order to increase the size of ecoresponsible procurement within the public service and foster the use of clean technology; and foster the improved use of green taxation to achieve sustainable development and climate change objectives.]]>

CUPE'S STRATEGIC PLAN INCLUDES NEW INITIATIVES TO "PROTECT THE PLANET"

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 22:53:17 +0000

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) held their national convention in Vancouver from November 2 - 6, 2015 . Delegates heard Naomi Klein, attended a rally in support of the LEAP Manifesto , and supported a Strategic Planning Document which includes new initiatives under the heading “Protect the Planet”. Previous resolutions had included commitments to lobby the government, collaborate with environmental and civil society allies, and develop policies, action plans, and tools for member education. Amongst the new commitments in the 2015 document: “We will offer concrete support to First Nations and others taking action on the front lines to prevent further environmental degradation resulting from oil and gas extraction….Attend COP21 as part of the union delegation…. Educate CUPE pension trustees about the risks of climate change to pension investments… Help locals undertake workplace initiatives that reduce pollution and the use of toxins, and that tackle global warming.” On November 17, CUPE issued a press release concerning their participation and goals for COP21 in Paris.]]>

Carbon Pricing: Provincial differences and the risk of Carbon Leakage

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 22:57:38 +0000

Provincial Carbon Pricing & Competitiveness Pressures: Guidelines for Business and Policy Makers examines the economies of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, and states that impacts will differ across sectors and provinces. In Alberta, 18 % of the economy is potentially exposed, compared to 2% in B.C., Ontario, and Nova Scotia. The report recommends targeted, transparent, and temporary support measures for genuinely vulnerable industries, in the form of free permits (under a cap and trade system) or carbon tax rebates. Other recent reports related to carbon pricing: Implementing Effective Carbon Pricing from the New Climate Economy; “The Path to Carbon Pricing” by Christine Lagarde (IMF) and Jim Yong Kim (World Bank) in Project Syndicate; and Uses of Revenue from Carbon Pricing in which the Climate Markets and Investment Association forecasts that globally, governments will raise $22 billion in climate revenue in 2015. From Resources for the Future, Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Experience with Cap-and-Trade examines U.S. programs and the European ETS.]]>

Carbon Capture and Storage - Canadian case studies, and a Labour view

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 23:04:33 +0000

Global Status of CCS 2015 by the Global CCS Institute provides a glowing overview of the technology, and profiles the Quest project near Edmonton , as well as a link to an August 2015 report about the Boundary Dam in Saskatchewan . In October, the B.C. government introduced Bill 40, the Natural Gas Development Statutes Amendment Act, 2015, amending legislation which allows carbon capture and storage “as a permanent solution for disposing of carbon dioxide (CO2) in British Columbia”. Reference materials from the 2014 public consultations on CCS in B.C. are here . In a working paper published by Trade Unions for Energy Democracy, author Sean Sweeney writes that “CCS may have a place in the transition to a post-carbon world, but this place must be determined democratically, and by public need.” Hard Facts about Coal: Why Why Trade Unions Should Re-evaluate their support for Carbon Capture and Storage states that, whether intended or not, CCS can provide political cover for the ongoing and increasing use for coal.]]>

Life Cycle Analysis of Battery Electric Vehicles

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 23:09:52 +0000

The Union of Concerned Scientists has released Cleaner Cars from Cradle to Grave , a comprehensive, two-year review of the climate emissions from vehicle production, operation, and disposal. It concludes that battery electric cars generate half the emissions of the average comparable gasoline car, even when pollution from battery manufacturing is accounted for. One chapter discusses the emissions of the manufacturing process, with estimates based on the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S. The study concludes that emissions from manufacturing a full-size BEV are about 33 percent of its lifetime global warming emissions; the remaining 67 percent come from driving it. ]]>

7.7 Million Jobs in Renewable Energy Employment Worldwide

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 23:13:55 +0000

Fact Sheet: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Jobs , released in November 2015 by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), is described as “a best effort to survey the status of renewable energy and energy efficiency jobs from the data that is publicly available.” The employment statistics are sourced from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as well as international organizations, national non-profits, think tanks and national trade associations . Most of the international statistics are taken from the IRENA Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2015 , which estimates that there are 7.7 million jobs worldwide in renewable energy employment. The EESI acknowledges that the statistics are not directly comparable because of the different definitions and methodologies of the sources, and further acknowledges that some statistics are dated because of a lack of more current information.]]>

Mapping the power of the Oil and Gas Industry in Canada

elizabethperry493 — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 23:16:49 +0000

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (B.C.) announced a new initiative, funded by a $2.5 million partnership grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada on November 12, 2015. Mapping the Power of the Carbon-Extractive Corporate Resource Sector will bring together “researchers, civil society organizations, and Indigenous participants to study the oil, gas and coal industries in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.” The goal of the 6-year project is to identify the major corporate interests in the fossil fuel sector, and uncover their influence in policy decisions. ]]>

COP21: Actions of the provincial and federal governments

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 15:46:43 +0000

On November 27, on the eve of COP 21, the Government of British Columbia released the recommendations of its appointed Climate Leadership Team, summarized in a press release. The recommendations centred on increases to the carbon tax and a 2030 target to reduce emissions across three broad sectors: Built Environment, Industry and Transportation, by 40%, compared to 2007. In a Nov. 30 interview with the CBC, Premier Clark's response was non-committal and dependent on public consultations in 2016; in an interview with the Globe and Mail on December 9, she stated that B.C.'s position will now depend on national targets. On December 8, British Columbia became the first Canadian jurisdiction to sign on to the Governors' Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF) - a subnational collaboration between 29 states and provinces from Brazil, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Spain and the United States.

On November 27, Quebec announced an ambitious GHG emissions reduction target of 37.5% below 1990 levels by 2030, and launched a new social campaign to inspire its citizens. The campaign, Let's do it for them or Faisons-le pour eux includes further news.

On December 3, on the way to COP21, Manitoba released Manitoba's Climate Change and Green Economy Action Plan, as well as Green and Growing: Manitoba's Commitment to Green Jobs, both available here. The plan is wide-ranging, including targets for emissions reductions through enhanced green building standards, green infrastructure investment, greener government operations, and cooperation with Indigenous people. It promises to create 6,000 green jobs in the next five years. Most attention however, focused on the announcement of a cap-and-trade system. Read the CBC News report (Dec. 3) or a summary at the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions.

On December 7, the Premiers of Ontario, Québec, and Manitoba signed a new memorandum of understanding signalling their intent to link their respective cap and trade programs under the Western Climate Initiative, the North American carbon market which also includes California.

Both Quebec and British Columbia joined the International Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Alliance - Quebec on December 3, and B.C. on December 10. Members of the Alliance agree to strive to make all new passenger vehicles in their jurisdictions ZEVs by no later than 2050. Also at COP21, the Alliance released a paper by the International Coalition for Clean Transportation, Global Climate Change Mitigation Potential from a Transition to Electric Vehicles.

The first Compact of States and Regions Disclosure Report was released at COP21 on December 7, listing GHG reduction targets for 2020, 2030 and 2050, as well as progress to date on the targets, and renewable energy and energy efficiency targets. According to the summary press release, the collective goal is to reduce GHG emissions by 12.4 GtC02e by 2030 - greater than China's current annual output, and 47.4 GtCO2e by 2050 - equal to total world GHG emissions in 2012. The Compact of States and Regions, formed in 2014, now includes Alberta, B.C. Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Quebec among its 44 members.

On the national level, the greatest surprise came when Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna announced support for the 1.5C target; see the Globe and Mail (Dec. 6) or "Canada shocks COP21 with Big New Climate Goal" in The National Observer.

Canada also joined 36 other countries including the U.S., Germany, France, Mexico and the UK, in a December 1 communiqué committing to the reform of fossil-fuel subsidies. The communique calls for three key principles: transparency on subsidy policies and reform timetables, ambition in scale and timetable for reforms, and supports to assist in the transition away from subsidies. In November, Oil Change International released Empty Promises: G20 Subsidies to Oil Gas and Coal Production which estimates that 8 countries - Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States - spend a combined $80 billion a year on public support for fossil fuel production.

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COP21: Labour union actions and Reactions

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 16:02:59 +0000

On December 3, the Canadian Labour Congress, along with the Climate Action Network, and the Green Economy Network, convened the One Million Climate Jobs event, bringing together Canadian labour and green groups. The background discussion document, One Million Climate Jobs: A Challenge for Canadians, estimates costs and job creation in a new economy, where public investment supports four strategic priorities: clean/renewable energy; energy efficiency/green buildings; public transit; and higher speed rail. Also at the December 3 event, the National Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) spoke, arguing that "Public Services are at the Heart of a Just Transition". And Ken Smith, a heavy equipment operator from Fort McMurray and the head of Unifor Local 707A told the audience that oil sands workers "get" climate change, concluding with "We want to be full partners because we have no choice". See "At COP21, Oil Sands Worker Urges Smooth Transition Off Fossil Fuels" in The National Observer.

Labour's responses to the final COP21 agreement were mainly disappointed but constructive. In "Collaborative Approach will be Key to Realizing Canada's Climate Change Obligations" (Dec. 12), the Canadian Labour Congress expressed disappointment that the sections protecting human rights - including indigenous rights - and the right to a just transition for workers appeared only in the non-binding preamble of the agreement. But President Hassan Yussuff states "Canadian unions are committed to doing their part to fight climate change; and we will work with governments and employers to ensure a just transition to a carbon-free economy that supports displaced workers and creates millions of decent, green jobs".

Similar sentiments came from the U.S., in "BlueGreen Alliance Lauds International Climate Agreement", which states "we will continue to fight for just transition-along with human rights, gender equality and the other core social issues that were in the text going into COP21-to become an operational item within the structures created in the Agreement and the UNFCCC. Still, the inclusion in the preamble is without a doubt a call to action to all nations to take on climate change in accordance with the needs of their people, and we plan to hold them accountable".

From the U.K., Philip Pearson, Senior Policy Advisor at the Trades Union Congress wrote a blog on December 11 which reproduced a Joint Letter to the French Presidency, protesting that "civil society is highly disappointed that references to the protection of rights, equality and ecosystems have been removed from the core of the climate agreement". And in a December 12 blog, Pearson summarizes the overall deal, and concludes that "it's up to us to make sure that union voice, just transition and decent work are central to the transformation that lies ahead".

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) had issued a Call for Dialogue: Climate Action Demands Just Transition (Nov. 26), which was signed by representatives from ITUC, environmental groups (Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, WWF), faith groups and charities (Actionaid International, Oxfam, ChristianAid), and, unusually, businesses (We Mean Business, the B Team). The ITUC response to the final COP agreement states that the commitment to securing a just transition for workers and communities is just a first step, requiring further work. ITUC states that another of its goals, to raise ambition and realize the job potential of climate action, is missing in the final agreement.

And from Philip Jennings, General Secretary, UNI Global Union, in Saving people and the Planet in a World of Unprecedented Changes (Dec. 14), "after this new global climate deal, unions will advance progress in the millions of workplaces around the world through all the negotiating platforms we have from local to national and global levels. We will make it happen. This is our human right to a safe planet". UNI hosted a dedicated website for Climate Change which includes a brief assessment of strengths and weaknesses.

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COP21, Just Transition, and Canadian Reaction

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 16:10:53 +0000

The UNFCC official website includes the Official Text of the Conference of the Parties. For one of the best summaries, see "Paris Climate Deal: Key Points at a Glance" in The Guardian (Dec. 12).

Although Equiterre acknowledged that Canada had pushed for the inclusion of indigenous rights and just transition, these issues did not appear in Article 2 of the formal articles, but rather in the non-binding Annex, on page 21, amongst a list of considerations:

"....Taking into account the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities,

Acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the right to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity..."

Most reaction in Canada and around the world acknowledges the imperfections of the agreement but express the importance and potential of what was achieved.

Some Examples:

"Climate change Met Its Match in the Will of a United World" in the National Observer (Dec. 12), summarizing reaction from National Resources Defence Canada, Clean Energy Canada, and Pembina Institute.

"Global Climate Deal is an Historic Moment" from the Climate Action Network Canada.

"Paris Climate Accord Marks Shift Toward Low-Carbon Economy" in The Globe and Mail (Dec. 12) (which paints a flattering picture of Minister McKenna).

First Thoughts on the Climate Deal by Professor Kathryn Harrison, University of British Columbia, who states, "I see the commitment to revisit targets and progress every 5 years as the heart of the Paris agreement".

Did Canada Show up at the Paris Climate Talks with its Pants on? (Dec. 11), despite the playful title provides a serious overview of the major issues, including indigenous rights, common but differentiated responsibility, and loss and damage. Author Andrew Gage of West Coast Environmental Law says, "Canada's position on loss and damage is extremely aggressive and unhelpful".

"Paris Climate Change Agreement: The World's Greatest Diplomatic Success" in The Guardian (Dec. 14), and "World Leaders Hail Paris Climate Deal"(Dec. 13).

The Road to a Paris Climate Deal, a compilation of reporting from the New York Times, includes an Opinion Piece by Bill McKibben, "Falling Short on Climate in Paris" (Dec. 13) which can act as the last word: "That we have any agreement at all, of course, is testament to the mighty movement that activists around the world have built over the last five years. .... But what this means is that we need to build the movement even bigger in the coming years, so that the Paris agreement turns into a floor and not a ceiling for action. We'll be blocking pipelines, fighting new coal mines, urging divestment from fossil fuels - trying, in short, to keep weakening the mighty industry that still stands in the way of real progress. With every major world leader now on the record saying they at least theoretically support bold action to make the transition to renewable energy, we've got a new tool to work with".

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The State of Climate Change Litigation: Can Canada and the U.S. follow Urgenda?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 16:43:04 +0000

Urgenda decision in the Netherlands in June 2015 has ignited and re-ignited activity around the world, around the prospect of using litigation to fight climate change . “Unlawful or Above the Law? " in the CCPA Monitor (Nov/Dec. 2015) reviews the Urgenda decision in detail, and puts it in the context of Canadian policy and historical legal cases which have challenged Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. A fuller treatment of the article, titled Canada’s Failure to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (October 31, 2015) appears on the Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada website . The authors advocate a legal challenge to Canada’s GHG emissions reduction policies. Much of the legal argument is based on the concept of environmental rights as human rights; a Canadian pioneer on this issue is David R. Boyd, whose article “ The Constitutional Right to a Healthy Environment” appeared in Environment Magazine in 2012 . (a fuller treatment appears in his book The Environmental Rights Revolution: A Global Study of Constitutions, Human Rights and the Environment (2012)). A more recent publication by Ecojustice, The Right to a Healthy Environment: Canada’s Time to Act (2015) , acknowledges a large debt to Boyd’s work, and the BlueDot movement of the David Suzuki Foundation works in practical ways towards the goal. In December 2015, Toronto became the 100th municipality in Canada to pass a declaration supporting its residents’ right to a healthy environment . Climate Change: Tackling the Greatest Human Rights Challenge of our Time (Feb. 2015) by the Center for International Environmental Law and CARE considers how to address the issue within the UNFCCC process. Regarding liability for climate change damages, West Coast Environmental Law in B.C. and the Vanuatu Environmental Law Association released Taking Climate Justice into our own Hands on December 8, 2015 “which explains the legal basis for climate-impacted countries to set the rules for climate damages lawsuits and how those rules can be enforced against international fossil fuel polluters.” Further, the authors propose language for a Climate Compensation Act, based on common law and thus adaptable to in any country in the world. (Vanuatu released a Statement for Climate Justice in June 2015 ). A newly-launched blog series by the Alberta Environmental Law Centre promises “to provide updates on climate change law developments and include insights from our related law reform research.” The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at the Columbia Law School, New York, publishes compendium of cases in the U.S. and non-U.S. , and maintains a database called Climate Change Laws of the World . In 2015, the Center published Climate Change in the Courts: An Assesment of non-U.S. climate litigation , as well as Climate Change and Human Rights 2015 (in cooperation with UNEP). The introduction states: “The question is no longer whether human rights law has anything to say about climate change, but rather what it says and how it can best be brought to bear. This report is the most detailed and comprehensive study yet undertaken of those questions”. In a November 2015 blog, “Failure to take climate action is not only morally wrong, it’s illegal” Michael Burger discusses the Urgenda and Ashgar Legari case in Pakistan, and links them to current climate change cases in the United States. Most high profile of these have been led by Our Children’s Trust, arguing for the right of children to live in a healthy environment. In November in Washington State , Judge Hollis Hill ruled in favour of youth, stating that “[t]he state has a constitutional obligation to protect the public’s interest in natural resources held in trust for the common benefit of the people.” Other cases are being pursued by Our Children’s Trust in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. In August 2015, Our Children’s Trust filed a landmark constitutional climate change lawsuit against the federal government in the U.S. District Court of Oregon; plaintiffs include 21 young people and climate scientist Dr. James E. Hansen, serving as guardian for his granddaughter and for future generations. The complaint document is here; the plaintiffs request a court order requiring the President to implement a national plan to decrease CO2 to a safe level, defined as 350 ppm by the year 2100. In January 2016, a judge granted intervenor status in the case to the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers ,the American Petroleum Institute, and other energy industry groups. To watch for: March 9, 2016: the first oral arguments will be heard in a Eugene Oregon court. Internationally, cases claiming damages from climate changes are underway in the Philippines and Peru . To keep up to date internationally, follow eLaws News by the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) , who have also published Holding Corporations Accountable for Damaging the Climate (2014) . The Center for International Environmental Law also focuses on climate liability and climate justice.]]>

Building Workers as the Engine of a Just Transition to a Low Carbon Society

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 16:50:21 +0000

Construction Labour, Work and Climate Change” appeared as a special issue of Construction Labour News, published by the European Institute for Construction Research in December 2015. Against the backdrop of the COP21 negotiations, the need for Just Transition policies is the overriding theme of the issue. In their introduction, editors Colin Gleeson and John Calvert highlight the importance of the building sector: ‘which employs at least 110 million construction workers worldwide, has the highest potential for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in both industrialized and developing countries’ (ILO, 2013), and ‘emissions reductions in the building sector provide the greatest savings per unit cost’ (UNFCC 2007). Further, they state: “Construction trade unions and their allies must transform the image of construction to celebrate the building worker as the engine of a just transition to a low carbon society.” The editors propose four elements of a broad-based strategy to achieve that goal. Subject Articles include: “British Columbia Insulators Low Carbon Building Campaign” (by John Calvert);” On the Energy [R]evolution: Sustainable world energy outlook” (by Colin Gleeson); “Climate Protection Policy of IG BA” (by Dietmar Schäfers); “Just Transitions: Origins and Dimensions” (by Dimitris Stevis and Romain Felli), and “Low-carbon skills development in UK construction” (by Gavin Killip).]]>

