Tag Archives: greenhouse gases

Earth 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth International

December 8, 2012

Doha climate talks: Industrialised countries block climate action

DOHA, QATAR, December 8, 2012 — Friends of the Earth International has strongly condemned the governments of industrialised countries for blocking action on the climate crisis at a failed UN climate summit in Qatar.

Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth International spokesperson in Qatar said: “The Doha deal is as empty as a desert mirage. Despite the official spin, these talks delivered nothing: no real progress on cutting greenhouse gases and only an insulting gesture at climate finance.

“The blame lies squarely with the rich industrialised world, most notably the United States. The Obama administration is succeeding in its efforts to dismantle the UN global climate regime and other wealthy nations have joined in, paralyzing the climate talks and forcing the world’s poor to pay the price.”

“We demand justice for the people of developing nations who suffer the most from the crisis, a crisis caused mainly by the rich industrialised world.”

“Hope for a solution lies with the people. We must demand action from our governments and reject them if they fail to deliver.”

The 18th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change saw no substantial progress on the promises made by the industrialised world to address its historic role in causing the climate crisis.

Under the Convention, developed countries are committed to deliver strong and binding emissions cuts in line with climate science and equity, and adequate climate finance to compensate developing countries and support their sustainable development.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International energy coordinator said:

“The fossil fuel lobby won the Qatar desert climate battle, where we witnessed dirty industry elites still holding the reins of our governments. Meanwhile the climate crisis worsens and the window for action shrinks day by day. Developed countries did not even try to solve the climate crisis at these talks. Instead, they continued to protect the interests of fossil fuelled corporations and helped financial elites grow their latest cash cow: the global carbon market scam.”

Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator said: “We need a strong and binding international agreement to curb the global climate crisis. But as the talks in Doha show, people around the world cannot wait for our governments to see sense and deliver the solutions. Working together in our communities, people are already resisting fossil fuels and dirty energy, building clean energy cooperatives, transforming our food systems, and protecting our forests, land and water from multinational corporations. Only people-and-planet-centred solutions will solve the climate crisis and create a better future for us all. We must make our governments listen and demand climate justice now.”

For more information

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth International spokesperson in Qatar: +974 3338 6383 (in Doha) / +44 7956 210332 or email asad.rehman [at] foe.co.uk

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International energy coordinator: +44 7912 406510 or email sara.clifton [at] foe.co.uk

Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator: +258 840 356 599 or email dipti [at] foei.org

Solar panels in Eastern Ontario. Photo: Mike Buckthought. Photo taken with a solar-powered camera. 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Ontario opinion poll shows solid support for green energy, strong opposition to WTO ruling

Opinion poll released as solar industry meets at convention in Toronto

Ottawa, December 3, 2012 — A new opinion poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada shows overwhelming support for green energy in Ontario, and strong opposition to the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s meddling in buy local programs that create thousands of green jobs for Ontarians.

The survey 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 there is strong opposition to the WTO’s recent challenge of Ontario’s buy local green energy policies. Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents feel that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to encourage investment in green energy, while only 27% believe that it should.

“This opinion poll shows that there is overwhelming support for green energy in Ontario. This strong support should translate into action — governments should encourage the transition to solar and wind power to help reduce record levels of greenhouse gases,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada.

“Almost three-quarters of Ontarians believe that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to create green jobs for people in Ontario. We urge the provincial and federal governments to challenge the WTO’s ruling. Canadians should be allowed to support our own green energy manufacturers, and not be forced to rely on solar panels imported from other countries,” says Olivastri.

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For more information

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada, (613) 241-0085 x26, (613) 724-8690 (cell), beatrice [at] foecanada.org, foecanada.org

The Oraclepoll Research survey was commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada and conducted on November 21–23, 2012. A total of 1,000 people were surveyed, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, 19/20 times. For more details visit Friends of the Earth’s website at foecanada.org.

Read the results of the Ontario green energy opinion poll.

Sign the online letter — voice your support for green energy in Ontario.

