Canadian News
 This summer, British Columbia will begin informing the
province's biggest emitters how the cap-and-trade system is likely to work and
the kind of emissions levels at which they could be looking. British
Columbia is a partner of the Western Climate Initiative whose centerpiece strategy
is a regional cap-and-trade program. (The Globe and Mail article, 01.06.10)
Air Canada and Zerofootprint expand Voluntary Carbon Offset
Program with two new Canadian-based ISO Certified Projects: Landfill Gas
Recovery in Ontario and Tire Recycling Program in Quebec. The two
new projects are in addition to the existing Forest Restoration project in
British Columbia. (Marketwire News
Release, 02.06.10)
Canada increases its contribution to the Global Environment
Facility (GEF) as part of its commitment under the Copenhagen
Accord. The funds will be used to help developing countries in their
efforts to address climate change through both mitigation and adaptation.
(Marketwire News
Release, 28.05.10)
Canada will contribute to Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and Degradation, an initiative to stop deforestation and the
resulting greenhouse gas emissions, announces Canada's Environment
Minister, Jim Prentice. (The Gazette article, 28.05.10)
Environment Minister Rob Renner will travel
to Europe to discuss Alberta's environmental management practices and how
the province is transitioning to a cleaner energy future. Among the
topics Renner will highlight during his visit in Europe are Alberta's
environmental regulatory framework, clean energy technology investments, and
actions to reduce the province's greenhouse gas emissions and overall
environmental footprint. (Government of Alberta News Release, 12.05.10)
An NDP private-member's Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act, passes
the third reading in the House of Commons. The bill sets strict targets
for greenhouse gas emissions at 25 per cent below 1990 levels by
2020. (Maclean's article, 05.05.10)
Alberta's regulated emitters bought 3.8 million offsets
and invested $62.9 million in the technology fund in 2009, according to
the Government of Alberta. (Government of Alberta News
Release, 05.05.10)
The Voluntary Carbon Emissions Offset Fund Act has
been tabled in the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly. The legislation will create an offset fund for projects that
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon credits created from these
projects will go back into the fund. Investors would be able to buy the
credits to offset their own activities, such as air travel or the emissions
generated by a business. (The Telegraph-Journal article, 23.04.10)
Aeroplan donates 1 million miles to Aeroplan's Beyond Miles
partner, Earth Day Canada and is matching all miles redeemed today by
members for carbon offsets by 40 per cent. (CNW News Release, 22.04.10)
Export Development Canada begins purchasing carbon credits to
offset the carbon emissions generated by its business travel. (CNW News Release, 22.04.10)
Ottawa is waiting for the United States to decide how it will impose climate-change regulations before acting here. In the U.S., climate legislation is expected to be tabled on April 26, Reuters reports. It will reportedly not include a cap on industrial emissions, but would instead impose taxes on gasoline and other petroleum products. (The Globe and Mail article, 15.04.10)
The Canadian government files its 2008 National Inventory Report on greenhouse gas emissions with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The inventory shows Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions dropped 2.1 per cent in 2008. In 2008, emissions were about 734 megatonnes which represents a decrease of 16 megatonnes from the updated 2007 total of 750 megatonnes, and a 6.2 megatonnes or 0.8 per cent decrease over the last five years. (Environment Canada News Release, 15.04.10) The new data also shows that direct carbon dioxide emissions from the oilsands remained almost constant in 2008 at 37.2 megatonnes of CO2e. However, oilsands emissions went up 20.4 megatonnes of CO2e since 1990. (Calgary Herald article, 16.04.10)
- Canada's 2008 Greenhouse Gas Emissions - A Summary of Trends
The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) releases a new report entitled Climate Prosperity: The Economic Risks and Opportunities of Climate Change for Canada. The aim of the report is to provide insight to Canadians and policy advice to governments on both the economic risks and the economic opportunities for Canada associated with a warming planet.