Manitoba Social Enterprise Program Trains Disadvantaged Workers for Jobs in Clean Energy, Retrofitting

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 16:55:30 +0000

Government Support for Social Enterprise Can Reduce Poverty and Green House Gases also examines the legislation and policies that support these initiatives, and the important role that Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Housing play in providing work opportunities for trainees. Considering the future after the next provincial election in April 2016, the author states: “If Manitoba were to follow Ontario’s example and privatize Hydro the damage would be considerable”. The report is summarized in a January 13 article in Rabble.ca.]]>

Wind and Solary Energy in Canada, U.S., and Renewables in 2030

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:12:15 +0000

press release on January 12, 2016, the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) announced a five year annual average growth rate of 23 per cent per year for the industry, led by investments in Ontario and Quebec . The Association anticipates continued growth, especially with the policy announcement in 2015 from Alberta (already the 3rd largest wind market) to replace two-thirds of coal generation with renewable generation. CanWEA also released a report by Compass Renewable Energy Consulting in December 2015. Wind Dividends: An Analysis of the Economic Impacts from Ontario’s Wind Procurements forecasts that from 2006-2030, wind energy in Ontario will have stimulated more than $14 billion in economic activity, including 73,000 full-time equivalent jobs and $5 billion in wages and benefits. The report warns, however, that Ontario “currently has no plans for new wind energy purchases, and risks losing many of the good-paying, wind-related jobs it has created.” Canada ranks 7th in the world for the installed wind generation capacity, which meets 5% of Canada’s electricity demand. In contrast, Denmark announced on January 19th, that it has set a new world record for wind energy generation with nearly 40 % of the country's overall electricity consumption in 2014). For a thorough statistical overview of the wind energy industry and employment in the U.S., see Wind Vision, released by the U.S. Department of Energy in March 2015. According to the 6th annual U.S. Solar Jobs Census ( January 2016) by industry-group The Solar Foundation, the industry created 1.2 percent of all new jobs in the U.S. in 2015, nearly 12 times faster than the national rate. Total solar industry employment was 208,859 , with installation as the single largest solar employment sector. Women in solar jobs increased by 2% and now represent 24% of the solar workforce. Prospects for growth in U.S. wind and solar are greatly improved after the renewal of the renewable energy tax credit system in December 2015 , with spillover benefits expected for Canadian manufacturers as well: see “U.S. tax move brightens picture for Canadian wind, solar firms” in the Globe and Mail (Dec. 21). A January report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy updates the on-going NREL analysis of clean energy policy impacts in the U.S. . Examining state-level Renewable Portfolio Standards policies in 2013, the authors found an average of $2.2 billion in economic benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and another $5.2 billion in benefits from reductions in sulfur dioxide and other air pollutants. Further, the report estimates nearly 200,000 jobs were created in the renewable energy sector, with over $20 billion in gross domestic product. Read A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards . A new report released at the sixth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi on January 17 quantifies the macroeconomic impacts of doubling the global share of renewables in the energy mix by 2030. Renewable Energy Benefits: Measuring the Economic Impact states: “Doubling the share of renewables increases direct and indirect employment in the sector to 24.4 million by 2030. Renewable energy jobs will grow across all technologies, with a high concentration in the same technologies that account for a majority of the employment today, namely bioenergy, hydropower and solar.” …“The jobs created are likely to offset job losses in sectors such as fossil fuels because the sectors involved in the renewables supply chain are usually more distributed and labour-intensive than the conventional energy sector. For instance, solar PV creates at least twice the number of jobs per unit of electricity generated compared with coal or natural gas. As a result, substituting fossil fuels for renewables could lead to a higher number of jobs overall.” (p. 16-17). The report also states that “training is essential to support the expansion of the renewable energy sector. This requires systematic access across all layers of the society to education and training in relevant fields, including engineering, economics, science, environmental management, finance, business and commerce. Professional training, as well as school or university curricula must evolve adequately to cover renewable energy, sustainability and climate change. Vocational training programmes can also offer opportunities to acquire specialisation and take advantage of the growing renewable energy job market. The elaboration of specific, certified skills and the categorisation of trainees based on their level of experience and training is recommended.” (p. 79).]]>

A New tool for Responsible Investing and Divesting in Canada

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:19:35 +0000

Corporate Knights released its rankings of the 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World in January 2016 . Perhaps surprisingly given the current VW emissions scandal, a German automaker, BMW, is ranked #1 in sustainability, based on its energy, waste and water reduction performance and for linking the salary of its senior executives to their sustainability performance. Corporate Knights also introduces its Eco Fund ratings , along with a discussion of responsible investing , “to make it easy for Canadian investors to see which funds provide the best combination of economic and environmental performance.” Canadian mutual funds are ranked, with calculations of their 3-year annualized returns, weighted carbon intensity, and exposure to green companies. Such ranking may prove useful to the financial managers at the University of Toronto, who are currently considering the recommendations of a Presidential Advisory committee on divestment from fossil fuels . The committee has recommended that the university determine a method to evaluate whether a given fossil fuels company’s actions blatantly disregard the 1.5-degree threshold, and then proceed with “targeted and principled divestment from specific companies in the fossil fuels industry”. Alternatives Journal puts this in context of the wider university divestment movement in “U of T could make Divestment History” (Dec. 2015) . Disappointingly, the Globe and Mail reported on December 23 “Ontario Teachers, CPPIB opt to maintain fossil-fuel assets” . The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board say they are committed to their roles as “engaged investors”, seeking transparency from companies regarding risk. On January 1, 2016, Marc Lee summarized the issues in The Tyee and asked, “Is your Pension Fund in Climate Denial?”]]>

Further Canadian Reactions to Paris COP21

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:26:04 +0000

Work and Climate Change Report compiled early responses to the COP 21 Agreement. Other Canadian reaction since then include: Tides Canada, in cooperation with the Toronto Star, with a compilation of articles re COP21 , including “What’s next after the historic Paris climate change agreement?” by Tyler Hamilton ; The Real test of Paris Climate Agreement will be how Markets and Regulators react (by Marc Lee) ; Success of the Paris Agreement will be measured by Policy progress here at home (Pembina Institute) ; Collaborative approach will be key to realizing Canada’s climate change obligations (Canadian Labour Congress ). The Executive of the Toronto and District Labour Council published their Response , which announces their intention to publish and promote a “Greenprint for Greater Toronto” as part of Labour’s contribution to the fight against climate change, and also holds up model of the role of Environmental Representatives in unions in the U.K.. For business reaction, read “Canadian business leaders say COP21 agreement a good start, but only that” in the Globe and Mail (Dec. 21), based on the 4th Quarter C-Suite Survey by consultants KPMG . 56% of executives agreed that “Canada should be part of any global agreement to reduce greenhouse gases if it includes most of the world's major economic powers”. When asked, in regard to your own company, “what policies would you most like to see the new Canadian government implement?”, only 8% included “address climate change”. The survey also surveyed attitudes to the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement.]]>

Reports from Davos: Climate Change, Circular Economy, Ethical Supply Chains

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:35:01 +0000

World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, brings together the corporate and political elites – this year’s theme from January 20 – 23^rd is “The Fourth Industrial Revolution”. Yet climate change ranks high on the agenda and several reports relevant to climate change and labour have been released. Notably, the Global Challenge Initiative on Environment and Natural Resource Security project produced The Global Risks Report 2016 , which ranks global risks, in terms of likelihood as : 1. Large-scale Involuntary migration; 2. Extreme weather events 3. Failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation. A project about the Circular Economy released a report commissioned by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and conducted by McKinsey & Company: The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of Plastics . ( press release here ). The new report addresses the problems identified in a 2014 report from the UNEP Plastics Disclosure Project, Valuing Plastic: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and Disclosing Plastic Use in the Consumer Goods Industry , which projected that, “ in a business-as-usual scenario, by 2050 oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish (by weight), and the entire plastics industry will consume 20% of total oil production, and 15% of the annual carbon budget. ” Regarding supply chains, a report by an Accenture consulting firm, Beyond Supply Chain: Empowering Responsible Value Chains discusses the “triple advantage” of ethical supply chains which include environmental goals. The Accenture report paints a favourable picture of corporate behaviour, in contrast to Scandal: Inside the Global Supply Chains of 50 Top Global Companies, a hard-hitting report from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The ITUC focuses mainly on working conditions and wages, as well as health and safety of workers. Bringing it all together and released in advance of Davos, research from the University of Sheffield concludes that “ Audits are ineffective tools for detecting, reporting, or correcting environmental and labour problems in supply chains. They reinforce existing business models and preserve the global production status quo…. The growth of the audit regime is carving out an ever greater role for corporations in global corporate governance and enforcing an ever smaller role for states.” A summary of the Sheffield research appeared in The Guardian on January 14; the full report is Ethical Audits and Supply Chains of Global Corporations (registration required to download). A related article, focusing on the coffee industry, appeared in The Conversation (December 1): “Why corporate sustainability won’t solve climate change " .]]>

Context for Alberta Climate Change Policy “After the Sands”, and Energy East

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:44:06 +0000

The Path to Alberta’s Climate Deal " (Jan. 7) in the National Observer , and “Alberta: Fossil fuel Belt or Green Powerhouse” in the CCPA Monitor (Nov/Dec 2015 issue, pages 26 – 32 ). The Monitor article is an excerpt from the recently released book by Gordon Laxer, After the Sands. The governments of Alberta and Manitoba announced a Memorandum of Understanding on January 8 , committing to share information and develop co-operative measures related to energy conservation programs, renewable energy development and greenhouse-gas reduction policies, as well as recognizing the importance of improving integration of electrical grids in western Canada. On January 21, the mayors of the Montreal Metropolitan Community announced their opposition to the Energy East pipeline. A rapidly-convened meeting of the premiers of Alberta and Ontario on January 22 illustrates the east-west politics of Energy East, with a press release which states “the people of Ontario care a great deal about the national economy and the potential jobs this proposed pipeline project could create in our province and across the country." For a summary of the national political reaction , see the CBC, “ Trudeau, Coderre meet after Tories blast Energy East comments”. Prime Minister Trudeau, seeking to calm the waters, is promising a thorough, neutral environmental review. Read the Globe and Mail article: “Trudeau says Ottawa will be ‘responsible mediator’ in energy debate”. ( January 26) or another CBC report of Trudeau’s meeting with the mayor of Montreal, when he states that he will not be a "cheerleader" for the pipelines.]]>

Northern Gateway Supreme Court Decision, and Kinder Morgan Pipeline battles in British Columbia; NEB improvements promised

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:50:46 +0000

First Nations win court challenge against B.C. over Enbridge pipeline” includes a copy of the Court’s decision. The West Coast Environmental Law group provides a history of the Northern Gateway case, and its implications for the Kinder Morgan NEB review in Province Can't Pass the Buck on Oil Pipelines: BC Supreme Court. The B.C. government formally submitted its letter of opposition to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline to the National Energy Board on January 11 , citing the grounds of safety and the risks of an oil spill. Unifor has also consistently opposed the project, seeing it as a exporter of energy jobs, and a threat to its members in the fisheries industry. (Alberta submitted its letter of support on January 12 ). Even U.S. Aboriginal tribes have filed complaints before the NEB regarding the threat of Kinder Morgan, according to a report in The Guardian . Read an overview of the arguments against KinderMorgan from EcoJustice . The Tar Sands Reporting project of the National Observer, based in Vancouver, has compiled a series of articles documenting the NEB hearings and the many public protests. The Kinder Morgan NEB hearings have developed as a symbol of the new Liberal government’s intention to live up to its campaign promises to review the NEB process and restore transparency and evidence-based decision making in environmental assessments, according to DeSmog Blog. The Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development was tabled in the House of Commons on January 26, and was strongly critical of the National Energy Board’s regulation of pipeline projects. (The CBC summary is here ) . In response, the government has promised additional climate tests and First Nations’ consultations for the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, Energy East pipeline, and Pacific NorthWest’s planned LNG export terminal in B.C., according to the Globe and Mail on January 25. (“Ottawa to mandate climate tests for proposed pipelines, LNG terminal " ) ]]>

A Moratorium On New Coal Development in the U.S. And China; U.S. Clean Power Plan Survives its First Major Court Challenge

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:55:09 +0000

announced a halt to licenses for new coal development on federal lands for 3 years while the department conducts the first comprehensive review of the federal coal program in 30 years. Calling it “an historic day” the Natural Resources Defense Council summarizes the details of the announcement, including that the review “will also include an accounting of the carbon emissions of all fossil fuel production on federal lands”. Inside Climate News sums up reaction of environmental groups to the announcement and the New York Times offers a compilation of articles about the coal industry . On January 21, the New York Times reported “Court Rejects a Bid to Block Coal Plant Regulations” , saying that a “federal appeals panel .. rejected an effort by 27 states and dozens of corporations and industry groups to block the administration’s signature regulation on emissions from coal-fired power plants while a lawsuit moves through the courts.” Further court challenges are expected, with a likely ruling by the Supreme Court in 2017. And in December 2015, Bloomberg News reported that China will suspend the approval of new coal mines in 2016, pledging to reduce coal’s share of its energy consumption by almost 2% , to approximately 60 percent in 2016. Read more at Climate Progress and The Guardian . ]]>

Does the U.S. Supreme Court Decision threaten U.S. Climate Goals?

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:01:00 +0000

New York Times calls the decision “stunning” and “unprecedented”; Inside Climate News says it is a, “surprising decision of staggering proportions, with repercussions that go far beyond the U.S. electrical grid, threatening the credibility of the Paris Agreement on climate change reached by the world’s nations in December.” The Guardian reflects the more optimistic tone from the White House, that this is just “a bump in the road”. The Washington Post (Feb. 10) argues that the economic forces behind clean energy cannot be stopped in “Move to Cleaner Power is Proceeding Regardless of Supreme Court’s Ruling” . For commentary on the impact of the death of Justice Scalia, see “ The Supreme Courts Action threaten Vital Climate Policies” from Yale Environment 360, and “What does Justice Scalia’s Death mean for the Clean Power Plan?” from Legal Planet (UCLA).]]>

New International Standards for CO2 Emissions in Aviation

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:04:59 +0000

voted to recommend the first ever standards to impose binding energy efficiency and CO₂ reduction targets for the aviation sector, requiring an average 4% reduction in fuel consumption for new commercial and business aircraft delivered after January 2028. Reductions for larger commercial plans will range up to 11%. The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) provides details ; an article in The Guardian describes the political battles by the U.S. and EU behind the negotiated standards. In a New York Times article, (Feb. 8) , a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity calls the standards “deplorable” and compares them to the more stringent restrictions on the auto industry.]]>

Great Bear Forest Agreement hailed as a Model for Forest Protection

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:09:08 +0000

environmental groups, the forest industry, and the government of British Columbia announced on February 1, 2016 that, after years of negotiations, they had reached agreement to establish “ecosystem-based management in the Great Bear Rainforest.” Under the new agreement, a greater proportion of old growth forest within the 6.4 million hectares will be protected; 85% of the total forest will be protected and 15% will be available for logging. Forest Ethics hailed the announcement calling it “a ground-breaking model for other forest regions of the world”. David Miller of WWF calls the forest agreement “momentous”, but writes in Policy Options “Job Only half Done to protect Great Bear Region” . The WWF have been part of efforts to protect the adjacent Great Bear Sea from the threats of oil and gas pipelines. For detail, see the earlier Policy Options article, “MaPP: A Big Plan for the Great Bear Sea” .]]>

Upcoming Nova Scotia budget: another forum for the carbon tax question

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:16:24 +0000

budget consultations , which run until February 26, 2016. In December, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives contributed Stronger Together: the Nova Scotia Alternative Provincial Budget 2016 . It calls for a carbon tax, with half the revenue directed to income support programs, and the other half used to set up a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to enable low-carbon investment, green job growth, and poverty reduction. A February 3 Editorial in the Halifax Chronical-Herald endorsed the idea of a carbon tax. In February 2015, Brendan Haley wrote Will Nova Scotia Implement a Carbon Tax? which explained the context of the on-going debate.]]>

Ontario rolls out Green Bonds, and incentives for Green Vehicles, Retrofitting, and Cleantech

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:21:02 +0000

announced its second green bond issue, raising $750 million to finance low-carbon infrastructure projects. On February 10,2016 new incentives for green vehicles were announced . The February 12 announcement of $92 million for social housing retrofits received favourable reaction from Blue Green Canada, and the Heat and Frost Insulators Local 95 said “ Smart initiatives like the one announced today are proof that improving the environment and creating skilled jobs go hand in hand.” Finally, on February 17, Ontario announced a $74 million cleantech innovation initiative, to encourage large industrial plants to adopt leading-edge technologies, and $25 million in a Green Smart energy efficiency program for small and medium-sized businesses. Details of the new cap and trade program are promised within weeks.]]>

British Columbia Climate Leadership Consultations, Round 2

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:24:27 +0000

Consultation Guide to launch its second public consultation period on climate change issues, running from January 26 to March 25, 2016. The Pembina Institute has announced its own public input mechanisms to expand participation. The Pembina also calls for, at a minimum, implementation of all the Climate Leadership Team recommendations , released in November 2015 . A Pembina Institute OpEd, Budget 2016 missed opportunity to prepare BC for low-carbon world and Clean Energy Canada both reacted with disappointment to the 2016 Budget priorities announced on February 16.]]>

Alberta News: Royalty Review, Economic Diversification funding, Incentives for Small-Scale Renewables