Friends of the Earth Canada is the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network campaigning on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues.

2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Results of the Ontario green energy opinion poll

November 2012
Ontario omnibus survey report

By: Oraclepoll Research
For: Friends of the Earth / Les Ami(e)s de la Terre
November 24, 2012

Methodology and logistics

Study sample

  • This report represents the findings from an omnibus survey of 1,000 voting age residents (18 years of age or older) in Ontario.
  • The results provided in this report were from questions commissioned by Friends of Earth.
  • Interviews were conducted between the days of November 21st to November 23rd 2012.
  • The results presented in this report may not always add up to 100% due to rounding.

Confidence

  • The margin of error for this 1,000-person survey is +/- 3.1%, 19/20 times.

Survey method

  • The survey was conducted using computer-assisted techniques of telephone interviewing (CATI) and random number selection. A total of 20% of all interviews were monitored and the management of Oraclepoll Research Limited supervised 100%.

Logistics

  • Initial calls were made between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Subsequent callbacks of no-answers and busy numbers were made on a (staggered) daily rotating basis up to 5 times (from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) until contact was made. In addition, telephone interview appointments were attempted with those respondents unable to complete the survey at the time of contact.

Executive summary

Friends of Earth respondents were first asked the following question

“How important do you feel it is to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce the record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Please use a scale from one not at all important to five very important.”

Opinion poll results. The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

A high 83% of Ontarians are of the opinion that it is important or very important to have green renewable energy compared to a very low 11% that do not, while 7% had a neutral view (neither important nor unimportant).

A second question was then asked about the WTO and Ontario’s green energy plan.

“Should international bodies like the World Trade Organization be able to over-ride Ontario’s plan to encourage investment in renewable, green energy and local jobs for people in Ontario?”

Almost three-quarters of those surveyed or 73% feel that the World Trade Organization should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to encourage investment in green renewable energy while only 27% are of the opinion that it should.

Results by question

How important do you feel it is to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce the record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Please use a scale from one not at all important to five very important.

Response Valid percent
Not at all important 5%
Not important 6%
Neither important nor not important 7%
Important 14%
Very important 69%
Total 100%

Should international bodies like the World Trade Organization be able to over-ride Ontario’s plan to encourage investment in renewable, green energy and local jobs for people in Ontario?

Response Valid percent
Yes 27%
No 73%
Total 100%
Earth 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth International

November 23, 2012

UN climate talks: Urgent progress still not in sight

DOHA, QATAR, November 23, 2012 — While delegates from around the world prepare to meet for the annual United Nations climate talks in Doha next week, Friends of the Earth International expressed strong concerns over the continued lack of progress by developed countries which are supposed to take the lead to stop climate devastation and avoid catastrophic climate change.1

The UN climate talks, ongoing now for 20 years, have made little progress in delivering concrete climate action and are now heading backwards. Most recently they agreed 2015 as the date to launch a new treaty to deal with climate action which probably won’t come into force until 2020.2

And many governments look set to attend the talks in Doha to promote a further weakening of the framework for global emissions reductions, while at home they continue to support the expansion of false solutions to the climate crisis.

Global emissions need to peak around 2015 if we are to have a decent chance of bringing emissions down to safe levels in time to prevent a further worsening of the earth’s climate and avoid the unprecedented destruction, insecurity and suffering that catastrophic, irreversible climate change would cause.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator, said:

“From the carnage wrought by Hurricane Sandy to the devastating flooding in Nigeria, the impacts of climate change are now evident for all to see, and alarmingly more frequent. Carbon dioxide levels have reached a record high, setting us on track for a terrifying 6 degrees of warming. Unfortunately developed countries, led by the United States, are accelerating the demolition of the world’s international framework for fair and urgent climate action. And most governments continue to support and advance the very policies that are driving the climate crisis, from dirty fossil fuel extraction of oil, gas and coal to carbon trading, agrofuels, large-scale industrial agriculture and ‘green desert’ plantations.”

