Net-zero isn’t possible without real investment
One year ago, the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act became law. The legislation commits the federal government to the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To meet its target, the government has called upon public and private stakeholders to join in this mission. Innovating and enabling the energy sector to meet these […]
Public transit and the path to net zero
Public transit plays a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why it must be a priority in the global response to climate change. Every year, the United Nations holds a climate change conference that brings together researchers, thought leaders, and decision-makers to help co-ordinate climate action. Public transit is surprisingly absent from the […]
When it comes to home resiliency, Canada can’t afford to wait
In May, Quebec and Ontario, Canada’s two largest provinces, experienced an extreme spring weather event: A storm ripped through large swaths of the provinces; destroying homes, vehicles and businesses, toppling trees, leaving some without power for weeks. It tragically killed 11 people. While Ontario Premier Doug Ford referred to this storm as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event, […]
Canada needs a proactive approach to disaster resilience
Canadians have long passed the point where sandbagging shorelines and bailing out basements constitute an adequate flood response. Climate risks continue to grow and the impacts of flooding—both financial and non-financial—are toppling like dominoes. It’s time that natural disaster resilience and climate adaptation become an economic and public safety focus across Canada. According to an […]
Record-breaking lobbying activity in May focuses on environment
Environmental advocacy led the way during a record-setting May on Parliament Hill in terms of engagement with public office holders, although Canada’s innovation minister was far ahead of the environment minister when it came to the level of communication with lobbyists. “We were very, very pleased to see that we could be back on the […]
Essential to have industrial co-operation to fight climate change: McElroy
Re: “It truly is past time to stop bankrolling and exporting climate destruction,” (The Hill Times, June 20, letter to the editor, by Bill Henderson). Some people never learn, or don’t want to. I was deeply involved in the ozone depletion issue in the 1970s and 1980s. My group at Environment Canada developed an instrument to […]
New conservation roadmap shows Canada’s potential as nature’s champion
Last week’s announcement that Canada will host perhaps the most critical meeting ever in the race to save nature is an opportunity for this country to show its colours as a conservation champion. If the provinces and territories do their part, Canada’s leadership on protecting our country’s land and ocean could inspire the world to […]
Emissions reduction plan must invest more in Canada’s guiltiest GHG-heavy industries
The federal government’s 2030 emissions reduction plan invests heavily on transportation sectors and economy-wide measures, yet when it comes to addressing greenhouse gases from some of the guiltiest sectors—for example, oil and gas, buildings, and heavy industries—the plan makes few funding commitments to lead Canada to reach its climate targets by 2030 and beyond. For […]
Children and youth need decisive action to improve their environmental health and well-being
Canada’s grades are not top of the class in UNICEF’s 17th report card on child and youth well-being, measuring the impacts of environmental damage on children and youth in the world’s 39 richest countries. While Canada had decent grades related to overcrowded housing and environmental education, our country ranked 28th overall, and some of the […]
Burying our heads, and carbon dioxide, in the sand
Budget 2022 adds detail to the investment tax credit for carbon capture, utilization, and storage proposed in the previous budget. Credit rates are set at 60 per cent for investment in equipment to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) via direct air capture and 50 per cent for capture by other methods. The rate is only 37.5 […]