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:31:13 +0000

Royalty Review Framework was announced on January 29, 2016 along with the Final Report of the Advisory Panel . The Panel recommended that existing royalty structures be maintained for 10 years on wells drilled before 2017, and that the current oil sands regime remain unchanged. Although the government states that it will create a “simpler, more transparent and efficient system that encourages job creation and investment”, Andrew Nikoforuk calls the result a “disaster” in a detailed review published in The Tyee (Feb. 2) . The Alberta Federation of Labour participated in the Royalty Review meetings and roundtables; its submission, Royalty Policy is the Biggest Decision any Alberta Government has to Make advocated Lougheed-era royalty rates equivalent to 30 per cent of market value, promotion of in-province upgrading and refining, and creation of an Alberta crown energy corporation for direct investment and equity participation in the industry. AFL President Gil McGowan reflects on his disappointment with the process in an article in The Tyee , (Feb. 10) . On February 1, 2016 Alberta announced a new “Petrochemicals Diversification Program”, providing up to $500 million in incentives through royalty credits to encourage investment in energy processing facilities. The Government projects a job creation benefit of up to 3,000 new jobs during construction, and more than 1,000 jobs operational jobs. On February 5, 2016 the Alberta government announced $5 million for the Alberta Municipal Solar Program, to provide rebates up to a maximum of $300,000 per project, to encourage solar installations on municipal buildings. A similar program, the On-Farm Solar Management program, will provide $500,000 in provincial and federal funding to encourage farmers to install solar energy systems . A Greenpeace blog on Febraury 9 reacts to these programs and argues for the benefits of distributed, small-scale renewable energy.]]>

Federal Grants and loans to Municipalities for Green Projects

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:35:57 +0000

announced $31.5 million in funding for capital and planning expenses for green projects. The FCM Budget Submission makes specific proposals regarding housing, transit, infrastructure and public safety; it calls for an expansion in the $550 million federally-funded Green Municipal Fund, and a new Green Infrastructure Fund, with dedicated, predictable funding for projects designed to mitigate and adapt to climate change and make other green improvements related to drinking water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure.]]>

Feds issue Interim Rules for Environmental Assessment, including Climate considerations

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:40:16 +0000

were announced on January 27, 2016 . Interim Measures for Pipeline Reviews applies specifically to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain and Energy East Pipeline projects, extending the deadlines for the National Energy Board reviews to allow for greater consultation with First Nations and the public, and to “Assess the upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with this project and make this information public”. Some reaction was favourable, for example, Environmental Defence . Ecojustice states “Liberals’ Interim Pipeline Measures fall Short” ; the Pembina Institute is supportive but asks “4 Key Questions for the Canadian Government’s New Climate Test " , as it might apply to Petronas’s Pacific NorthWest LNG project in British Columbia. And David Suzuki asks, “Paris changed everything, so why are we still talking pipelines?” .]]>

Canada's Climate Change policy: Trudeau needs Unions

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:49:07 +0000

The Hill Times , (February 1) Carla Lipsig Mumme argues that “Trudeau Needs Unions to Achieve his Ambitious Climate Agenda” - pointing out that unions can identify opportunities for GhG reductions in work processes , bargain collectively for change, and educate members in climate literacy. Canada’s Climate Action Network , which includes the Canadian Labour Congress, as well as CUPE, NUPGE, and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, called on all governments to make job creation the priority for Canada’s climate action plan and released a backgrounder: One Million Climate Jobs: A Challenge for Canada . With a similar message, BlueGreen Canada published “Just Transition Needed for Canada’s Climate Change Plans” . Formal discussions by Federal and Provincial-Territorial Environment ministers on January 29 launched the post COP21 process to achieve Canada’s new national framework to fight climate change. On March 2, Prime Minister Trudeau will discuss climate change with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, followed by another meeting with the Premiers on March 3; both meetings will be in Vancouver. An overview of provincial positions, especially on carbon pricing, appeared in The Globe and Mail (Feb. 17) “Ottawa seeks to set National Minimum on Carbon Pricing” .]]>

Canadian Engineers Lead International Climate Change Initiatives for the profession

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 18:10:38 +0000

ending in December 2015 . Under its strong leadership, WFEO , which represents 20 million engineers in 90 countries, adopted a Model Code of Practice: Principles of Climate Change Adaptation for Engineers , modelled on Canada’s national Code, adopted in 2014. Leadership of the Committee now passes to the Institution of Civil Engineers, of the U.K., but the momentum seems to be established, according to the November 2015 Committee Newsletter, which offers an impressive overview of the actions and aspirations of the engineering profession. Stated goals include “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all…Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all;… Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation;… Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts .” And in its Summit Statement from Paris in December, “COP-21 Engineers Climate Change Summit: Turning Words Into Action – A Sectoral Approach”, the organization focused on the sectors of Agriculture and Food Security, Infrastructure and Urbanization, and Energy and Transport, and pledged, amongst other actions, to undertake climate risk assessments as part of normal practice, and include social, economic and environmental impacts in their considerations.]]>

Canadian Green Building Industry employs more workers than Oil and Gas, Mining, and Forestry Combined

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 18:14:08 +0000

press release on February 3 reported on the growth of the green building industry in Canada: a total of 527 LEED projects were certified in 2015, bringing the total of certified projects in Canada to 2,576. On February 10, the Canada Green Building Council released Green Building in Canada: Assessing the Market Impacts & Opportunities (Executive summary only available) , which states that it has generated $23.45 billion in GDP and supported 297,890 full-time jobs in 2014, exceeding the 270,450 jobs found in Canada’s oil and gas extraction, mining and forestry industries combined. Ontario (at 2.1% of total labour force) and British Columbia (at 1.6%) led green building employment, “due in part to greater market leadership, progressive building code requirements and green building policies”. The report suggests four pathways to accelerate industry growth and maximize economic opportunities, including “Supporting Industry Training and Continuing Education”. “What is currently lacking is a multi-pronged approach to training that supports all of the different programs to help the construction industry understand, design, and build greener buildings. More investment in this space is required to support structured and modernized internship, mentorship, or apprenticeship programs, as well as recognized credentials for professions such as building operators.” In January 2016, CAGBC also released National Energy Benchmarking Framework: Report on Preliminary Working Group Findings, with proposals for a Benchmarking Framework, to encourage consistency across the country and streamline the application process for building owners and managers. Stakeholders consulted in the working group included federal, provincial and municipal government departments, as well as the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, and industry associations such as the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). No unions were represented.]]>

Carbon Neutral Government Operations pay off in Jobs in B.C.

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 18:19:05 +0000

Carbon Neutral Action Reports , which provide statistics, case studies of initiatives, and details of their purchases of carbon offsets. A new report, Leading by Example: The First Five Years of Carbon Neutral Government in British Columbia cumulates and analyses five years’ experience; one highlight is that 77% of public sector carbon emissions are facility- related, suggesting great potential for reduction through retrofitting and energy technologies. A companion report, The Economic Analysis of British Columbia’s Carbon Offset Projects, analyses the capital and operating expenditures of the 23 emission offset projects purchased by the public sector in 2013 and 2014. It estimates that the $24 million expenditure in offsets contributed $28.9 million to provincial GDP, and created 221 jobs in 2013 and 2014. The report also builds on the findings of a Price Waterhouse Coopers analysis done in 2012, and concludes that carbon offset capital expenditures have resulted in 2,903 jobs, and operating expenditures resulted in an additional 1,535 jobs for the period 2008 to the end of 2014.]]>

Does Homeworking reduce Carbon Emissions? Yes, Toronto Star, It Does

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 18:22:16 +0000

“Working at Home Not So Good for the Planet”, appeared in the Toronto Star newspaper on February 5, 2016, largely based on a 2014 report from U.K. based Carbon Trust, Homeworking: Helping Businesses Cut Costs and Reduce their Carbon Footprint . That 2014 document highlighted the issue of “rebound effects that result in increased carbon emissions, particularly from increased home energy consumption” – for example, the less-efficient heating of workers’ individual homes rather than common, energy efficient offices. By focusing on the “rebound effects”, the Toronto Star article missed some important points: the 13% increase of U.K. homeworkers between 2007 and 2012, as well as the report’s conclusion that “ if adopted and encouraged by employers across the country, homeworking could result in annual savings of over 3 million tonnes of carbon and cut costs by £3 billion.” A far more informative, detailed report was released by Carbon Tracker in December 2015, GESI Mobile Carbon Impact: How Mobile Communications Technology is Enabling Carbon Emissions Reduction . The report claims that “ Use of mobile communications technology is currently enabling a total reduction of 180 million tonnes of CO2 a year across the USA and Europe, and is expected to grow at least three times larger in the next 5 years.” 7% of carbon reduction relates to “connected working”, measured through reduced emissions from commuting and by use of audio or video connectivity in place of meetings. Further savings are made through reducing building energy consumption, by rationalising office space or reducing occupancy levels. The report notes that “nervousness” of employers is a barrier to homeworking, but cites studies which found no loss of productivity or quality from homeworking, and suggest that the “nervousness” issue might be resolved by new approaches to supervision or management, such as monitoring practical outcomes rather than supervising process and attendance. A larger part of the report is devoted to the 70% of emissions abatement that is the result of machine-to-machine communications technologies in the buildings,transport and energy sectors, where devices are able to communicate automatically with each other, without human intervention.” (e.g. building management, route planning, smart grids in electricity distribution).]]>

North American Memorandum of Understanding on Energy; U.S. Governors sign Accord for a "New Energy Future"

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 19:35:37 +0000

signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a formal process for sharing energy data and collaborating on climate change, energy, and innovation, including low-carbon grids, renewables and efficiency standards. A blog by Clean Energy Canada dubbed the MOU "Clean-XL" and describes what the trinational cooperation could look like on the ground; CBC described it as the first step to “Green NAFTA” . In February, governors of seventeen states representing 40% of the U.S. population, (including California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania) signed the Governors Accord for a New Energy Future, to reduce emissions and expand renewable energy, energy efficiency, and to integrate solar and wind generation into electricity grids. Powering Climate Prosperity: Canada’s Renewable Electricity Advantage , released by the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity in February, provides a snapshot of renewable energy in Canada today, and concludes that for Canada to meet its GHG reduction targets, we must reduce energy waste, more than double renewable electricity generation capacity, and make electricity the “clean fuel of choice”. The Council report draws heavily on the analysis and prescriptions of the Canadian report of the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project . The DDPP states: “By more than doubling the use of electricity for industrial activity, the carbon intensity of the sector can drop by 85 percent between 2010 and 2050, even as output continues to grow apace.” For a statistical update to the U.S. renewables scene, see the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook 2016 , produced for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy by Bloomberg New Energy Finance .]]>

First Nations crafting an Indigenous Climate Action Plan

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 19:41:07 +0000

meeting of First Nations representatives, led by women from tar sands-impacted communities , a series of future educational, networking, and planning meetings was proposed, as a way of achieving an Indigenous Climate Change Action Plan . Sure to be on the agenda at the March 2 climate change discussions with the Prime Minister in Vancouver: the Site C hydropower dam on the Peace River, vehemently opposed by First Nations and environmental groups. The February 11,2016 Open Letter to the Prime Minister concludes: “The people of Treaty 8 have said no to Site C. Any government that is truly committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, to respecting human rights, and to promoting truly clean energy must listen.” The B.C. Supreme Court will rule on February 22 on an application by B.C. Hydro for an injunction against protesters at the construction site. Unions continue to support Indigenous rights. Most recently, as reported at Rabble.ca (Feb. 9), the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) pledged to support the Save the Fraser Declaration, which states that " we will not allow the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines, or similar Tar Sands projects, to cross our lands, territories and watersheds, or the ocean migration routes of Fraser River salmon.”]]>

Has a "Climate Insurgency" Begun?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 14:59:21 +0000

Environmental Activists Take to Local Protests for Global Results” in the New York Times (March 19) features the arrest of Bill McKibben at a protest at Seneca Lake, New York, and illustrates the growing climate protest movement. Case in point: Breakfree 2016 is scheduled for May 4 – 15, and will coordinate a “global wave of mass actions will target the world’s most dangerous fossil fuel projects, in order to keep coal, oil and gas in the ground and accelerate the just transition to 100% renewable energy.” In “A New Wave of Climate Insurgents Defines Itself as Law-Enforcers”, Jeremy Brecher of Labor for Sustainability characterizes the Breakfree protests as part of a “climate insurgency”, which is seen “not only as a moral but as a legal right and duty, necessary to protect the Constitution and the public trust for ourselves and our posterity”. Brecher catalogues other U.S. examples, including the court challenges led by Our Children’s Trust . In an article in Rolling Stone , (March 12), the children’s case is described as part of an emerging legal strategy dubbed “Atmospheric Trust Litigation”. In contrast to the right to protest that many North American activists enjoy, there stands the murder on March 3 of Berta Cáceres , the Honduran Indigenous and environmental rights campaigner and winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015. A website for Berta http://bertacaceres.org/ tells her story and that of other environmental activists worldwide, and compiles the calls from around the world of outrage and for an independent inquiry. In Canada, a rally was held at the Honduran embassy in Ottawa on International Women's Day.]]>

Labour Practices and Sustainability in the Seafood Industry

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:03:06 +0000

Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions released the first update since 2008 to its Common Vision for Sustainable Seafood , a widely-used best-practices guide used by the North American food industry. New in the 2016 edition are strong prescriptions for labour rights and traceability of the supply chain. From the preamble: “…socially responsible seafood ensures that sourcing does not impact the food security of vulnerable communities, provides a living wage for workers in seafood supply chains, and supports the sustainable livelihoods and cultural heritage of communities.” Specific steps are outlined, including: “ Establish effective grievance mechanisms for labor abuses and worker safety that meet the minimum standards set forth in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and include a meaningful role for workers themselves in the monitoring of workplace conditions and resolving disputes. • Develop corrective action plans with suppliers found to violate human or labor rights.• Include requirements in purchasing agreements and contracts that suppliers will respect fundamental labor rights, including freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, and will pay workers a living wage.” The Association website also includes a Social Resource Centre , with links to all the major organizations and documents relating to sustainability and core labour standards in the fisheries industry.]]>

Electricity Industry in the U.K. Sees the Green Light

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:08:06 +0000

Reported in The Guardian on February 28 as a “watershed moment”, the biggest energy lobbying group in the country, Energy UK, has shifted its position on green energy and will start campaigning for low-carbon alternatives. The shift in policy follows the publication of Pathways for the GB Electricity Sector to 2030 , commissioned by Energy UK and written by consultants KPMG. (For comparison purposes, see the Canadian Electricity Association documents Vision 2050 ( 2014) , and Adapting to Climate Change (2016). The U.K. Budget delivered on March 16 initially imposed a VAT increase from 5 – 20% on solar panels and other energy-saving products, but Chancellor George Osborne was forced to backtrack by political opposition. Small comfort when the Petroleum Revenue Tax was effectively abolished and a supplementary charge on oil and gas extraction dramatically reduced – the government claims that it has provided tax support worth 1 billion pounds to the oil and gas industry.]]>

Oregon Senate votes to phase out Coal generation

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:10:23 +0000

Senate Bill 1547, which will eliminate coal from the state’s energy supply by 2030, and provide half of all customers’ power with renewable sources by 2040. The state’s one existing coal plant is its largest source of GhG emissions, according to Yale 360 .]]>

What impact for Coal Workers from China's new 5-Year Plan?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:13:21 +0000

China’s Official 5-Year Plan for 2016 - 2020 was released on March 5, and for the first time, China has set a limit on energy consumption, to 5 billion tons of standard coal equivalent. Kate Gordon of the Paulson Institute considers the impact on coal workers in “ The Fate of Industrial Workers in China’s Proposed Green(er) Economy” (March 22) . For a general overview of the Plan, see the World Resources Institute analysis ; or “China’s New Five-year Plan is out and it doesn’t Sacrifice the Environment for the Economy” in Grist (March 18) .]]>

Australia announces Clean Energy Investment Fund

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:16:25 +0000

announcement establishes a A$1 billion clean-energy innovation fund to invest in clean-energy technologies and businesses in Australia; the Australian Renewable Energy Agency will also be retained. Yet a controversy continues over the Australian government’s cut-backs on climate change science – see “Grim prospects: the shake-up of Australia's climate science” from the Sydney Morning Herald (March 11). Another current controversy is highlighted in The Guardian: “Australia's emissions rising and vastly underestimated, says report” (March 18).]]>

How to start a Workplace Environment Committee

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:21:59 +0000

The Canadian Union of Public Employees released a practical guide, How to form a Workplace Environment Committee on March 7, stating “CUPE recommends that its members set up either a workers-only environment committee or a joint worker/employer environment committee. Sometimes, joint health and safety committees extend their mandate to take on environmental issues. However, a separate environment committee that focuses only on green issues is the better way to go to ensure that workplace environmental issues are front and centre for the committee.” The Guide suggests starting with an EcoAudit , which CUPE also supplies online , as well as examples of existing committees in CUPE workplaces. For a catalogue of collective bargaining language related to workplace environment committees, visit the database compiled by York University’s Adapting Canadian Work and Workplaces to Respond to Climate Change project. ]]>

Canada's investment in Clean Energy decreased in 2015

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:27:02 +0000

Clean Energy Canada released the 2016 edition of its Tracking the Energy Revolution: Global Survey on February 29, subtitled: A Year for the Record Books because 2015 was the first year in which more money was invested in clean energy in developing countries than in developed ones. Further, investment in renewable power totalled a record US$367 billion, a 7% increase over 2014. More than half of that amount was invested in China, the United States and Japan. For specific examples of U.S. progress, read the White House briefing, America is Building a Clean-Energy Economy with Unprecedented Momentum , which summarizes the accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) in promoting clean energy investment and research. At a total investment of $4 billion, Canada ranked 8^th globally in the Clean Energy survey – and investment decreased by 46%. Yet consider the projections of the Solutions Project , led by Marc Jacobsen at Stanford University, which has developed plans for 100 percent renewable energy for 139 countries around the world, including all U.S. states and Canada . Also of interest, the International Energy Agency released its review of Canada’s energy policies , on March 3 - the first update since 2009. It states that Canada was the fifth-largest crude oil and fourth-largest natural gas producer in the world in 2014; in 2014, the energy sector contributed 10 per cent of gross domestic product, employed about 280,000 people and accounted for about 30 per cent of Canada’s exports.]]>