The United States, Australia, Canada and Japan continue to be the main players dragging their feet and undermining progress in the UN talks. Europe has pledged an emissions target which will allow its emissions to continue to grow, and continues to push for the expansion of carbon trading, a dangerous scam which only benefits corporations and financial elites. Meanwhile these and other countries are supporting false solutions to the climate crisis and ignoring the voices of people resisting the imposition of destructive projects and the land grabs, displacement and environmental destruction that they cause.

The power of vested interests and multinational corporations and their influence over government policies and UN processes remains at the heart of the ongoing failure of the talks and their recent further unraveling.3 Tackling their influence is essential to unlocking the deadlock, and will unleash multiple other positive impacts like releasing for public benefit the hundreds of billions of dollars in public subsidies to dirty fossil fuel corporations.

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland said: “Friends of the Earth International is urging governments attending Doha to finally wake up to the reality of the climate crisis and make urgent progress on the foundations of fair and ambitious climate action: emissions cuts in line with science and equity; adequate public finance to support climate action in the developing world; progress on technology transfer; and an end to carbon trading. All are needed to drive forward the transformation of our economies, deliver real sustainable energy and food alternatives, and tackle emissions while improving health and wellbeing for everyone. We are nearly out of time. Without urgent progress governments will face a total loss of confidence in their ability to act in the interests of people and the environment.”

For more information

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in Doha): +44 7956 210332

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator: +44 7912 406510

Notes

1 Developed (Annex I) countries are responsible for three quarters of historic emissions despite only hosting 15% of the world’s population. Because of their historical responsibility for climate change they have a moral and legal obligation under the climate convention to cut their emissions first and fastest and to provide adequate public finance for climate action by developing countries.

2 Last year at COP 17 in Durban, South Africa, instead of making progress on implementing the existing negotiating roadmap agreed in Bali in 2007, parties agreed to launch a whole new round of negotiations on an agreement to cover climate action. The Durban Platform (ADP) will commence negotiations in Doha and is due to finish its work by 2015. There is a very high risk that the Durban Platform will delay action on emissions for another ten years, lock in low ambition, undermine the principles of equity and justice in the global climate framework, and further deregulate the framework, leading to a system even weaker and less effective than the Kyoto Protocol. At COP 18 in Doha countries are supposed to be finalising the targets for developed country emission reductions under the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period; making progress on climate finance and comparable emissions reductions targets for the United States (which is not party to the Kyoto Protocol); and commencing negotiations on the Durban Platform.

3 400 global civil society organizations and social movements have denounced corporate capture as a root cause of failing environmental multilateral negotiations. Clear demands were presented to the UN earlier this year to help put an end to the excessive and harmful influence of corporations over processes like the UN climate talks. So far the UN did not issue a public response. Friends of the Earth International’s report on the corporate capture of the UN is available at:

http://www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs/2012/reclaim-the-un-from-corporate-capture/view

Friends of the Earth International is demanding:

  • Urgent, binding and deep emissions cuts by developed countries in line with science and equity
  • Provision by developed countries of adequate climate finance and technology transfer to developing countries for sustainable development and adaptation to climate impact
  • An end to carbon trading and offsetting
  • A top-down framework for future climate action which respects and reasserts the principles in the UNFCCC, including the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR), and which includes binding emissions targets for developed countries and no new market mechanisms
  • Efforts by all governments to drive forward the transformation of our unsustainable economies, protecting the rights and livelihoods of communities and delivering a safe climate and greater health and wellbeing for all.
2011 Media releases | Climate and energy |

FoE Canada releases “Plug and Play” model regulation to help Canada reduce greenhouse gas pollution

For immediate release

Friends of the Earth donates its services to help Canada in its time of embarrassment

(Ottawa, December 8, 2011) With Canada’s international environmental reputation at rock bottom at the Durban climate negotiations, Friends of the Earth Canada has decided to donate its services to help Canada.