Fossil Fuel Investment Risk: Losses, and Pressure to disclose Risks to Investors

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:36:29 +0000

The Tyee, “How a B.C. union dumped fossil fuels and cashed in” highlights the profitable decision of the B.C. Government Employees Union to move $20 million in its strike fund and general reserves from equities (and fossil fuels) into cash in 2014. The article then discusses the more complex issues of climate risk in pension fund investing (B.C.GEU did not divest its pension fund). A March 1 article in Grist, “New York lost Billions with Fossil Fuel Investments” estimates that the New York State Common Retirement Fund, the third largest pension fund in the U.S., lost $5 billion over three years through its investments in fossil fuel companies. The estimate is based on the analysis of Toronto-based Corporate Knights, using its Decarbonizer calculator. Another Corporate Knights analysis of the performance of 14 major funds , including Harvard’s endowment, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the pension plans of Canada and the Netherlands, estimated that the combined losses of the 14 funds since 2012 was $23 billion. In early March, the investment committee for the largest pension fund in the U.S., California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) voted to require that the corporations it invests in must include people on their boards who have expertise in climate change risk management strategies. On March 24, CBC reported that the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered Exxon to put to a vote at its shareholders’ meeting in May a resolution which would require Exxon to make annual disclosure of risks to company’s operations from climate change or legislation designed to control carbon pollution. These are all evidence that the investment community is paying attention to the investment risks of fossil fuels, particularly stranded assets. At COP21, a global Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) was established, with Michael Bloomberg at the head, to“consider the physical, liability and transition risks associated with climate change and what constitutes effective financial disclosures across industries”… and to “ develop voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders”. In January, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, proposals for risk reporting by fossil fuel companies were set out in Considerations for Reporting Disclosure in a Carbon-constrained world from Carbon Tracker Initiative and the Climate Disclosure Standards Board . Too Late, Too Sudden: Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy and Systemic Risk (Feb. 2016) from the European Systemic Risk Board in February recommends that policymakers increase disclosure of the carbon intensity of non-financial firms (that would include the fossil fuel industry), noting that “Fossil-fuel firms and electricity utilities are substantially debt financed, exacerbating the potential financial stability impact of a sudden revaluation of stranded assets.” For a Canadian context, see an October 2015 working paper from SHARE, Integrating the Economy and the Environment: An Overview of Canadian Capital Markets .]]>

Ontario reveals its proposals for Cap and Trade

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:41:03 +0000

introduced Bill 172, the Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy Act to the Legislature on February 24, 2016; a summary is available here ; the Bill and status is available here . It proposes to establish greenhouse gas emissions targets in statute for 2020, 2030 and 2050, with the option to establish interim or more stringent targets through a regulation. Most notably, it establishes the expected cap and trade program, with requirements for greenhouse gas emissions quantification and calculation, reporting and verification, the submission of allowances and credits to match greenhouse gas emissions, the creation , distribution and trading of allowances and credits, and an offset program. The full and detailed outline of the Regulatory proposals re the Cap and Trade program are available at the Ontario Environmental Registry, open for public comment until April 10, 2016. . Other announcements: $5 million from the Green Investment Fund to provide Indigenous communities with training, tools and infrastructure to address climate change, with additional $8 million to develop advanced microgrid solutions in First Nations communities(March 17); provincial investment and partnership with a Japanese company Mitsui High-tec to build the first manufacturing facility in Ontario, in Brantford, to produce motor cores for electric and hybrid vehicles.]]>

Manitoba introduces Environmental Rights Act with Whistleblower rights

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:46:03 +0000

Environmental Rights Act , summarized at the Environmental Law Centre ( Alberta) blog . The Act incorporates fundamental environmental law principles: precautionary principle; polluter pays principle; principle of sustainable development; principle of intergenerational equity; and principle of environmental justice. The Bill also includes Employee Protection from Reprisals, which states that “An employee who uses a measure set out in the Bill to protect the environment is protected from any reprisal from their employer. ” Update: The EcoJustice blog, A Tale of Two Provinces highlights the many strengths of the Manitoba legislation, and compares the reforms with Ontario's Environmental Bill of Rights. However, with the election call in Manitoba, Bill 20 died on the Order Paper. The Manitoba election will take place on April 19 - see CBC coverage here.]]>

Updates: British Columbia's New Climate Bureaucrat and LNG

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 15:54:15 +0000

Fazil Mihlar, former Fraser Institute director, tapped as B.C.'s Deputy Climate Minister” in the National Observer. Despite widespread public opposition – especially from the local group My Sea to Sky - the Woodfibre LNG project was awarded federal approval, with conditions, on March 18 . And in what is seen as a serious test of Canada’s climate commitment , Federal Minister McKenna has delayed the decision on the Pacific Northwest LNG project ; see “ Tensions tighten as Ottawa Prepares Decision on Pacific Northwest LNG” in the Globe and Mail or “Decision time for Trudeau: Climate Commitments or LNG legacy” in the National Observer. See also the Policy Note from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, “B.C. government spin cycle on LNG” (March 15), summarizing the results of freedom of information requests regarding natural gas supplies, environmental impacts, and economic benefits of developing LNG. On a more positive note, Premier Clark announced funding of $11.9 million from the Province’s Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund for three programs aimed at promoting clean-energy vehicles, clean air and clean water. Details of the Clean Energy Vehicle Program are here .]]>

Alberta starts Coal Phase-out planning, makes Low-Carbon pact with U.K.

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:00:44 +0000

Speech from the Throne announced intentions to reinvest revenues from the carbon levy into creating jobs and economic diversification, to enact a Promoting Job Creation and Diversification Act , and to appoint an Energy Diversification Advisory Committee which will include Labour. On March 15, Alberta and the United Kingdom announced a Low-Carbon Innovation and Growth Framework agreement. On March 16, the press release “Alberta takes next steps to phase-out coal pollution under Climate Leadership Plan” explains the process underway. ]]>

Canada- U.S. Climate Agreement to regulate Methane Emissions

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:09:16 +0000

On March 10, 2016, following star-powered meetings between President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau in Washington, the U.S.-Canada Joint Statement on Climate, Energy, and Arctic Leadership (in French here ) was released. Again, there were optimistic and positive reactions, mainly centred on the provisions to work collaboratively on federal measures to reduce methane emissions. Environment and Climate Change Canada has pledged “to publish an initial phase of proposed regulations by early 2017.” Summaries of the agreement appear in “Trudeau vows to Clamp Down on Methane Emissions” in the Globe and Mail (March 10) and “Obama and Canada’s Justin Trudeau Promote Ties and Climate Plan” in New York Times (March 10). For reaction, read “How big a deal is Trudeau and Obama’s methane pact?” from the UVic PICS Newsletter ; “Why Closer Canadian-American collaboration on clean energy is a good thing” at the Institute for Research in Public Policy ; and “Celebrating Crucial climate progress in Canada’s oil and gas sector” , from the Pembina Institute. For a U.S. point of view, read “Sea Change: U.S. and Canada Announce Common Goals on Climate, Energy and the Arctic” from Inside Climate News, which summarizes the recent activity of the EPA regarding methane emissions. The Natural Resources Defense Council calls for a commitment to end fossil fuel subsidies in From Dialogue to Results: Blueprint for Joint Climate Action and Clean Energy Deployment between Canada and the United States , which the joint agreement did not do.]]>

Canadian Climate Change Policy: The Vancouver Declaration and Subsequent Federal budget

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:18:22 +0000

First Ministers meeting in Vancouver raised enormous expectations, culminating on March 3 with the release of an 8-page Vancouver Declaration on Clean Growth and Climate Change , (in French here ). The Declaration pledged immediate federal investment in green infrastructure, public transit infrastructure and energy efficient social infrastructure; investing in clean energy and clean tech R & D, as well as electric vehicles and clean electricity. It creates working groups to report by October 2016, in four areas: Clean Technology, Innovation and Jobs; Carbon Pricing Mechanisms; Specific Mitigation Opportunities; and Adaptation and Climate Resilience. Acknowledging that ANY federal-provincial discussion represents progress from the Harper years, reaction to the meetings was generally optimistic - for example, Four Reasons the First Ministers Meeting on Climate Matters from Clean Energy Canada, and Vancouver Declaration Moves Canada Closer To A National Climate Plan from DeSmog Blog. The Council of Canadians disappointment is explained in “Council of Canadians protest as first ministers fail to take needed action on climate change” , and the outrage of some Indigenous leaders marred the meetings, see “Indigenous leaders shocked at exclusion from climate change meeting” in The National Observer . For a simple, balanced overview, read “From Paris to Vancouver: What happened at the First Ministers meeting on climate” by Marc Lee at Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives , who rightly points out that achieving a clean economy is a political problem, not a technical problem, and who advises us to “watch the budget”. Action on climate change is listed as one of the top 10 things Canadian unions want to see in the federal budget, according to the Canadian Labour Congress. And the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives included a call for a national carbon price of $30 per tonne in their Alternative Budget . When the actual federal Budget was delivered on March 22 by Finance Minister Morneau, he characterized the new government as a “champion of clean growth and a speedy transition to a low-carbon economy.” Spending allocations include: $2.5-billion for public transit; $1.8-billion on green infrastructure; $574-million for energy and water efficiency upgrades in social housing; $401-million for a variety of clean-tech development efforts; $1.7-billion for climate and environmental protection, and an additional $1-billion in each of 2018 and 2019 to establish a low-carbon economy fund for provinces and territories that sign on to a national climate agreement. The Budget did NOT eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, and DID include a provision to allow LNG producers to write off their capital investments at an accelerated pace for the next 10 years. For an overview, see “Liberals unveil spending as ‘Champion of Clean Growth" in the Globe and Mail (March 22). Read CUPE’s response here .]]>

Considering Just Transition in an Australian Context

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:20:58 +0000

Why Work And Workers Matter In The Environmental Debate” appeared in the March 19 issue of Green Agenda, an online forum hosted by the Green Institute , a think thank associated with Australia’s Green Party. It provides an introduction to the prevailing arguments about a green transition, with Australian examples and context, and argues 1) that the world of work is a critical element in a successful shift to a green economy, and 2) that political parties and environmental organizations in Australia need to engage more deeply with the concerns and interests of workers in the face of labour market and job disruptions. Pointing to the “more nuanced” positions of the Leap Manifesto, the 350 movement, and Australia’s Earthworker Co-operative, the author challenges leaders in politics, business, the environmental movement, and the labour movement, to craft and implement Just Transition policies which re-imagine work and society, providing North American and Australian examples of what is at risk for communities and workers. The author, Caleb Goods, is a Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia, and this essay draws on his work as a Co-Investigator in the Adapting Canadian Work & Workplaces to Climate Change (ACW) project at York University.]]>

Delivering Community Power through the Post Office

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:29:27 +0000

February 29, 2016, dubbed Leap Day, saw the launch of a campaign to transform Canada’s postal system while creating a greener and more equitable economy. The “Delivering Community Power” campaign proposes to leverage Canada Post’s unparalleled delivery and outlet network, including rural and Indigenous communities, by offering electric vehicle charging stations at post offices, and providing postal banking as a means of financial inclusion and green investment. It also proposes converting the postal fleet to made-in-Canada electric vehicles. In her blog at the Council of Canadians website, Andrea Harden-Donahue states, “This is a very useful concrete proposal that brings together the inter-sectionality at the heart of the Leap Manifesto, aimed at social justice, environmental and climate objectives.” Rabble.ca describes the background for the campaign. Coalition members and supporters include the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, LEAP Manifesto, the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, ACORN, Idle No More, Friends of Public Services, SmartChange.ca, and the Canadian Labour Congress; they are urging Canadians to actively participate in a public review of Canada Post, to resist cutbacks and reimagine future directions. The Campaign website offers a download of the full 20 page proposal: Delivering Community Power: How Canada Post can be the Hub of our Next Economy .]]>

Low Carbon Economy: 2 Canadian proposals and International Evidence of Decoupling

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:33:37 +0000

Smart Prosperity is a new Canadian group, launched at the Globe 2016 conference in Vancouver, and supported by a civil society groups including business, youth, Indigenous people, researchers, environmental groups (including WWF, Pembina Institute, Nature Conservancy), and labour organizations, notably the United Steelworkers. Its launch document, New Thinking: Canada’s Roadmap to Smart Prosperity outlines five action areas: 1. Accelerate clean innovation across the economy; 2: Boost energy and resource efficiency; 3: Price pollution and waste ; 4: Invest in advanced infrastructure and skills; 5: Conserve and value nature. From the Broadbent Institute, which is also a member of the Smart Prosperity collaborative, comes A Green Entrepreneurial State as Solution to Climate Federalism by Brendan Haley. The author supports a uniform national carbon pricing system, but continues.. “ the government should also not limit itself to market-based approaches, since other policy actions are needed to create low-carbon economic and political momentum attuned to regional needs and catalyzing concrete low-carbon innovations.” Conclusion: “The federal government can support the development of low-carbon transition pathways by providing analytical tools in areas such as GHG accounting, energy systems analysis, and scenario development. The results can inform the allocation of federal R&D efforts, infrastructure funds, and green development bank investments.” Haley acknowledges a large debt to the work of Mariana Mazzucato and her widely-cited book, The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths (2013) . Mazzucato has since published The Green Entrepreneurial State (SPRU Working Paper October 2015) , and “A State-powered Green Revolution” in The Syndicate (March 10). Two recent international reports add to the mounting evidence that a low carbon economy can be achieved within a healthy economy. The International Energy Agency in Paris titled its March 16 press release, “Decoupling of Global Emissions and Economic Growth Confirmed” , as it released data showing energy-related emissions of CO2 steady for the second year in a row, while renewable energy surged. And an OECD study, Do Environmental Policies Affect Global Value Chains? (March 10) concludes that regulations to curb pollution and energy use do not necessarily hurt businesses by creating new costs – challenging the theories of carbon leakage made by some. Based on historic trade data for developing and developed economies, the OECD report concludes that countries with stringent environmental laws suffer a very small disadvantage in pollution-intensive sectors such as steel-making, chemicals, plastics and fuel products, but that this is compensated for by advantages in cleaner industries like machinery or electronics. The study uses an “OECD Environmental Policy Stringency indicator”, is a composite index which assigns higher values to represent a more stringent policy. An interactive table shows Canada’s Stringency score at 2.8 in 2012, (which is the OECD average). The most stringent country is Denmark (4.2), followed by Netherlands (3.6); the U.S. and Japan rank 2.6.]]>

Where do unions stand on Carbon Markets?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:38:38 +0000

Carbon Markets After Paris: Trading in Trouble , Sean Sweeney, Coordinator of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED), argues that it is time for unions to reevaluate their stance on emissions trading. He asserts a “Paris Contradiction” - that the INDC’s targets from COP21 in Paris in December 2015 are not sufficient to reduce GhG emissions, and are part of a “neo liberal fantasy”. Focusing on Europe and the problems of the European carbon market ( the EU ETS), Sweeney criticizes the European Trade Union Confederation for its “defensive approach (prevention of carbon leakage and the protection of existing jobs)”, and its continued participation in the Social Partnership framework. In his accompanying blog , he states: “ Facing up to the the failure of carbon markets will allow unions and their allies to better concentrate on developing and organizing around the kind of programmatic commitments that can seriously tackle climate change and the systemic roots of the crisis…. by extending social ownership of key sectors like energy, a genuine ‘just transition’ is possible and that unions can play an important role in making it happen.” Even outside the neo-liberal fold, Sweeney’s call to reject carbon markets is controversial. The European Trade Union Confederation, subject of Sweeney’s criticism, most recently issued its “Position on the structural reform of the EU Emissions Trading System” in December 2015, reflecting a concern for “carbon leakage” but demanding a Just Transition Fund to protect workers. The ETUC claims to have consulted widely amongst European labour unions to reach its position. The Canadian Labour Congress, in the lead-up to COP21 stated (Nov. 2015) “The Canadian labour movement supports a national cap and trade carbon-pricing system”, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, in its response to the 2016 Federal Budget states, “CUPE supports putting a price on carbon, but it must be done in a progressive way that penalizes corporate polluters rather than low-income and working Canadians. Revenues raised from carbon pricing should be used to invest in complementary green investments, job retraining, create green jobs, and to mitigate negative impacts of climate change and carbon pricing measures on vulnerable Canadians.” See also Marc Lee, “Don’t believe the Hype on B.C.’s Carbon Tax” (March 4), and in the U.S., the Center for American Progress called for an integrated North American carbon market on March 17.]]>

Climate change, Natural Disasters, and Mental Health

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:44:01 +0000

WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate presents a depressing catalogue of statistics, including that 2015 was the hottest year on record, with CO2 concentrations breaching the symbolic benchmark of 400 ppm. The Global Footprint Network released the 2016 edition of the National Footprint Accounts , reveals that the global Carbon Footprint is 16 percent higher than previously calculated. The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), the Catholic University of Louvain Brussels, and the U.S. Agency for International Development released analysis of the human cost of disasters , showing that 98.6 million people worldwide were affected in 2015, and that climate was a factor in 92% of those events. Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Office estimates that over the next five years, the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program can expect claims of $229 million per year because of hurricanes, convective storms and winter storms and $673 million for floods, for a total of $902 million in Canada. To this litany of bad news, add another cost: the mental health cost of climate change. The issue is addressed in a recent three-part series of articles in the Toronto Star and raises the profile of the effects of climate change on the mental health of those most exposed and affected by it. “Climate change is Wreaking Havoc on our Mental Health, Experts say” (Feb. 28), discusses the mental health toll on environmental scientists and activists, provides links to studies, and applauds the American Psychological Association (APA) for taking the issue seriously (unlike the Canadian association). “For Normally Stoic Farmers, The Stress of Climate Change can be too much to bear” (Feb. 28) highlights the plight of farmers, already recognized as having one of the highest rates of occupation-related depression and suicide, and expected to worsen with increased frequency of weather disasters of flooding and drought. “Aboriginal Leaders are Warning of the Mental Health Cost of Climate Change in the North” (Feb 29) portrays Northerners as front line victims of climate change . The author of the series, Tyler Hamilton, calls on the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Canadian Psychological Association to acknowledge the issue and develop a position on the grounds that climate change stress is both a public health concern and a factor in economic productivity.]]>

Low Carbon Economy Future for Alberta

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 20:55:30 +0000

100,000+ Jobs: Getting Albertans back to Work by building a Low-Carbon Future (April 22), aims to “spark a creative conversation” by providing very specific examples of job creation opportunities by sector and across sectors, and calls for policy changes and actions to diversify the economy. The Alberta Green Economy Network and Gridworks Energy Group also cooperated on the report. A poll taken by the Alberta Green Economy Network shows that 58% of Albertans want the carbon revenues announced in the recent budget to be directed toward green projects (28% want the money to be invested in research to reduce emissions from fossil fuel companies). On the ground, a group of oil sands workers have banded together as “Iron and Earth”, to help laid-off workers transition to the renewable energy sector. Their website states : “ Together we can encourage more sustainable carbon-based extraction and build the renewable energy infrastructure we need to both meet the demands of consumers and diversify our energy economy so it isn't so reliant on the boom and bust associated to a single resource.” Its first project is a "Solar Skills" campaign to retrain 1,000 laid-off electricians from Alberta's oil industry, to help build 100 solar installations on public buildings throughout the province. The group, mostly in Alberta but also including members from Atlantic Canada, states that it is non-partisan; it seeks supporters, donations, and possible partnerships with unions, including the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as corporations. See “Amid Price Plunge, North American Oil and Gas Workers Seek Transition to Renewable Sector” from Truthout; Iron and Earth and the dilemma of Alberta’s energy economy are presented in “Does National Unity Have to be a Casualty of Canada's Energy Debate?” at DeSmog Blog (April 4).]]>

Employment in Canadian Clean Tech and U.S. Clean Energy

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 21:02:11 +0000

Canadian Clean Technology Industry Report . This is the fifth report, based on the business results for 2014 and plans for 2015 reported by 107 companies – (the report is available in full only to the participants). Although it includes clean energy generation, the scope of the report also includes energy infrastructure and green buildings, transportation, recycling, water and waste water treatment, and others. From the publicly-available Synopsis, we learn that this broad Clean Technology sector in Canada includes 775 technology companies directly employing 55,600 people, an increase of 11% from 2013. The Backgrounder states that “More people are now directly employed in the clean technology industry than are employed in the aerospace manufacturing, forestry and logging or pharmaceuticals and medical devices industries.” 21 percent of employees are under age 30; 20 percent of clean technology company employees are engineers. The main focus of the report is on revenues and market share: “after Japan, Canada’s is the steepest decline in global market share among top exporters. For Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency manufactured environmental goods, Canada has lost 39 percent of its 2005 market share and is the biggest loser of market share among the top exporting countries.” The report advises: “To reverse this trajectory and get back to the spectacular growth of previous years will require a price on carbon as well as a rethink of innovation, regulation and green infrastructure policies. Equally important, it will require new models to finance the growth of companies including those with high capital requirements.” Industry associations BC Cleantech CEO Alliance, Écotech Québec, the Alberta Clean Technology Industry Alliance and Ontario’s MaRS Discovery District are co-ordinating their efforts to lobby the federal government for funding, according to a recent Globe and Mail article . In the U.S., a March 2016 report from consultants Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), found that 2.5 million Americans work in the clean energy industry. With 1.9 million workers, energy efficiency is the largest sector, followed by renewable energy generation, which employs nearly 414,000 people, and advanced vehicles with nearly 170,000 jobs. Clean Jobs America is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Energy data and a survey of tens of thousands of businesses across the country. It provides “ a comprehensive analysis of clean energy and clean transportation jobs” across the U.S., providing detailed statistics and an overview of the policies which have encouraged investment and growth, including the Clean Power Plan. The report was written in conjunction with the Clean Energy Trust, The Solar Foundation and Advanced Energy Economy. The Wind Industry Annual Market Report, released by the American Wind Energy Association on April 12, showed a 20% increase in jobs in the past year, with 88,000 at the start of 2016. The national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is quoted as saying that California leads the U.S. in energy employment with an industry growth rate of 18% last year – six times the overall state employment growth rate . California also ranks first in installed solar capacity and number of jobs, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association , the national trade association.]]>

Setting the record straight on Economic Analysis of Energy Efficiency Programs

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 21:42:04 +0000

Critiques of Energy Efficiency Policies and Programs: Some Truth But Also Substantial Mistakes and Bias . The paper examines recent U.S. studies of energy efficiency programs , “ … pointing out a variety of recurring mistakes, such as misunderstanding the programs and markets they are examining or unreasonably extrapolating their findings to areas they did not study.” The accompanying blog provides additional links and highlights a new study about Ontario, by the Fraser Institute. Demand-side Mismanagement: How Conservation became Waste examines energy conservation programs in Ontario and concludes that they have not saved money for consumers, but according to the ACEEE , “Their conclusion is not based on data from Ontario, but cites previous critical studies of other programs, in particular a controversial study from 1992. Their analysis ignores or downplays other more recent studies that found much lower costs.” The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy also launched a new website in April, providing detailed energy efficiency metrics for the United States , as well as overview measures for the international community , including Canada.]]>

Benefits of Community Energy in Canada

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 21:47:49 +0000

Community Energy Planning: the Value Proposition. Environmental, Health and Economic Benefits reports on Community Energy Planning activities and programs in Canada, with comprehensive economic analyses and case studies of six. The report states that more than 180 communities across Canada, representing over 50% of the population, live in communities with some community energy plan. The cities of Barrie and Hamilton, Ontario are given as examples: the study evaluated the long-term effects (over a period from 2008-2031) of maximizing cost-effective building energy efficiency retrofits and technologies and found that for every $1 million invested in building energy efficiency retrofits, over 9 person-years of permanent employment would be created within the province of Ontario. The report is part of a collaborative initiative, Getting to Implementation, spearheaded by the Community Energy Association, QUEST – Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow, and Sustainable Prosperity, with the goal of improving efficiency, cutting emissions, and driving economic development, including local job creation. Sustainable Prosperity has also recently released the Sustainability Alignment Manual, detailing market-based incentives for local community sustainaiblility efforts, and the University of Waterloo maintains a library of research articles and studies of community sustainability plans across Canada.]]>

Demanding a Just Transition for Peabody Coal Workers

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 21:52:29 +0000

Why Peabody Energy, the world's largest coal company, just went bankrupt” in Vox (April 13) and “How your taxes ended up enriching coal executives who are betraying their workers” in Vox (March 18) . DeSmog Blog reports on protests by activists (April 19) who demanded a $14 billion Just Transition Fund be established as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. DeSmog blog asks, “What would a more Just Bankruptcy look like?”, and lists: fully- fund worker pensions and health care plans; an immediate stop to the forcible relocation and harassment of Diné (Navajo) people in northern Arizona, and full reparations for cultural genocide caused by Peabody; Guaranteed full funding for clean-up and full reclamation of all mined lands and polluted and depleted aquifers used by Peabody; payouts to communities negatively impacted by Peabody’s practices in areas left stranded in the bankruptcy, as a priority before other shareholders; support for communities as they transition from coal-based economies toward renewable energy and self-sufficiency, including healthcare funds for communities in and adjacent to mining and coal-processing areas. Many of these issues were raised and explained in the 2012 report by Labor Network for Sustainability, Jobs Beyond Coal: A Manual for Workers, Communities and Environmentalists , which included a case study of Black Mesa and the Just Transition group.]]>

Ceremonial Signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, Earth Day 2016

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 22:29:08 +0000

As widely reported, over 170 national representatives took part in a ceremonial signing of the Paris climate agreement at the U.N. in New York on April 22, Earth Day. The Paris Agreement comes into force when countries representing at least 55% of total global greenhouse gasses, and 55% of the population, join the agreement. See “US and China lead push to bring Paris climate deal into force early” in The Guardian for details of each country’s proportion of emissions, and national ratification prospects. “The Key Players in Climate Change” in the New York Times (April 21) provides an overview of the major emmiters: U.S., China, EU, Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia. Although Canada is one of the highest per capita emitters in the world, it represents approximately 1.6% of total global GHG emissions in 2012. A brief press release from Canada’s PMO is here. Prime Minister Trudeau pledged that Canada’s House of Commons would ratify the agreement by the end of 2016 – matching the date pledged by the U.S. and China, in an article in the Globe and Mail. The Prime Minister spoke against a backdrop of two recent reports about Canada’s emissions. The National Inventory of Report of GHG Emissions 1990 – 2014 , released by Environment and Climate Change Canada, is an annual compilation of statistics mandated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It shows that total GHG emissions decreased overall between 2005 and 2014, but have increased by 5.2% from 2009 to 2014. Six provinces’ emissions have declined since 2005, but emissions in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland have increased. 81% of Canada’s GHG emissions in 2014 originated in the energy sector (which the IPCC broadly defines to include the fossil fuel industry, electricity, industrial production, transportation, agriculture and more). Emission intensity for the entire economy (GHG per GDP) has declined by 32% since 1990, which the report attributes to “fuel switching, increases in efficiency, the modernization of industrial processes, and structural changes in the economy”. The French version of the National Inventory Report is here. The Conference Board gives Canada a “D” grade overall on three dimensions it measured in its April 21 report: How Canada Performs: Environmental Report Card : climate change, air pollution, and freshwater management. Canada ranks 14th among the 16 peer countries, with only the U.S. and Australia worse.]]>

NDP and the Leap Manifesto

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 22:36:12 +0000

Leap Manifesto in the outcome of the NDP Convention in Edmonton in April, a few items which you may have missed: “The Leap: Time for a Reality Check” in Rabble.ca, in which Noami Klein defends the Leap document and counters another Rabble.ca article, “The federal NDP's 'Leap' of faith advocates and Alberta's right-wing opposition: Strange bedfellows?” (April 13) by David Climenhaga. And after the dust has settled somewhat, Ed Broadbent and the Broadbent Institute issued “Canada’s Left is having a Moment” which appeared in the Toronto Star (April 22). The Leap website has compiled links to news coverage of the debate here . The CBC has also attempted an overview and compilation of links at “The Leap Manifesto that is dividing the NDP” (April 17).]]>

Plans for a carbon levy revealed with Alberta's Budget

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 22:49:07 +0000

Budget with frequent references to its Climate Leadership Plan, including plans for $3.4 billion to be invested in large-scale renewable energy projects and technologies; $25 million to be invested directly into new apprenticeship and training opportunities; $25 million for startup companies with high job growth potential, such as clean energy and clean technology; and funding and training for workers in communities affected by the promised coal phase-out. See coverage in The Globe and Mail and the Calgary Herald . Most attention went to the specifics of the Climate Leadership Adjustment Rebate , to help individual Albertans offset the costs of the carbon levy. Academic research advice related to carbon pricing for Alberta appeared in Policy Options in March: "Alberta's Carrot and Stick approach to GHG Emission Reduction" and from the University of Calgary School of Public Policy, Make the Alberta Carbon Levy Revenue Neutral . ]]>

New Brunswick establishes a Select Committee on a Green Economy

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 22:52:10 +0000

voted to establish an all-party select committee on Climate Change on April 8 , to hold public consultations and produce a report . Read the summary by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick here . The Premier held an “Opportunity Summit” meeting on April 4 in Edmundston to consult on green economy issues.]]>

Nova Scotia holds off on a Carbon Tax

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 22:55:57 +0000

Budget on April 19, the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, CCPA-Nova Scotia, and clean energy groups issued an Open Letter calling for made-in-Nova Scotia carbon pricing, stating “The Nova Scotia government should immediately create a multi-sectoral working group on this issue, including environmental, anti-poverty and fair economy groups.” Their concerns were not addressed in the Budget, as government policy focused mainly on protecting the small budget surplus reported. For a summary, see the CBC report here .]]>

Quebec announces new Energy Policy to 2030

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 23:01:02 +0000

new energy strategy , with legislation to be introduced before June, 2016. The strategy includes goals to reduce oil consumption by 40 per cent by 2030; eliminate the use of thermal coal; increase by 25% overall renewable energy output; and increase by 50% bioenergy production. Documentation in French is here . See the summary in the Montreal Gazette . For a summary of recent Quebec announcements, see “The Quebec Premier just slammed future oil exploration in his province” in The National Observer (April 11) .]]>

Progress in reducing Transportation emissions: Electric Busses and Biofuel

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 23:50:55 +0000

While the world gawked and lined up to buy the new Tesla Model 3 electric car in March, a report from Yale 360 describes the encouraging progress toward electric heavy duty vehicles. “As Electric Cars Stall, A Move To Greener Trucks and Buses” (March 24) suggests that the industrial sector may be quicker than individual consumers to pay for expensive new technologies because costs can be amortized and benefits such as fuel savings will multiply across equipment fleets. As proof, the article cites growth of electric bus fleets in the U.S. and Europe, and states that China, the world leader in manufacture and export of electric buses, already has 80,000 electric buses on the road ; Shanghai has announced plans to add 1,400 electric buses a year . In Canada, electric vehicles continue to attract incentives , for example with Ontario’s new program announced in February .

To measure how carbon pollution is improving under renewable fuel standards, Clean Energy Canada, Navius Research and Simon Fraser have produced a new report, Biofuels in Canada: Tracking progress in Tackling Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation Fuels . The analysis concludes that government policy is clearly driving biofuel adoption: renewable fuel standards and low-carbon fuel standards have reduced annual carbon pollution in 2014 by 4.3 megatonnes CO2eq, (equivalent to taking one million cars off the road), and biofuel use has increased to 3.9 million m3, (equivalent to 5% of all gasoline and diesel use in Canada). However, the report calls for additional government policies in the future. Funding for the report was provided by Advanced Biofuels Canada; Clean Energy Canada maintained full control over research, analysis and editorial content.

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Divestment decision at University of Toronto amid further financial warnings

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 23:59:48 +0000

issued an official response to the Advisory Committee on Divestment from Fossil Fuels, which had reported in December 2015. The University rejected a blanket divestment strategy and opted to pursue a targeted approach which will incorporate environmental, social, and governance-based factors (ESG) in investment decisions. It states that the core mission of the university, research and teaching, will be used as its main contribution to the fight against climate change. The statement is summarized in a Globe and Mail article (March 30) . On April 12, the New York Times reported that Yale University had also found a compromise position regarding investment strategies for its endowment fund, rather than outright divestment. Arguing against such approaches: from researchers at the London School of Economics, "Climate value at risk’ of global financial assets” in Nature Climate Change online (April 4) which uses models to estimate the impact of twenty-first-century climate change on the present market value of global financial assets, and concludes that “losses could soar to $24tn, or 17% of the world’s assets, and wreck the global economy”. An article in The Guardian (April 4) summarizes this and other studies. Even the Harvard Business Review (April 14) is sounding the alarm, based on the latest research. An article in Corporate Knights magazine, “Defending Divestment” (April 6) considers the financial and moral arguments about divestment.]]>

Three Canadian NGO's to cooperate for Climate Change Advocacy

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:04:04 +0000

Environmental Defence , Équiterre and the Pembina Institute announced their new partnership in a public event in Ottawa on April 14, 2016. The three organizations “will deploy their research, convening and public engagement capacities to build cross-sectoral support for ambitious policy reforms” to meet the challenge of Canada’s climate change goals.]]>

Research funding dries up for Fracking and Water

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:09:43 +0000

Program on Water Issues (POWI) at University of Toronto’s Munk Centre for Global Affairs, “one of the nation's most celebrated and effective water study programs ” which brought together Canada’s “best scientists and policy-makers … in an independent, non-partisan forum”. Now, after supporting the program for 15 years, the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation have announced an end to their support. Although no official reason has been given for the decision, a report by Andrew Nikoforuk in The Tyee (April 19) suggests that research into fracking may have been a factor in the decision. Other research topics pursued at POWI included water withdrawals from the Athabasca River by the oil sands industry, groundwater monitoring, carbon capture and storage, climate change, the future of the Columbia River Treaty, and bulk water exports. Also: An April report from Environment America, Fracking by the Numbers: the Damage to Our Water, Land and Climate from a Decade of Dirty Drilling catalogues a host of dangers, including contaminated drinking water, depletion of scarce water resources; and air pollution and methane leaks in the U.S. And speaking of contamination of water, see also a new report by Environmental Defence- Energy East: A Risk to our Drinking Water , which documents the nature and proximity of the proposed pipeline to major municipal and community drinking water supplies in four provinces.]]>

Climate Change and Health, including Mental Health

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:18:36 +0000

The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment in April 2016. Chapter 8,"Mental Health and Well-being", states that mental health risks can be caused by climate-related or weather-related disasters, as well as ongoing anxiety over climate change. Extreme heat exacerbates physical and mental problems. Groups at highest risk are “children, the elderly, women (especially pregnant and post-partum women), people with pre-existing mental illness, the economically disadvantaged, the homeless, and first responders.” Communities that rely on the natural environment for sustenance and livelihood or with direct exposure to climate change are also at high risk. For follow-up reading, consult the 13- page list of references at the end of the chapter. For an overview of the entire report, see Fact Sheet: What Climate Change Means to your Health and Family .]]>

Aviation Industry - the Pivotal Climate Change issue of 2016?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:27:16 +0000

The global airline industry accounts for more GHG emissions than either South Korea or Canada – about 2% of global emissions, and expected to triple by 2050 without new policies. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has pledged to adopt a proposed Global Market-Based Mechanism (GMBM) to curb emissions in September 2016. In light of the importance of the issue, an international alliance of environmental groups, including the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation (ICSA) has launched FlightPath 1.5 , with the goal to make “ aviation emissions the pivotal climate change issue of 2016.” Download their Checklist for an Effective Plan to Cut Aviation Global Warming Pollution here . The National Observer (March 24) provides an overview of the issue; for a comprehensive discussion, refer to Raising Ambition to Reduce International Aviation and Maritime Emissions, published by New Climate Economy in 2015. See “How significant a source of emissions is air travel?” for background and progress in the U.S. , and Reducing emissions from Aviation website for a European overview.]]>

Food Products Industry and their Supply Chains

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:39:20 +0000

In the latest report of the Oxfam Behind the Brands campaign about the international food products industry, the Big 10 food and beverage companies are said to have made significant new commitments over the past three years to improve social and environmental standards in their supply chains, with progress most evident in the areas of protecting land rights, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling gender inequality. However, The Journey to Sustainable Food states that companies “must go much further and fundamentally re-write the business models in their supply chains to ensure that much more power and much more of the value their products generate reaches the farmers and workers who produce their ingredients.” Companies monitored are: Associated British Foods (ABF), Coca-Cola, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg, Mars, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever. A March 2016 study by Greenpeace International assesses 14 companies that committed to "no deforestation" to understand the impact of palm oil production on the plantations of Indonesia. The companies reviewed in Cutting deforestation out of the palm oil supply chain - Company Scorecard are: Colgate-Palmolive, Danone, Ferrero, General Mills, Ikea, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg, Mars, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, Orkla, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Unilever.]]>

Low-wage workers, Women, and Migrant workers will suffer most from Climate change-induced heat