“Canada’s Minister of the Environment showing up in Durban without domestic regulations in place is shocking,” said Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada. “So we’ve prepared a model regulation, Reduction of Releases of Toxic Substances Causing Global Warming, that mirrors exactly what our government needs to finally regulate greenhouse gas pollution from the largest emitters in Canada.”

Friends of the Earth has provided an efficient, actionable model regulation in exactly the format needed to plug it into the regulatory process. The model regulation targets reporting factories and plants to the National Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory because they operate stationary facilities which are the largest emitters of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, sulphur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. The required reductions would be accomplished in stages and based on data reported by the approximately 800 emitters themselves.

In Copenhagen, Canada lowered its commitment to a target of 17% of greenhouse gases by 2020 using a 2005 baseline. The model regulation, Reduction of Releases of Toxic Substances Causing Global Warming, shows the government how to meet this target and schedule using mandatory information reported by factories and facilities in Canada since 2004.

While Friends of the Earth believes dramatic emission reductions are necessary to save the world from catastrophic warming, it is pragmatic about what is possible today in Canada. “Some businesses may be ready to meet these minimalistic targets,” said Olivastri, “but none are going to do even this until regulations are put in place. It is appalling that Canada doesn’t have these rules in place.”

The Notice of Intent and the model regulation, Reduction of Releases of Toxic Substances causing Global Warming Regulation can be viewed at www.foecanada.org.

In Canada, regulations are a form of law with binding legal effect. The first steps in Canada’s regulatory process are developing a regulatory proposal for an enabling Act, review by the central agency and pre-publication.

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For further information, contact:

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth (613) 241-0085 x26 or (613) 724-8690

Friends of the Earth Canda is the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network campaigning on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues.

Backgrounder — December 8, 2011

The model regulation Reduction of Releases of Toxic Substances Causing Global Warming issued by Friends of the Earth Canada has these advantages:

  • it is “Plug and Play,” written in a format that can be immediately used;
  • it is direct;
  • it targets the greenhouse gases identified in the Kyoto Protocol — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, sulphur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs);
  • it is fully consistent with — and will achieve — the reductions committed to by the Government of Canada at the Copenhagen and Cancún meetings of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol — namely 17% from 2005 levels, by December 31, 2021;
  • it is based on data provided by the companies that report to the National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory;
  • therefore, it targets those companies whose facilities are considered by the Government of Canada to be the highest emitters of greenhouse gases;
  • it phases in, at three levels, the reductions from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2021, so that the regulated companies can space out their costs to achieve the 17% reduction from 2005 levels by December 31, 2021;
  • it requires the regulated companies to install continuous emissions monitoring systems of their choice for carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, provided that the systems meet performance criteria for precision and accuracy to be set by the scientific experts of Environment Canada;
  • it leaves to those companies the choice of technology to achieve the required reductions;
  • it covers reductions of greenhouse gases in the various types of emissions by those companies — e.g. emissions from stationary combustion emissions, from industrial processes, etc.; and
  • it requires the regulated companies to report their achieved reductions only three times — no later than February 28, 2015, February 28, 2018, February 28, 2022 — hence keeping reporting to the minimum that would allow the Government of Canada to track progress by the regulated companies.

The model regulation Reduction of Releases of Toxic Substances Causing Global Warming leaves to the scientific experts of Environment Canada the selection or development of methods of calculation for the greenhouse gases.

Friends of the Earth Canada believes that applying this Model Regulation is the essential step that Canada must take, at the federal level, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet its lowered public commitments stated at the Copenhagen and Cancún meetings of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

Note: The model regulation does not address emission reduction by new facilities.

2008 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Lawsuit challenges Baird over proposed Irving oil refinery

Media release

For immediate release
January 14, 2008

Fredericton, NB — Canada’s Environment Minister John Baird is facing a lawsuit for his lax treatment of Irving Oil’s proposal to construct a massive oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. Environmental groups commenced the lawsuit to ensure that the multi-billion dollar refinery — which is expected to generate 3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year — faces the full scrutiny of an environmental assessment by the federal government.

Launched by Ecojustice (formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund) on behalf of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s Fundy Baykeeper and Friends of the Earth Canada, the lawsuit challenges the federal government’s decision to dramatically restrict its assessment of the environmental impact of the Irving refinery to the facility’s wharf structure — ignoring obvious local and transboundary air pollution and global warming impacts of the refinery.

“Minister Baird’s decision to evaluate the wharf and turn a blind eye to the refinery itself is not only illegal, it is plainly absurd,” said Ecojustice lawyer Justin Duncan. “The law is clear; the federal government must conduct an assessment of the entire project in order to evaluate the impact this refinery will have on the health of the region’s residents and the environment.”

The federal government’s decision to study only the wharf would leave the assessment of the refinery’s environmental impacts to the province, which has a weaker environmental assessment law and has been a vigorous proponent of the project.

“We are gravely concerned about the impacts the Irving refinery would have on air quality, public health, greenhouse gas emissions, and on federally protected endangered species such as the Right Whale and Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic Salmon,” said David Coon, Policy Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick. “This decision sets a terrible precedent for similar projects being proposed throughout the country.”

The Irving Refinery is one of three new refineries proposed across Canada where Minister Baird has refused to order a full environmental assessment and instead restricted federal involvement to the associated wharf or docking facilities, including projects in Southern Head, Newfoundland and Sarnia, Ontario. These proposed refineries will be the first to be built in Canada in approximately 25 years. The lawsuit argues that under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act the federal government must study and minimize the harmful environmental impact of these types of large-scale industrial projects.

“Given that this refinery would immediately join the ranks of the largest sources of pollution in the country, the federal government has a legal obligation to examine the full environmental impacts of the project,” said Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada. “More than ever, Canadians want and expect both jobs and a clean environment — this is what the federal environmental assessment process is designed to address.”

Government respondents include Environment Canada, Transport Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Irving Oil Ltd. is also a respondent to the suit. It is expected the Federal Court will hear the application in mid-2008.

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Read the Backgrounder and Notice of Application

For further information please contact:

David Coon, Conservation Council of New Brunswick (506) 458-8747
Justin Duncan, Ecojustice (416) 573-4258 cell
Beatrice Olivastri, Friends of the Earth Canada (613) 724-8690 cell
David Thompson, CCNB Fundy Baykeeper (506) 694-8780, cell (506) 650-5849

2007 Media releases | Climate and energy |

First global warming lawsuit launched against Canada

(Ottawa, May 29, 2007) — Friends of the Earth Canada has launched a landmark lawsuit today against the Government of Canada for abandoning its international commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Filed in Federal Court in Ottawa by Canada’s foremost environmental law organization, Sierra Legal, the lawsuit alleges that the federal government is violating Canadian law by failing to meet its binding international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Because climate change is the most urgent crisis ever facing the planet, Friends of the Earth is resorting to the courts to require the federal government to respect its Kyoto promises,” says Friends of the Earth Canada Chief Executive Officer Beatrice Olivastri. “While the government talks about ‘Turning the Corner,’ in reality it has made a serious wrong turn that will affect the lives of generations to come.”

The lawsuit is an application for judicial review and alleges that the government’s failure to effectively regulate greenhouse gases is likely to violate the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. This violation of international law contravenes section 166 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which states that Canada must abide by its international agreements in preventing pollution.

Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol in December 2002, legally requiring a reduction of overall greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels during the period 2008 to 2012 — a target of 563 megatonnes of greenhouse gases.

On April 26, 2007, the federal government announced its ‘Turning the Corner’ climate change strategy which set greenhouse gas reduction targets from industry and other sources to 20 per cent below 2006 levels by 2020. This would leave Canada approximately 39 per cent off target with Kyoto in 2012 and would not achieve the Kyoto target until 2025, if at all.