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:03:23 +0000

Climate Change and Labour: Impacts of Heat in the Workplace identifies heavy labour and low-skill agricultural and manufacturing jobs as the most susceptible to heat changes caused by climate change. India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and part of West Africa are the countries most at risk. Quoting the IPCC’s 5th Assessment Report, it states that “labour productivity impacts could result in output reductions in affected sectors exceeding 20% during the second half of the century–the global economic cost of reduced productivity may be more than 2 trillion USD by 2030.” Even if countries meet their Paris emissions reductions targets, rising temperatures may cut up to 10 percent of the daytime working hours in developing countries. On the human scale, the authors surveyed more than 100 studies in the last decade which document the health risks and labour productivity loss experienced by workers in hot locations- most recently, 2016 studies from India which concluded that 87% of workers experience health problems during the hottest 3 months, and which highlighted additional problems for pregnant women workers and migrant workers. Several important indirect effects of heat stress include: alteration of work hours to avoid the heat of the day; the need to work longer hours to earn the same pay for those whose productivity falls due to heat stress, or suffer income loss; increased exposure to hazardous chemicals when workplace chemicals evaporate more quickly in higher temperatures; and possible exposure to new vector-borne diseases. The report calls for protection for workers , including low cost measures such as assured access to drinking water in workplaces, frequent rest breaks, and management of output targets, incorporating protection of income and other conditions of Decent Work. At the regulatory level, the most relevant standard cited was adopted by the ILO in November 2015: “Guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all”, which includes occupational safety and health and social protection policies which call on social partners “to conduct assessments of increased or new OSH risks resulting from climate change; improve, adapt or develop and create awareness of OSH standards for technologies and work processes related to the transition; and review policies concerning the protection of workers.” The report was as a joint effort coordinated by the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Secretariat and in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNI Global Union (UNI), the International Organization of Employers (IOE), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the NGO network ACT Alliance. See The Guardian for a summary .]]>

The U.S. Clean Energy Future: Jobs, Health, and Union involvement

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:09:44 +0000

The Climate Jobs and Justice project on May 18. It seeks to present “a credible, workable plan” for Just Transition at local, state, and national levels, and to provide organizers, activists and advocates with concrete objectives and examples for local action. The ultimate goal is to influence legislative proposals at the national level in the U.S. The first, overview report released, The Clean Energy Future: Protecting the Climate, Creating Jobs and Saving Money, examines the electric system, light vehicle transportation (cars and light trucks), space heating and water heating, and waste management. Leveraging the current progress in energy efficiency and renewable energy, the plans outlined will result GHG emissions reductions of 80 percent by 2050 while adding half-a-million jobs - most in manufacturing and construction - and saving Americans billions of dollars on their electrical, heating, and transportation costs. The interventions are presented as “a floor, not a ceiling ". The report states that “the most surprising part of the Clean Energy Future may be its projected expansion of the auto industry. We assume that it will be possible to expand renewable electricity production and electric vehicle production fast enough to convert 100 percent of gasoline-powered cars and light trucks to renewable electricity by 2050.” It projects increased employment in auto production, based on an assumption that 48 percent of the new demand for electric vehicles can be met by production within the United States. Regarding the need for Just Transition policies for workers, the report also states: “The deterioration in the quality of jobs is directly related to the reduction in the size and bargaining power of labor unions; reinforcing the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively should be an explicit part of public policy for climate protection.” The Clean Energy Future was written for LNS and 350.org by Synapse Energy Economics.]]>

How can U.S. Labour recover from the Keystone XL Fight?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:15:51 +0000

Contested Futures: Labor after Keystone XL” was published in New Labour Forum and reproduced on the website of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy , where author Sean Sweeney is Coordinator. His analysis begins with the considerable complexities of union positions in the Keystone XL pipeline debate in the U.S. between 2011 and 2015, and continues to the present, considering the divided approaches towards the Clean Power Plan and the upcoming U.S. election campaign . His vision: “Labor’s KXL fight could be the precursor to more disunity and acrimony in the labor movement in the years ahead, especially if the Black-Blue Alliance remains in place and “Saudi America” imaginings continue to shape labor’s discourse. Alternatively, unions in all sectors—the Trades, transport, health, and so on—can work together to support an approach to energy and climate that is needs-based, grounded in the facts, and independent of both industry interests and the mainstream environmental groups that support renewable energy “by any means necessary.” Sweeney calls for labour to unite behind an energy democracy agenda which would shift control over energy toward workers, communities, and municipalities.]]>

85,000 Clean Jobs in New York State

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:18:49 +0000

Clean Jobs New York was released in May by E2 consultants and New Yorkers for Clean Power. The report, based on databases and survey responses from employers, shows that clean energy employs more than 85,000 workers at more than 7,500 business establishments across the state, with an anticipated growth rate of 6% for 2016. 80% of the clean energy workers are found in energy efficiency; other major sectors are alternative transportation and greenhouse gas (GHG) management and accounting. The report makes several policy recommendations, including “Governor Cuomo and NYSERDA must show continued leadership by finalizing and implementing a robust Clean Energy Standard, further strengthening RGGI post-2020, leveraging the Clean Energy Fund, and doubling down on energy efficiency by establishing clear, ambitious, binding targets.” New Yorkers for Clean Power is convened by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Frack Action, Catskill Mountainkeeper, The Solutions Project, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) and is partnering with many organizations, businesses and other groups across the state.]]>

The State of Human Rights policies in the international Renewable Energy Industry

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:23:49 +0000

Business and Human Rights Centre , an international monitoring and advocacy group, released the results of their survey of the human rights policies of international wind, hydropower, and utility companies. Key issues identified by the 14 responding companies: local community rights, land rights, community health and safety, labour rights, and rights of Indigenous people. Results show that two thirds have human rights policy commitments, although only half refer to international standards. Two thirds of companies state a commitment to consultation with local communities, but only three companies (Engie (France), Lake Turkana Wind Power (Kenya) and Vestas (Denmark)) commit to the internationally recognised standard of free, prior and informed consent. Only 2 North American companies were included in the survey: Ontario Power Generation (Canada) and NextEra Energy (U.S); neither responded to the survey. Responses of participating companies are provided here. Case studies are promised in future.]]>

Motivating people to act on Climate Change

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:37:37 +0000

Here’s what Science has to say about Convincing People to do Something about Climate Change . Romm references a core academic article, “Improving Public Engagement with Climate Change: Five ‘Best Practice’ Insights from Psychological Science” (2015) and there have been many others. The Washington Post has been following the issue and summarizing other academic papers : “The vicious cycle that makes people afraid to talk about climate change” (May 12) in the Washington Post summarizes “Climate of Silence: Pluralistic ignorance as a barrier to climate change discussion” in Journal of Environmental Psychology , which states that people avoid talking about climate change if they feel that others are sceptical, for fear of being judged as “less competent”. This leads to a vicious cycle, where no one is talking about climate change, so no one wants to be the first to raise the issue. “Why even people who are very alarmed about climate change often take little action” in the Washington Post is based on “Social norms and efficacy beliefs drive the Alarmed segment’s public-sphere climate actions” , which appeared in Nature Climate Change in May . This paper shows that people’s willingness to vote, donate, volunteer, contact government officials, and protest about climate change can be encouraged if “alarmed individuals” (those already concerned about climate change) act as public role models and communicate their views. However, raising awareness without providing a path for action does not drive behaviour change amongst potential followers. In practical terms, a recent paper published by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Foundation contrasts the arguments used to advocate for clean energy - ecological arguments, job creation, self-sufficiency and community empowerment- in Germany vs. the United States. Read Building Political Support for a Clean Energy Transition — How Arguments on Solar Power Affect Public Support in Germany and the US here . In Canada, a book to be launched in Vancouver on May 25, I’m Right and You’re an Idiot: the Toxic state of Public Discourse and How to Clean it Up examines the broader issue of misinformation campaigns, including climate change, and offers suggestions on how to improve communications and advocacy strategies. Two encouraging recent examples of clear, factual public statements to counter fear-mongering by climate sceptics: “Setting The Record Straight on Ontario's Green Energy Plan” by Keith Brooks in the Huffington Post, which refutes “Coming soon: Ontario’s green energy fiasco, the sequel”, an OpEd in the Globe and Mail (April 29) and “ What does the carbon levy really mean for me?” published by the Pembina Institute (May 19), which sets the record straight on the benefits of Alberta’s new policy.]]>

Is British Columbia losing its leadership position on Climate Change?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:43:39 +0000

wrote in the Globe and Mail , urging Premier Clark to increase B.C.’s carbon tax and emulate the revenue transfers in the Alberta carbon tax structure. Some members of the government’s own Advisory panel on Climate Leadership sent an Open Letter to the Premier on May 17 (one year after the panel had delivered its recommendations ), urging action and questioning the delays on their recommended initiatives. The Open Letter coincided with an Opinion piece in the Victoria Times Colonist, and an article by Tzeporah Berman (one of the signatories) in the National Observer . For the best summary of the current state of climate progress in B.C., see the Pembina Institute/Clean Energy Canada backgrounder: Evaluating Climate Leadership in British Columbia .]]>

Ontario's New Climate Change Legislation centres on Cap and Trade and Green Investment

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:53:07 +0000

Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act, 2016 passed 3^rd reading in the Ontario Legislature on May 18th and will become law upon Royal Assent. The law sets GHG emission reduction targets of of 15 per cent by the end of 2020; 37 per cent by the end of 2030; and 80 per cent by the end of 2050. The bill also sets out the framework for the Cap and Trade program: the official Ontario Regulation 144/16 (May 19) is here ; the government summary is here ; a summary by the National Observer is here . The first year of the program, 2017, sets an economy-wide cap of 142 megatonnes per year , declining to 125 megatonnes per year by 2020. All proceeds from the cap and trade program will be deposited into a new Greenhouse Gas Reduction Account, which will “ be invested in a transparent way back into green projects that reduce greenhouse gas pollution and help homeowners and businesses save energy such as public transit, clean-tech innovation for industry, electric vehicle incentives, social housing retrofits.” The details of implementation will come in June when the government releases the first of the Climate Action Plans required under the legislation. Key to the Government’s public relations battle is a report by EnviroEconomics, Navius Research and Dillon Construction: Impact Modelling and Analysis of Ontario Cap and Trade Program , which analyses four alternate program structures and concludes that the proposed program will be least costly to households and have the lowest impact on provincial GDP ( the proposed plan resulting in the equivalent to a drop in growth of 0.03% in 2020). The Clean Economy Alliance , a multi-sector coalition of 90 green organizations, had called for explicit Just Transition language for workers in the legislation, according to a Unifor press release , but the only “transition” changes in t he final text of the legislation appear in section 2.1, regarding households: “The action plan must consider the impact of the regulatory scheme on low-income households and must include actions to assist those households with Ontario’s transition to a low-carbon economy.” Nevertheless, reaction by environmental groups has been enthusiastic: the Clean Economy Alliance press release welcomes the legislation, and Keith Brooks, Director of Clean Economy, calls the legislation “a big deal”, “a huge step forward, and one worthy of celebration” in his blog; the Pembina Institute says “ it is laying the foundation for solid success”. In the mainstream media, pushback started with a story in the Globe and Mail on April 27, “New Ontario agency will be given sweeping mandate to overhaul energy use” - which summarized details of a leaked, preliminary draft of the the Climate Change Action Plan (still under discussion in Cabinet). More leaked details were revealed in “Ontario to spend 7 Billion in sweeping climate change Plan” (May 16) , which states that the province will set lower carbon fuel standards for gas and diesel, change building codes to require all new homes by 2030 to be heated with electricity or geothermal systems (currently 76% of homes are heated with natural gas), and set a target for 12 per cent of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2025. In “Ontario passes bill to create cap and trade system” on May 19, the Globe tempers the storm their reporting has created with: “The Liberals deny a published report claiming their climate change plan would include phasing out the use of natural gas for home heating, and point out they are expanding the gas grid to more rural areas of the province.” On May 20, Nic Rivers, Canada Research Chair in Climate and Energy Policy at the University of Ottawa, weighs in with “The Ontario climate plan: Should provinces follow or flee?” .]]>

Recent research on Carbon Taxes and Cap and Trade

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:59:21 +0000

Before the May announcement of Ontario's Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act , a working paper released in April by the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity at the University of Toronto models the impact of Ontario's proposed cap-and-trade program on economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions, considers complementary policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions , and makes ten recommendations. Read Towards a low Carbon Economy: The Costs and Benefits of Cap and Trade here . The Effect of Environmental Policies on Jobs: Painting a More Complete Picture explains a new general equilibrium model, developed by economists at Resources for the Future, which incorporates a job search requirement in the model. The subsequent Discussion Paper, Unemployment and Environmental Regulation in General Equilibrium concludes that “a modest economy-wide carbon tax would likely cause a substantial shift in employment between industries, but would have little overall effect on unemployment, even in the short run…An environmental performance standard causes a substantially smaller sectoral shift in employment than the emissions tax, with roughly similar net effects.”

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NEB Conditional approval for Kinder Morgan Pipeline is met with Determined Opposition

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:25:07 +0000

press release stated, “Taking into account all the evidence, considering all relevant factors, and given that there are considerable benefits nationally, regionally and to some degree locally, the Board found that the benefits of the Project would outweigh the residual burdens.” The Kinder Morgan TransMountain Pipeline NEB approval, with 157 conditions , is subject to review by a three-member federal panel, announced on May 17 , which has until November to report to the Minister of Natural Resources. The final decision will then be made by the federal Cabinet. See “ Trudeau Declares Resource Promotion a PM’s ‘Fundamental Responsibility’” , and “McKenna won’t give a straight answer about Enbridge pipeline” (May 17) , summarizing the mixed messages and political manoeuvering over pipeline development. Also of interest, from DeSmog blog: “Enbridge and Kinder Morgan lobby hard as Feds change tune on Pipelines” . The Kinder Morgan decision had been the focus of Canada’s Break Free divestment protests on May 14, and Canada’s 350.org states that the NEB decision doesn’t change “the simple fact that the Kinder Morgan pipeline will never be built.” EcoJustice reacted with: “Ready to continue fight against Kinder Morgan” in the courts, and citizens , local governments, and environmental groups also oppose Kinder Morgan: see “Local Governments deeply disappointed” , and “NEB sides with Texas-based pipeline company against B.C. citizens, First Nations” . Chances that First Nations will approve the pipelines are non-existent, according to a National Observer report (May 19) in which Rueben George, spokesperson for the local Tsleil-Waututh Nation, states " First Nations have won 170 legal cases around resource extraction, that’s a 97 per cent victory rate. It’s pretty clear to me that we have veto power over this company." The interactive map (above) by the Wilderness Committee shows the Kinder Morgan route and summarizes the opposition by First Nations throughout the NEB consultations . The Alberta Government calls the NEB decision “a responsible national approach to energy infrastructure. Canada is balancing the need for much stronger action on climate change with the need to pay for that action, by sustainably developing our natural resources – including our energy resources.” From the British Columbia government: “ We will only support new heavy-oil pipelines in British Columbia if our five conditions can be met. These conditions include the successful completion of the environmental review process, ensuring world-leading marine and land-based spill response, prevention and recovery systems are in place, ensuring legal requirements regarding Aboriginal and treaty rights are addressed and First Nations are provided with the opportunities to participate in and benefit from a heavy-oil project, and, finally, that British Columbia receives a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits from any proposed heavy-oil projects.… “The responsibility for meeting the five conditions is complex and will take a great deal of effort from both industry and governments….we will continue to work with the proponent and all stakeholders to address B.C.’s needs.” And indeed, the B.C. government passed legislation to alter the boundaries of Finn Creek Provincial Park in May, after a Kinder Morgan submission that requested changes to four park boundaries . Unnoticed amidst the Kinder Morgan debate was a report released on April 28 by the Council of Canadian Academies(CCA). Commercial Marine Shipping Accidents: Understanding the Risks in Canada , explores the likelihood of commercial marine shipping accidents, including oil spills, and considers their potential social, economic, and environmental impacts. Noting significant gaps in the available data, and that there have been few such accidents, the report concludes that the Pacific Region has the highest level of shipping activity, but has a relatively low risk profile. The report concludes that Canada has a well-developed oil spill response regime overall, but identifies areas for improvement as “ the need for a hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) preparedness and response regime across Canada, as well as further research into how substances classified as HNS behave in a marine environment.” The report was commissioned by the Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, a not-for-profit based in Vancouver since 2014. Its goal is to provide unbiased, independent research; its funding comes from the governments of Canada, Alberta, and “industry groups represented by CAPP” (the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers). ]]>

Canada's Forest Sector commits to a voluntary emissions reduction target

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:28:55 +0000

Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) announced its 30 by 30 Climate Change Challenge - a pledge to remove 30 megatonnes (MT) of CO₂ per year by 2030. FPAC claims that the forest sector is the first to voluntarily contribute to the federal government’s climate goals under the Paris agreement; the target is “more than 13% of the Canadian government’s emissions target” for 2030. The details are not yet clear, but FPAC states generally that it will rely on improved forest management, increasing “the use of innovative forest products and clean tech to displace materials made from fossil fuels, and by further efficiencies at mill sites.” According to the Globe and Mail , “the association endorsed the adoption of carbon pricing – either taxes or cap-and-trade systems”. See the Vancouver Sun coverage here .]]>

U.S. EPA sets new rules for Methane Emissions

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:31:50 +0000

New York Times calls “A Much Needed Step on Methane Emissions” on May 13, to significantly reduce methane emissions from new oil and gas facilities as well as those undergoing modifications (although existing sites remain unregulated) . Read Inside Climate News for a thorough report, which reminds us that Prime Minister Trudeau and President Obama committed in March 2016 to jointly pursue regulation of methane emissions at existing oil and gas facilities.]]>

Retrofitting and Energy Efficiency in New York City

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:35:56 +0000

announced a program of new energy efficiency initiatives, including a requirement for retrofitting, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the city’s residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Details and testimonials are at the city’s Sustainability website . Also released in April from the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, The NYC Climate Justice Agenda: Strengthening the Mayor’s OneNYC Plan, which assesses the City’s earlier initiatives through the lens of community-based climate justice, and makes recommendations.]]>

Air Pollution and Coal: A Public Health issue around the world

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:40:48 +0000

CPHA), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), the Canadian Lung Association, the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) joined a global call for the G7 nations to accelerate the transition away from coal-fired electricity, to bring “ immediate and significant air pollution-related health benefits and health care savings. A coal phase-out also slows climate change, thereby reducing current and future illnesses and deaths from heat waves, droughts, malnutrition, flooding, air pollution and wildfires.” The Lung Association of America recently ranked air pollution in U.S. cities and found that Bakersfield, California, was the most polluted city for both short-term and year-round particle pollution, while Los Angeles-Long Beach was the worst for ozone pollution. In the U.K., air pollution was cited as a “public health emergency” in a report published by a Select Committee of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Ministry . The World Health Organization (WHO) ranked the world’s most polluted cities on May 12, with four of the five worst cities in India. WHO surveyed 3,000 urban areas; the data shows only 2 per cent of cities in developing countries have air quality that meets WHO standards, compared to 44 per cent in developed countries. A WHO official also stated, “Probably some of the worst cities … are not included in our list, just because they are so bad that they do not even have a good system of monitoring of air quality, so it’s unfair to compare or give a rank."]]>

Millions of people, Trillions of dollars at risk from coastal floods

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:47:27 +0000

GFDRR), says that cities around the world are failing to plan for fast-increasing risks from extreme weather and other hazards, and by 2050, 1.3 billion people and $158 trillion in assets will be threatened by worsening river and coastal floods alone. Losses in 136 coastal cities are projected to rise from $6 billion a year in 2010 to $1 trillion a year by 2070. The report, The Making of a Riskier Future: How Our Decisions are Shaping the Future of Disaster Risk is here ; a summary from Thomson Reuters is here . A separate report, also in May, from Christian Aid, ranks cities with the most to lose from coastal flooding. Topping their list: Calcutta (14 million people), Mumbai (11.4 million) and Dhaka (11.1 million). Miami, with 4.8 million people, ranks 9^th in population but tops the ranking by exposed assets in 2070 , with $3.5 trillion. New York City ranks 3rd in exposed assets with $2.1tn. The report also discusses the risks to the city of London, U.K. Read Act Now or Pay Later: Protecting a billion people in climate-threatened coastal cities .]]>

Want to fact check climate change science in the media?