“Canadians expect the Government of Canada to live up to its domestic and international commitments to combat global warming, and our environmental laws require it to do so,” says Sierra Legal lawyer Robert Wright. “Our government shouldn’t have to be asked to put on a credible and lawful climate change cap.”

“The federal government has a legal duty to Canadians and the world to make ‘demonstrable progress’ in reducing greenhouse gases under the UN agreements, and to work with all Canadians to adapt to impacts of climate change,” says Christine Elwell, Friends of the Earth Canada Senior Campaigner. “Instead, we see important programs dismantled, terminated and slashed — all part of the pattern of Kyoto denial by the federal government.”

“The remedy we seek is clear,” continues Olivastri, “Canada must comply with our environmental laws and live up to our domestic and international commitments to combat global warming.”

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To download the history of the case, please visit www.foecanada.org. To download the Application, please visit www.sierralegal.org.

For more information, please contact:

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada: (613) 241-0085 ext. 26, cell: (613) 724-8690

Robert Wright, Senior Counsel, Sierra Legal: (416) 368-7533 ext. 25, cell: (416)  573-4258

2007 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Dirty deal: Environment Minister exempts refinery from environmental impact assessment

Media release

For immediate release

Dirty deal: Environment Minister John Baird exempts colossal Canadian refinery from environmental impact assessment

Refinery is first to be built in Canada in a quarter century

(Ottawa, May 24, 2007) Following closely on the heels of Environment Minister John Baird’s decision to exempt industry from hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, the Minister has today exempted from assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act the first Canadian oil refinery to be built since global warming became a concern.

Irving Oil plans to build a colossal $7 billion dollar, 300,000 barrel/day refinery adjacent to its existing refinery in Saint John. Irving’s existing refinery is the largest in Canada and therefore among the top 25 greenhouse gas emitters in the country at 3.3 million tonnes of CO2 per year. The gasoline is to be marketed in the northeastern United States. Six out of 10 cars on the road in Boston are already fueled by gasoline refined in Saint John, New Brunswick.

“We are appalled that Minister Baird does not plan to have Environment Canada assess the impacts of the new Irving refinery’s emissions on global warming and smog,” said David Coon, Policy Director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. “The carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides will cross provincial and international boundaries, one of the triggers for a federal environmental assessment,” said Coon. “Clearly, the federal government has legal obligations for the impacts of increased greenhouse gas emissions on global warming.”

“This decision is the first dirty deal to surface since the Harper Government delivered its Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada. “We are shocked and appalled that this government is dodging the responsibility to rigorously review the GHG and air pollution of the proposed new refinery.”

Speaking on The Current (CBC, April 27), Minister Baird said the Irving’s new refinery “will provide great economic benefits for the province, a lot of jobs, a lot of hope, a lot of opportunity will be created with that. If we didn’t have an intensity-based system (for regulating greenhouse gas emissions) that wouldn’t be able to go ahead.”

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency announced today that the proposed scope of the environmental assessment would be restricted to the potential impacts of the construction of a pier and breakwater to load gasoline and petroleum coke onto ships for export and the unloading of crude oil from supertankers. The public has until June 30th to comment on the proposed scope of the federal environmental assessment.

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Contact:

David Coon, Policy Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, (506) 458-8747, email: dcoon [at] conservationcouncil.ca

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada, (613) 241-0085 ext. 26, cell: (613) 724-8690, email: Beatrice [at] foecanada.org

www.conservationcouncil.ca
www.foecanada.org

2006 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Canada violating UN climate change pacts

Climate Justice Programme / Friends of the Earth International

October 31, 2006

Canada violating UN climate change pacts

OTTAWA, CANADA, October 31, 2006 — The Canadian Environment Minister has today been informed that Canada is violating the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), thus legally requiring action under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The Compliance Committee of the UN Kyoto Protocol climate treaty was also informed of the alleged violations.1

The warning came just one day after the release of a ground-breaking report by Sir Nicholas Stern in the UK on the global economics of climate change. The report shows that governments can afford to act — and must do so urgently — to avoid disastrous economic costs.

According to last month’s report by the Canadian Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development,2 the gap between Canada’s GHG emissions and its Kyoto commitments is growing: Canada’s GHG emissions in 2004 were 26.6% above 1990 levels, resulting in a gap of 34.6% from Canada’s Kyoto target of a 6% reduction by 2008-2012. Per capita, Canadians are amongst the highest emitters in the world, with the production and consumption of fossil fuels accounting for 80% of these emissions.

In an opinion by international climate change lawyer Dr. Roda Verheyen,3 submitted today to the Compliance Committee and the Canadian Environment Minister by Friends of the Earth Canada and Friends of the Earth International, with the support of the Climate Justice Programme, she points out that:

(1) Canada is violating the UNFCCC in three respects, by not having established measures to reverse emissions trends, or to adapt, and in not reporting;

(2) Canada is violating the Kyoto Protocol in two respects, by not having made “demonstrable progress” by 2005 towards its 6% Kyoto Protocol objective, and in not reporting on progress;

(3) Canada is likely to violate Article 3.1 of the Kyoto Protocol by not achieving its 6% reduction target during the 2008-2012 period.

Canada’s emissions of GHGs, their contribution to air pollution as defined in CEPA, and Dr. Verheyen’s findings, indicate that the three triggers for the legal duties to control international air pollution under section 166 of CEPA are met.4

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada said:

“With respect to greenhouse gas emissions, we have long felt Canada has demonstrated illegal behaviour on the world stage. Receiving the documentation from lawyer Dr. Roda Verheyen is a giant step toward getting our government to do the right thing and regulate greenhouse gas emission reductions.”

Christine Elwell, Friends of the Earth Canada’s Senior Campaigner described a letter sent to the Canadian Environment Minister as one which, “Established that the Government not only has the authority under CEPA to regulate greenhouse gases, they are obliged to act. We have provided Minister Ambrose with a 30 day window to tell Canadians how the Government will honour this duty to Canadians and the world, with the understanding that they are not free to avoid taking action.”

“We support Friends of the Earth’s actions, and trust the citing of the domestic duty to act, the legal opinion and compliance complaint will lead Canada to reconsider its illegal behaviour. Until then, Canada’s reputation as an honest broker and environmental leader is tarnished,” says Peter Roderick, co-Director of the Climate Justice Programme.

“The scientific evidence calling for urgent action on climate change is undeniable. Yesterday, the conclusions of the Stern Review, commissioned by the UK Government warned that failure to act will lead to global recession. Multilateral action on this issue is needed. The Canadian Government must wake up to the fact that they have their role to play,” said Catherine Pearce, Co-ordinator of the climate campaign for Friends of the Earth International.

For more information contact

Friends of the Earth Canada
Beatrice Olivastri, CEO Tel: +1 613-241-0085 x26 (office); or +1 613-724-8690 (cell)
Christine Elwell, Senior Campaigner Tel: +1 416-604-7333

Climate Justice Programme
Peter Roderick, co-Director, London Tel: +44 20 7388 3141 www.climatelaw.org

Friends of the Earth International
Catherine Pearce, Co-ordinator of the international climate change campaign Tel: +44 7811 283641

Notes to editors

1 The Committee received a submission in May 2006 from South Africa, on behalf of the G77 countries and China, complaining that 15 developed countries had not submitted their reports on demonstrable progress, required by the Protocol. This is the first compliance action by developing countries to hold developed countries to account on Kyoto. As of today, 6 countries have still not sent in their reports, including Canada. The submission is here:

http://unfccc.int/files/kyoto_mechanisms/compliance/application/pdf/cc-2006-1-1-fb.pdf

More information on the Committee’s deliberations is here:

http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2006/cmp2/eng/06.pdf

2 The Commissioner’s report is here:

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/c2006menu_e.html

3 The opinion and letters will be available later today at www.climatelaw.org and www.foecanada.org

4 CEPA’s s.166 on international air pollution is here:

http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/C-15.31/225933.html