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:51:09 +0000

crowdfunding to finance a website to offer an “ effective and scalable way for scientists to share what they know with readers and journalists.” News articles will be reviewed and assigned a “credibility rating”. The project began at University of California at Merced; the crowdfunding description says it includes over 100 scientists and has been widely endorsed. Read the reports at the Yale Climate Connections or in The Guardian .]]>

Christiana Figueres Steps Down, Patricia Espinosa Steps Up

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 24 May 2016 03:55:55 +0000

formally confirmed as the new Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), at the first meetings since the Paris Agreement, in Bonn, Germany May 18 and 19 . See: her first interview, with Reuters, on May 19 - in which she is asked about Donald Trump’s statement on the Paris Agreement; or “Patricia Espinosa: Who is the UN’s incoming Climate Chief”, including a copy of her CV from Climate Home (May 5) ; or “A crucial handoff between UN Climate Chiefs " from the Brookings Institute . ]]>

Workers Acting in Climate-Friendly Ways: A Study of Union members, Synthesis of Academic Literature, and a Case Study of Pilots

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 20:07:07 +0000

post in Portside on May 23 summarizes the research of Jeremy Brecher (of Labor Network for Sustainability) and Todd Vachon, which uses data from 2 national surveys in the U.S. to conclude that: “Union members, far from being only concerned with their immediate self-interest at the expense of a broader common interest in environmental protection, are often more concerned about the environment and more willing to act on that concern than either the public at large or non-union workers”. A fuller report, “Are Union Members More or Less Likely to Be Environmentalists? Some Evidence from Two National Surveys” was published as an article in Labor Studies Journal in April (access restricted). The article also provides examples from the historical record of labour and environmental issues, with the goal of contributing to the development of labour-community and blue-green coalitions to work for social change. Another study appeared in Nature Climate Change in June, regarding the determinants of translating climate change beliefs into actions . “Meta-analyses of the determinants and outcomes of belief in climate change” analyzed 27 variables, drawn from 25 polls and 171 academic studies from 56 nations (including 7 from Canada). The authors, from the University of Queensland in Australia, concluded that variables such as education, sex, subjective knowledge, and experience of extreme weather events were not as important in predicting behaviours as the variables of values, ideologies, worldviews and political orientation. Surprisingly, the study also concludes “ belief in climate change has a solid relationship with the extent to which people aspire to behave in climate-friendly ways, but a small-to-moderate relationship with the extent to which people `walk the talk’.” Finally, a practical example: As reported in the Washington Post on June 22, and by the Company in a detailed case study , Virgin Atlantic Airways conducted a large-scale experiment to try to influence its pilots to use less fuel and reduce GhG emissions. This was a controlled study, overseen by economists from the University of Chicago and London School of Economics, in which different behavioural interventions were used, including providing monthly feedback, setting targets, and setting targets plus making corporate charitable donations when targets were met. All pilots reduced their fuel consumption, and those that received targeted goals, or that received these goals plus charitable donations made, performed the best of all. The academic report of the study appears in A New Approach to an Age-Old Problem: Solving Externalities by Incenting Workers Directly , a working paper of the National Bureau of Economics (NBER), published in June.]]>

Clean Energy Investment Slows in Canada; Canada ranks 11th in Clean Energy Jobs

elizabethperry493 — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 20:16:27 +0000

Tracking the Clean Energy Revolution: Canada was released by Clean Energy Canada in June with an upbeat message, despite the fact that renewable energy investment and development slowed in some provinces ( 89% in Alberta, 52% in British Columbia, 15% in Ontario, and 9% in Quebec). At the same time, investment grew in Atlantic Canada, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, so that it was still Canada’s second-best year on record for clean energy spending, and renewable generation capacity grew by 4 per cent. The main message of the report, however, is that a new spirit of cooperation and ambition has developed with the change of leadership in the federal government. The report lists the renewable projects, their size, and companies involved throughout the country, but doesn’t report on employment impacts. For that, consult the latest survey by the International Renewable Energy Agency, Renewable Energy and Jobs 2016 . Canada ranks 11^th, with an estimated 36,000 clean energy jobs, well behind the top countries of China (with 3.5 million jobs!), Brazil, the United States, India, Japan and Germany. Solar Photovoltaics continues to be the largest renewable energy employer with 2.8 million jobs worldwide in 2015, an 11% increase over 2014. For the first time, IRENA published gender-based employment figures, based on their own online survey. Women represent 35% of the workforce in the 90 renewable energy companies surveyed from 40 countries – higher than the energy industry average of 20-25%. On average, women represent 46% of the administrative workforce, 28% of the technical workforce, and 32% of management roles. Earlier IRENA reports are here .]]>

The Human Face of Displacement in the Oil, Coal Industries

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:53:34 +0000

The Tyee, “Oil Sands Workers Fear Becoming Climate Change Casualties” gives voice to a Unifor worker from Fort MacMurray, and his opinions about Just Transition. Also from the Canadian oil sands, the workers’ organization Iron and Earth has posted an online survey seeking such workers’ views; the group proposes a Workers Plan with 3 main goals: Build up Canada’s renewable energy workforce capacity; Build up Canadian manufacturing of renewable energy technologies, and Position existing energy sector workers, developers, contractors, and unions within the renewable energy sector. The plight of coal workers is described in “Alberta coal communities look at what future holds as age of coal comes to end” in the National Observer (June 22); so far, the community stakes its hopes on promised “consultations”. For the U.S., see “As Wind Power Lifts Wyoming’s Fortunes, Coal Miners are left in the Dust” in the New York Times (June 20), which puts a personal face on the plight of laid-off workers from the Peabody coal bankruptcy. Although a nascent wind industry is being encouraged in Wyoming, it is not forecast to replace all of the estimated 10,000 jobs to be lost in the coal industry. And from Australia, a June paper from the Green Institute, The End of coal: How should the next government respond? states that rather than propping up the dying fossil fuel industry,.. “the most honest approach, and the one that will be best for people and the planet, is to immediately prepare for a staged transition, facilitate a dignified exit from the coal industry for workers and communities, and ensure that the corporations which have caused this mess cover the cost.” Further, the author proposes a trial of guaranteed basic income provided to coal workers in the worst affected coal areas.]]>

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers promotes Green Skills Training

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:00:17 +0000

“Green Skills Training and Certification” was the topic of the opening Plenary session of the Training Conference of the National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO) in Vancouver on June 4 . The Green Skills session related to electrical vehicle infrastructure technology, photovoltaic solar energy technologies, and advanced energy‐conserving lighting system controls. NETCO is a joint partnership of the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association (CECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) of Canada, and is associated with The electrical training ALLIANCE™ of the U.S. Another IBEW initiative was highlighted in a May report from the Don Vial Center on the Green Economy at U of California, Berkeley. Training for the Future II: Progress to Date describes the Utility Pre-Craft Trainee (UPCT) program, a model program for entry-level disadvantaged workers in Los Angeles, jointly operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and IBEW Local 18. Since 2011, trainees “earn-and-learn” by working full time weatherizing homes and small businesses while learning skills and preparing for civil service exams in the utility. The first Training for the Future report from 2013 is also available.]]>

Nuclear Shutdown in California includes Transition provisions for Workers

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:08:13 +0000

announced on June 21, 2016 that it will not renew licenses for its two nuclear reactors at Diablo Canyon, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, set to expire by 2025. This is being hailed as a landmark because, unlike other U.S. closures which reverted to more polluting sources of energy, the Diablo Canyon agreement will replace the nuclear energy with renewable sources and energy efficiency. Further, the agreement, which included the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 and the Coalition of California Utility Employees, pledges incentives to retain employees until 2025, retraining of employees for the decommissioning process, and severance payments when their employment ends. See the IBEW Letter to Members here . But James Hansen, amongst other greens and scientists, have lobbied to keep the plant open; see “If Diablo Canyon does close, America will have lost 14 reactors since 2013, but is it a good idea?” in Vox.]]>

Labour unions disagree over NextGen Climate alliance

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:19:04 +0000

announced the formation of the For Our Future Political Action Committee (PAC) , which includes labour unions and youth groups, to campaign for environmental justice issues. Subsequently, seven building trades unions send a letter to Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO, demanding that the AFL-CIO cut its ties with Tom Steyer, the billionaire who funds NextGen Climate . The Labourer’s International Union (LIUNA) also sent its own letter, which characterized the AFL-CIO relationship as a “politically bankrupt betrayal” of union members. Both letters were reproduced in “Rift Between Labor and Environmentalists Threatens Democratic Turnout Plan” in the New York Times (May 16). The New York Times article prompted the Labor Network for Sustainability to write: “The Times characterized this as a “rift between labor and environmentalists.” It is much better understood, however, as an effort by a small group of unions to retain their veto power within the AFL-CIO.”… “The great majority of unions that accepted the alliance with NextGen Climate should proudly defend it as a way to express this historic tradition of meeting their members’ needs by addressing the most pressing needs of society.” The AFL-CIO officially endorsed Hillary Clinton on June 16 ; LIUNA has also endorsed Hillary Clinton, and launched a campaign promoting natural gas as a bridging fuel and as an important fuel for the future on June 23; see their campaign website Clean Power Progress . The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is not one of the NextGen PAC allies, but was endorsed by Tom Steyer when it recently voted to add environmental justice to the list of the union’s priorities. According to the SEIU, climate change disproportionately affects low-income and minority communities where many of its members live, so the union is committing resources to “broadening environmental justice”. See "Leading US Union SEIU Makes Fighting Climate Change a Campaign Priority" in The Guardian (May 24) .]]>

Climate Justice through Litigation: What will be the impact of the Paris Agreement?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:31:04 +0000

Climate Justice: The International Momentum towards Climate Litigation offers a unique discussion of the intersection of climate litigation and climate negotiations, and whether the Paris Agreement will contribute to a growth in climate litigation. It also provides an up to date summary of past and current cases of climate litigation against companies and governments – focusing on the various grounds of human rights to a clean environment, liability for climate-change induced damages, climate refugees, and corporate deception in the U.S., Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, and New Zealand. It examines past litigation in other sectors, including tobacco, asbestos and oil spills. Amongst the recommendations: the fossil fuel industry be removed from the climate negotiations process and banned from having a role or voice in setting climate change policy; introduce a levy on fossil fuel producers to partly fund the International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, which would provide compensation for individuals and communities. Another recent but much briefer note, “Courts take on Climate Change” , published in Nature Climate Change in June, addresses the issue of liability and quotes Andrew Gage, Staff Counsel at West Coast Environmental Law , who asks, “Can you really have a business model that costs the world trillions of dollars a year and not have a conversation about who should be paying for that?” … “The question is, can such litigation play a role in accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels or is it only going to be bickering over who pays for the major damages we’re experiencing?” An example of such bickering is chronicled in a June 7 article in the New York Times, “Regulators Fear $1 Billion Coal Cleanup Bill” . And who will be the lawyers who argue these cases? Tom Lininger, a professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, proposes a series of “green ethics” amendments to the American Bar Association rules in his paper “Green Ethics for Lawyers” in the Boston College Law Review . Note that the Adapting Canadian Work and Workplaces to Climate Change (ACW) website recently posted the 2015 presentation by Roger Cox, lead lawyer in the landmark Urgenda case. See The Urgenda Climate Case and its Consequences . ]]>

News updates for June 2016: Canada

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:39:17 +0000

REVIEW OF THE NEB AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: On June 20, the Federal government announced a “Comprehensive Review of Environmental and Regulatory Processes” , involving six ministries: Fisheries and Oceans; Environment and Climate Change; Transport; Science and Innovation; Indigenous and Northern Affairs; and Natural Resources. A dedicated website houses consultation documents and allows for public input, since “Consultation will be at the core of this review”. An expert panel will review the National Energy Board and submit its findings in early 2017; similarly, another panel will review the Environmental Assessment Agency . The Navigation Protection Act and the Fisheries Act will be reviewed by parliamentary committees starting in the Fall 2016, with a report due January 2017. See the CBC or the National Observer for summaries. CANADA AND G7 NATIONS PLEDGE TO END FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES: At the G7 Summit in Japan at the end of May, member nations, including Canada, set a deadline to end government support for coal, and oil and gas by 2025. The text of the Final Leaders’ Declaration doesn’t define “subsidy” and leaves wiggle room by indicating “inefficient” subsidies (see page 7). And an article in The Guardian singles out Britain for new North Sea tax breaks, Japan for coal expansion, and Canada for extending subsidies for natural gas production in the February 2016 budget.]]>

Recent Research into Climate Policy questions

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:45:57 +0000

Canada’s Challenge & Opportunity: Transformations for Major Reductions in GHG emissions uses systems analysis to discuss 11 separate scenarios with the goal of achieving the 80-per-cent GHG reduction by 2050. The paper casts doubt on the “timely availability of technology and associated infrastructure”, but considers the technical and economic barriers less important as the political and social/cultural – success will demand major change to a low-economy lifestyle. It concludes…”the project demonstrates that substantial progress can be made by 2030 using currently available systems to reduce GHG emissions. Key areas include significantly increasing the supply of electricity and biomass/biofuels in order to displace fossil fuels in all five end-use sectors, decarbonizing electricity production by switching to non-emitting sources, enabling transfers of electricity between provinces and territories, and implementing a comprehensive program of energy conservation and efficiency measures. In addition, as several provinces and the federal government have already committed to implementing carbon pricing, a national climate strategy, along with regulations and incentives that support innovative GHG-reduction technologies and initiatives, may be within reach.” A detailed summary and analysis of the Trottier report from Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (University of Calgary) is here . Top Asks for Climate Action: Ramping up Low carbon communities was released by the Columbia Institute in B.C. in June, and makes the case for local climate leadership. It itemizes what local governments need from federal, provincial and territorial governments to realize climate action, clustered in the themes of capacity building; smart growth; harnessing local energy; reducing carbon pollution from the building sector, and from the transportation sector. The policy actions highlighted in the report are the result of an extensive literature review and survey of more than 100 locally elected officials. Sustainable Prosperity has released a series of blogs and papers arguing that environmental regulation, if well-designed and flexible, can stimulate clean innovation and boost corporate competitiveness. (The Porter Hypothesis). Green Tape Measures Up is an Issue Summary released in June 2016; the related Policy Brief Environmental Regulation and Innovation: Select case studies of the Porter Hypothesis (November 2015) reviews seven recent case studies from four industrial sectors in the EU and U.S. to support the argument.]]>

June 2016 News: Alberta

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:55:21 +0000

REVISITING THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP PLAN: “The Economic Cost of Carbon Policy” was written by Andrew Leach, Chair of Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan , and appeared in Maclean’s online on June 19^th in response to a controversial article in the Calgary Herald on June 17th . The Herald article reported that a leaked memo from the government’s Treasury Board staff had predicted that the Climate Leadership Plan would result in 15,000 fewer jobs, a $4-billion drop in household income, as well as lower corporate profits, oil exports and overall economic activity. Andrew Leach defends the Climate Leadership process and “sets things straight” in a thorough discussion of the economics and politics of carbon pricing . He concedes that the policy prescriptions come at a cost – which he estimates at 0.25 to 0.5 per cent cumulatively by 2022, but he concludes that Alberta cannot maintain a “business as usual” policy; “ We believe that our policy recommendations will be of net benefit to Alberta, yes in terms of the avoided costs of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, but also in terms of the avoided costs of discriminatory and punitive policies imposed upon Alberta.” On May 26, The Premiers of Alberta and Ontario announced a Memorandum of Understanding pledging cooperation regarding GHG reduction in the production, transportation and use of natural resources in Alberta and Ontario, as well as development of renewable energy and energy storage, and fostering new and innovative uses of carbon dioxide. On June 6, Alberta announced the new Energy Efficiency Agency, and an Energy Efficiency Advisory Panel , which will consult with the public, Indigenous people, and technical experts until September. A Discussion Document will guide consultations.The Panel ‘s report to the Minister is due in Fall 2016, with the goal that Energy Efficiency Alberta will launch programs by January 2017. Listed as “measures of success” for the Agency: “Economic impact: the number of stable green jobs associated with program options and the direct and indirect benefits to urban and rural economies associated with the implementation of programs.”]]>

June 2016 News: British Columbia

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 02:03:14 +0000

How do B.C.’s Climate Action commitments stack up? . The report uses modelling by the Canadian Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project Team to predict that B.C.’s emissions will rise 39 per cent above their 2014 level by 2030 following the current policies. Over 80 per cent of the emissions increase between 2014 and 2030 is projected to come from oil and gas development, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). See also the Pembina Backgrounder as well as “How B.C. became a Climate Laggard” in the Globe and Mail , a review by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) and “How the B.C. Government responded” in The National Observer . And public opinion continues to oppose current policies, including Petronas’ $36-billion Pacific Northwest LNG development, and the Kinder Morgan pipeline proposal, where both the City of Vancouver and the Squamish First Nation have filed appeals in B.C. courts. Even the academics at the normally apolitical Royal Society of Canada have issued an Open Letter opposing the Site C Hydro Dam on the Peace River. Against this backdrop, the government’s updated Climate Change policy is expected at the end of June.]]>

May 2016 News: New Brunswick and Newfoundland extend Fracking bans

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 02:09:30 +0000

February report of its Hydraulic Fracturing Commission, according to a CBC report . Similarly, the Newfoundland and Labrador Hydraulic Fracturing Review Panel released its final Report at the end of May, with a recommendation that the “pause” on fracking in Western Newfoundland continue. See the Panel website, which includes Submissions and Documents , as well as technical reports as appendices, which include research into the economic and jobs impacts of fracking, as well as impacts on human health and water resources. New Brunswick has also released a discussion guide , Building a Stronger New Brunswick Response to Climate Change , in order to to stimulate public input for the Select Committee on Climate Change, constituted in April 2016. There is no target date yet for its report.]]>

What does Brexit mean for Climate goals?

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 02:19:19 +0000

With Europe reeling from the results of the British referendum vote to leave the European Union on June 23 2016, most reports focus on the considerable political and economic upheaval to come. A sampling of insight into potential impacts on climate and energy policy: from From Phil McKenna at Inside Climate News (June 24) , “Brexit Sparks Worry About Fate of Global Climate Action” - with a subtitle, “many fear the wave of nationalism will harm international efforts to halt global warming” ; from The Guardian on June 27, “EU Out Votes Puts UK Commitment to Paris in Doubt” ; also, “UK votes to Leave EU: Fears grow for Climate Ambition” , and “5 Ways Brexit will transform Energy and Climate” from Politico Europe . For European energy policy, from Climate Change News, the “impact on the EU’s faltering carbon price would be ‘calamitous’”, and a considerable voice for low-carbon policies will be lost at the EU. Domestically, there are also fears that the government’s new Energy Policy, scheduled for Fall 2016, will be modelled on the energy manifesto of the “Fresh Start” conservative coalition, which includes eliminating the 2020 targets for renewables and investing in shale gas and new nuclear. ]]>

News update for June 2016: Ontario rolls out details of its Climate Action Plan

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:53:44 +0000

press release from the Premier’s Office summarized the Climate Change Action Plan; the detailed plan is here . A separate press release clarified the province’s position on renewable natural gas – a strong point of opposition to the earlier announcement of the Plan. Unifor responded with a press release stating "Ontario industries must have support towards a low-carbon future, including just-transition for workers," …. "The Action Plan provides a down payment on that transition, but much more will be needed to ensure that climate action and industrial strategies work together." For a compilation of other reactions, see “What Ontarians think" ; also, Clean Energy Canada ("Ontario is embarking on an energy transition, not a revolution.” “commendable”); Greenpeace (“a courageous decision not to take the path of least political resistance.”) Other Ontario announcements supporting the province's climate change objectives have been issued: May 25, the government announced that $900 million over four years will be directed from the cap and trade proceeds for energy retrofits for social housing and residential apartment buildings. On June 1, the Ontario Legislature passed the Waste-Free Ontario Act which will encourage innovation in recycling processes and require producers to take full responsibility for their products and packaging. The new provisions will be overseen by Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, replacing the Waste Diversion Ontario agency. For an update on European progress on waste and the circular economy , see The European Environmental Agency report More from less – material resource efficiency in Europe (June 9). June 10: Ontario announced new investment by GM Canada which promises to create 700 new engineering and software development jobs - in Oshawa, developing “the next generation of connected, autonomous and alternative-fuel vehicles”; in Markham, software development, and in Kapuskasing, where it will upgrade its cold-weather testing facility. On June 16, Ontario announced it will provide $85.8 million to Fiat Chrysler Canada , to support advanced training and plant upgrades for the production of the Chrysler Pacifica in Windsor. The Pacifica will be the first plug-in hybrid electric minivan to be built in North America.]]>

Ontario's Green Energy Act: A job creation success

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:00:40 +0000

Getting Fit: How Ontario Became A Green Energy Leader and Why It Needs to Stay the Course counts the Green Energy Act of 2009 as an overall success, estimating that it has created 91,000 direct and indirect solar sector jobs and 89,000 direct and indirect wind sector jobs. The report also provides results of an April 2016 opinion poll commissioned by Environmental Defence, showing that 81 per cent of Ontarians support further development of renewable energy; 56 per cent see renewable energy as having a positive impact on the provincial economy, with only 19 per cent believing green energy will harm economic growth. The report also relies on calculations done by Power Advisory LLC to refute the frequent complaint about green energy policies: it states that new renewable energy additions accounted for just 9 per cent of the average residential power bill in 2014, and that other generation sources (nuclear in particular) and costs for upgrading and expanding the province’s power transmission system represent a far larger proportion of the average monthly power bill.]]>

News updates for June 2016: Quebec introduces bill to mandate electric vehicle sales

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:07:25 +0000

An Act to increase the number of zero-emission motor vehicles in Québec on June 2 2016 . Hearings will begin in August, and if passed, the bill would set a quota requiring that 15.5 percent of all cars sold in the province by 2025 be zero-emission vehicles. For commentary and context, read “Quebec, Ontario back different Approaches to drive Clean Vehicle Uptake” in the PICS Climate Examiner , and Marc Jaccard’s essay in Policy Options, “Effective climate change regulation: Let’s transform Canadian cars” . An up to date report on Volkswagen’s new shift to electric vehicle production appears in the PICS Climate Examiner (June 22). The International Energy Association reports a global population of over million EV’s in its new Global EV Outlook 2016: Beyond One Million Electric Cars .]]>

New York State Climate Law incorporates Environmental Justice

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:18:57 +0000

Power outages from Hurricane Sandy in New York City, 2012[/caption] The New York State Climate and Community Protection Act was passed in the State Assembly on June 1 , and Inside Climate News calls it “ the nation's most ambitious climate change bill” . The Bill was supported by NYC-Environmental Justice Alliance , as well as the Service Employees International Union. It establishes aggressive mandates for ramping up the use of clean, renewable energy, and reducing climate pollution – and is most notable because it prioritizes environmental justice goals. From the preamble, it will: “-shape the ongoing transition in the State's energy sector to ensure that it creates good jobs and protects workers and communities that may lose employment in the current transition. -Setting clear standards for job quality and training standards encourages not only high-quality work but positive economic impacts; -prioritize the safety and health of disadvantaged communities, control potential regressive impacts of future climate change mitigation and adaptation policies on these communities.”]]>

World Oceans Day a Good day for Fisheries and Arctic Conservation, but much more needs to be done

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:08:08 +0000

World Oceans Day, June 8, Greenpeace announced that it had brokered an agreement between fishing companies, processors and retailers that will prevent fishing for cod in a part of the Arctic Ocean where it has not been fished previously. (Canada has also signed on to a 5-nation Arctic Fisheries Declaration in July 2015, pledging to prevent unregulated commercial fishing in the central Arctic Ocean). However, the peril of the larger Canadian fishery is comprehensively described in Here's the Catch: How to Restore Abundance to Canada's Oceans released by Oceana Canada on June 23, and summarized at the National Observer . The National Observer has reported repeatedly on the difficulties of Canada's salmon fishery, and most recently, "Dire warnings in the battle for Atlantic Canada's lucrative northern shrimp" (June 10). Shell Canada marked the World Oceans Day by transferring its 30 offshore exploration permits in Lancaster Sound, in the Eastern Arctic, to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, which will transfer them to the federal government, allowing the government to finalize creation of the Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area, one of the richest marine mammal areas in the world . Although the company maintains it is not related, the World Wildlife Fund had filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Canada in April, 2016 demanding that Shell's permits be declared invalid. Also on June 8, Spanish oil and gas company Repsol abandoned drilling in the Chukchi Sea north of Alaska. According to ThinkProgress, "The Spanish company joins the rush of oil drillers — Shell, ConocoPhillips, Eni, and Iona Energy — departing the Arctic region after concluding that offshore drilling is not worth the expense or the risk." CBC reported about the start of this exodus in September 2015, in "Oil companies give Arctic the cold shoulder " . The Brookings Institute provides a sober overview of the issues and some international research: “On World Oceans Day, a reminder that climate change action must consider the oceans” , but last word goes to Howard Breen, the Director of Urgent Ocean and Climate Rapid Response (UCORR) in "We need tsunami of action to stop runaway ocean collapse" (June 3) : "Given the dire prospect of runaway ocean collapse, we must immediately build an aggressive citizen consensus that fossil fuels have absolutely no moral justification, and their urgent abolition is now critical." ]]>

New Global Climate Alliance for the world's cities

elizabethperry493 — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:22:00 +0000

Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy , a new group formed on June 22, 2016 by an alliance of the European Union's Covenant of Mayors and the U.N.-backed Compact of Mayors . Canadian cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Windsor, are all members of the Compact of Mayors. The new Covenant will be co-chaired by Maros Sefcovic, from the European Commission and Michael Bloomberg of the Compact of Mayors. See the Convenant Fact Sheet here .]]>

U.S. Fossil fuel workers need early retirement, guaranteed pensions, and clean energy futures

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 18:44:07 +0000

A Just Transition for U.S. Fossil Fuel Industry Workers” was published in American Prospect in July and re-posted to Portside on July 11. It estimates the numbers of jobs at risk in the fossil fuel industry, contrasting coal and the oil and gas industry, and assumes that displaced workers will be re-employed in a growing clean energy industry. The Just Transition proposals focus on: Retirements at age 64 with full compensation; Guaranteed fully-funded pensions; and Community transition. For coal workers, pension funds are managed through the United Mine Workers of America Health and Retirement Funds, which is currently underfunded by $1.8 billion. The authors call for the federal government to bridge that gap with funding from companies and the government. In the oil industry, the authors call on the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to use its legislated power to prohibit the oil companies from paying dividends or financing share buybacks until the pension funds are fully funded, and to place liens on company assets if pension funds are underfunded. Acknowledging that the decline of the fossil fuel industry, already underway, will bring hardships to entire communities, they point to past experience: the Worker and Community Transition program operated by the Department of Energy from 1994 to 2004 to cushion the impact of nuclear decommissioning. Once example from that program: a successful economic diversification program in Nevada, which repurposed a nuclear test site to what is now a solar proving ground. Another previous community assistance program, the Defense Reinvestment and Conversion Initiative, is deemed less successful. The authors conclude that a Just Transition program is eminently affordable at approximately 1 percent of the $50 billion in overall public spending needed to build a U.S. clean energy economy. And they state, “ It is also an imperative—both a moral and strategic imperative.”]]>

Oil workers in Newfoundland training for wind and solar energy jobs

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 19:31:39 +0000

Iron and Earth, the worker-led group which helps oil and gas industry workers transition to clean energy jobs, announced a Memorandum of Understanding with Beothuk Energy in mid-July 2016. Beothuk, headquartered in St. John’s, Newfoundland, is proposing to build six offshore wind farms in Atlantic Canada with a combined capacity of 4000+ MW of energy, and estimates that it will create 10 jobs for each MW produced. The MOU is not available online, but is reported to encourage apprenticeships and retraining in wind energy. On August 8, the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of Iron and Earth began to crowdfund for a demonstration greenhouse project: to build a greenhouse incorporating solar and one other site-specific technology (micro-hydro, wind or geothermal) to power, heat and light a greenhouse year-round. Concurrently, the project will demonstrate a solution to food security issues by powering LED grow lights even in the winter months, and will offer a solar energy course to increase the region's renewable energy skill set. Iron and Earth states that Newfoundland has no training programs for renewable energy, and a goal of this project is to retrain oil and gas workers. Bullfrog Power, the leading Canadian green energy provider, has pledged to match any donations made to the Greenhouse crowdfunder until the goal is reached; click here for details or to donate.]]>

Summer's heat can be deadly for workers

elizabethperry493 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 22:02:48 +0000

In These Times published an article by Elizabeth Grosman in July, “As Temperatures Climb Across the Country, Workers Will Suffer”. Her article examines the situation in the U.S., reporting that in 2015, “the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) received more than 200 reports of workers hospitalized because of heat-related illness and at least eight deaths associated with heat exposure. In 2014, 2,630 U.S. workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died on the job from heat stroke and related causes. Since 2003, an average of more than 30 workers a year have died of heat-related causes. The article also point out that 9 of the 30 deaths occurred to workers who had been on the job less than 3 days – making this an issue which might be improved by training and stronger OHS contract language. In 2014, OSHA launched a “Heat Rest Shade” campaign to remind employers of their obligation to provide respite for workers , and with online training materials and information resources . The Ontario Ministry of Labour updated their guidance re Heat Stress in 2014, and the Heat Stress Awareness Guide published by the Occupational Health and Safety Council of Ontario in 2007 is still valuable. It too points out the risks to new employees and those who are not conditioned to heat. For Canada-wide information, see the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Fact Sheets here or see (from 2010) Protecting Workers from Heat Stress: What are an Employer's Legal Obligations? Being unemployed is also a factor in heat-releated illness according to an article in Environmental Health Perspectives . Researchers led by Hung Chak Ho of Simon Fraser University in B.C. developed a block-by-block map of neighbourhoods in Vancouver and discovered that those blocks with a high proportion of low-income earners, a high proportion of renters and a high unemployment rate are at greater risk of mortality than the elderly. See “Unemployed people, not the elderly, at highest risk” for a summary. And amidst the high heat and drought that all of us are feeling in central Canada this summer comes scientific validation of our experience: the release of State of the Climate 2015 , the 26th edition of the assessment released each summer as a supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Canada is profiled in Chapter 7 : “The annual average temperature in 2015 for Canada was 1.3°C above the 1961–90 average, and was the 11th warmest year since nationwide records began in 1948." (The warmest year on record for Canada to date has been 2010, at 3.0°C above average.) Globally, the report catalogues several symbolic mileposts: notably, it was 1.0°C warmer than preindustrial times, and the Mauna Loa observatory recorded its first annual mean carbon dioxide concentration greater than 400 ppm in 2015. A thorough summary appeared in The Guardian (August 2). ( State of the Climate is compiled by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for Weather and Climate, from contributions from scientists from 62 countries, and is the recognized authority on global climate indicators and notable weather events).]]>

Update: National Energy Board suspends Energy East hearings, Regulatory review process underway

elizabethperry493 — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 16:53:03 +0000

NEB announced that the Energy East hearings are adjourned, that all three panelists have voluntarily recused themselves, and the hearings will be reconvened once a new panel can be constituted. In addition, the the Chair and Vice-Chair are recusing themselves from administrative functions related to the Energy East process, and will not be involved in the selection of the new panel. For a recap of this unexpected turn of events, and the series of investigative reports which led to the exposure of the entire “Charest Affair” , go to the National Observer. See also the Environmental Defence blog (Sept 9) and the Energy Mix coverage here and here. In mid-summer, WCR wrote: "Canada’s National Energy Board was served a legal notice on August 11, the latest fall-out from news reports in July which revealed that Jean Charest, former Premier of Quebec and a paid consultant to TransCanada at the time, met privately with NEB Board members to discuss the Energy East pipeline proposal. The panelists met privately with other registered intervenors, including the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and Équiterre - a Quebec-based environmental group, despite NEB’s own rules that require it to review projects in public, keeping a full record of discussions, and to use a fair and transparent process. The revelations would not have come to light without the digging of a National Observer reporter and his Freedom of Information requests; the NEB has now apologized for the meetings and released some records and emails. According to a series of reports in the Globe and Mail in March 2016 (here and here) Jean Charest has also been investigated for his attempts to contact the Prime Minister’s Office about Energy East, but was cleared of breaking lobbying rules in March. The NEB officials who conducted the “off-the-record” meetings are now panelists on the NEB hearings on Energy East, currently underway in New Brunswick . The legal letter sent on August 11 demands that the Energy East hearings be suspended; a new panel be struck to conduct hearings into the private meetings; and two senior members of the NEB ( the Chair and Vice-Chair) who both participated in the controversial meetings, must be excluded from any duties related to Energy East during the course of the investigation . The legal letter was sent on behalf of two Quebec advocacy groups: Stratégie Énergétiques and the Association Québécoise de la Lutte contre la Pollution Atmosphérique (AQPLA). Reaction to the controversy is summarized in “Charest pipeline controversy flares as May calls for resignation from federal panel” in the National Observer (August 8). And Chantal Hebert sums it all up succinctly in “National Energy Board’s credibility as an independent agency at stake: Hébert” in the Toronto Star, (August 11). To date, the federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change hasn't addressed the NEB controversy directly, but urged Canadians to have confidence in the system during a news conference in Halifax in August. In September, environmental groups, including Greenpeace Canada, the David Suzuki Foundation, the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique, Nature Québec, and the Council of Canadians sent a letter to the Minister of Natural Resources, demanding a suspension of hearings and an investigation into the NEB. (See a summary at the National Observer ) . The National Energy Board controversy is part of the poisoned chalice passed down from the Stephen Harper government, which the current Liberal government is attempting to deal with through regulatory review. In June, the federal government announced a comprehensive review of environmental and regulatory processes – including “modernizing” the National Energy Board, and restoring protections in the Fisheries Act. On August 15, a second announcement described the creation of a four-member Expert Panel to undertake the review of federal environmental assessment processes, and stated that public consultation would begin in September. The Terms of Reference for the Panel are here ; the Review website is here. In anticipation of the Review, the West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation convened a Summit of Experts in May 2016, and in August, published an Executive Summary of the proceedings, setting out twelve “pillars” of a next-generation environmental assessment, based on the key principles discussed. Amongst the pillars: a call for recognition of the rights of Indigenous people, improved consultation and information flow to the public, and the consideration of the impact on Canada's GHG reduction targets as agreed to in the Paris agreement.]]>