The Alberta government invests in Carbon Management Canada Inc. based at the University of Calgary. The group will help establish national research teams that will develop technology and insights to reduce carbon emissions in Canada's fossil fuel energy sector - including the coal, natural gas, conventional oil and oil sands sectors. (Government of Alberta News Release, 15.04.10)
A new study released today by the Fraser Institute, entitled Skating on Thin Ice: Canadian-American Relations in 2010 and 2011, says Canada must establish a unified security regime between with the United States to create a more positive Canada-U.S. political atmosphere, ushering in a new era of cooperation, reciprocity, and deeper trade integration after a decade of tentative relations between the two countries. According to the study, the best Canadian policy on carbon emissions is caution and delay: caution, because the public-policy issue of global warming may not be supported as strongly as its early advocates projected; and delay, because the American political agenda limiting carbon emissions is in flux. Canada should not commit itself to higher targets for reductions in carbon emissions than the U.S. or finalize them until the American targets are clear and decided. (The Fraser Institute News Release, 08.04.10)
Ottawa and British Columbia sign an Agreement in Principle on efforts to address climate change. (Environment Canada News Release, 06.04.10)
Alberta government expects to collect less funds paid by Alberta's biggest carbon producers pay into a climate-change fund. (The Edmonton Journal article, 07.04.10)
Vancouver-based Westport plans to earn carbon credits by offering natural gas-fuelled trucks and buses. The Westport Carbon Project (WCP) is in the process of being registered with the internationally acclaimed Voluntary Carbon Market Standard (VCS) and will be the first VCS transport project and one of the largest voluntary carbon market projects worldwide. Westport and Cummins Westport natural gas powered vehicles sold since January 01, 2009 will be eligible for carbon credits based on an agreed price per tonne. Current carbon credits for this type of emission reduction program can receive up to $25 per tonne. (CNW News Release, 25.03.10)
B.C. government introduces the Zero Net Deforestation Act which, when passed into law, will require an equal area of trees to be planted as is cleared from forest land for other uses. (The Canadian Press article, 22.03.10)
According to Environment Minister Jim Prentice, it can take several years to actually turn the Copenhagen agreement into a binding treaty. (The Gazette article, 16.03.10)
A new survey reveals that only 1 in 5 (18 per cent) Canadians give themselves an "A" saying they're doing as much as they can to reduce their impact on climate change. However, 80 per cent say they are motivated to do more to reduce their personal and household impact. (Marketwire News Release, 03.03.10)
Environment Minister Jim Prentice outlined the federal government's new emission targets over the weekend, announcing that Canada aims to cut back its greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. (The Globe and Mail article. 01.02.10)
Environment Canada News Release. 31.01.10
Nova Scotia and Ottawa sign a climate change agreement in principle to reduce greenhouse gases. (The Chronicle Herald article, 27.01.10)
Offsetters, the official supplier of carbon offsets to the 2010 Olympic Games, has come up with an idea to help the Winter Olympic Games achieve carbon neutrality: pin collectors can buy a $25 Olympic pin which represents one tonne of carbon offsets. Offsetters plans to set up shop in the airport next month to catch Olympic visitors and help them offset their travel emissions.
The Globe and Mail article (07.01.10)
This article explains how an emissions trading market works and its current status in North America. The article also introduces some market participants who hope a successful conclusion to the Copenhagen climate summit will prompt Washington and Ottawa to provide greater certainty about the future of environmental regulations, which would in turn, provide impetus for market development.
The Globe and Mail article (15.12.09)
Speaking to a House of Commons committee, Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice outlines how Canada will cut emissions 20% below 2006 levels by 2020 - a cap-and-trade system that involves absolute emission reductions, not intensity targets. Mr. Prentice says the Tories will now harmonize their plan with the U.S. scheme.
Calgary Herald article (04.12.09)
Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner says the price of carbon will go up as the world moves forward with measures to mitigate global warming. He says, Alberta is willing to see higher prices. "We're not tied to $15, we believe it has to go up much beyond as long as our competition, Venezuela, California, Russia and the Middle East, faces the same. If there is a cost, all countries have to be in. The writing is on the wall and industry knows that."
The Edmonton Journal article (04.12.09)
The Ontario government passes the Environmental Protection Amendment Act (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading), which serves as a foundation for the Ontario's cap-and-trade program. The legislation allows to link to other systems in North America and abroad.
Government of Ontario News Release (03.12.09)
Quebec plans to announce its greenhouse gas reduction plan during the climate change conference starting in Copenhagen on December 7. Last week the provincial government announced a target of 20 per cent reduction below 1990 greenhouse gas baseline levels by the year 2020. Different measures to meet Quebec's projected targets are being considered including energy efficiency, increased use of public transportation, implementing a carbon tax, enacting a cap-and-trade system, and introducing electric cars, changes in agriculture and forestry practices, and carbon capture and storage.
McGill Tribune article (01.12.09)
The Saskatchewan government reintroduces its climate change legislation, which calls for a 20 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 2020, with emission levies collected from heavy emitters going into a Saskatchewan technology fund. The plan will likely be implemented in 2011. (The Government of Saskatchewan
The Government of Saskatchewan News Release (01.12.09)
Starting in 2010, industrial facilities in Ontario that release 25,000 tonnes or more of greenhouse gases will have to report their emission data to the government and public. About 200 to 300 facilities will be affected by the rule. They will start reporting their 2010 emissions in 2011. (Reuters
Reuteres article (01.12.09)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada may do some minor tweacking to its greenhouse gas emission targets to match those of the United States when emerging from the climate change conference in Copenhagen next month. Mr. Harper also said Canada along with other industrialized nations agreed to contribute to a $10-billion (U.S.) fund that will help developing countries cope with the impacts of climate change. (CanWest News Service
CanWest News Service article (29.11.09)
Liberal Leader Michael Ingnatieff unveils a new environmental plan. Highlights of the proposed plan:
-Setting the targets to 1990 levels,
-Developing a binding and verifiable cap-and-trade system - with hard caps leading to absolute reductions - that is fair to all regions and industries, and compatible with other systems for international carbon trading,
-Creating a single Clean Energy Act that would adopt the toughest vehicle emissions standards in North America,
-Quadrupling Canada's production of renewable energy,
-Adopting the toughest vehicle emissions standards in North America,
-Promoting energy efficiency through new transit systems, high-speed rail, and "smart" electrical grids, and
-Implementing a National Water Strategy.
Liberal Party News Release (26.11.09)
Mr. Ignatieff also said Canada's cap-and-trade system must be compatible with that of the United States "but that does not mean - and this is key - that we have to wait for Washington to move forward." The Globe and Mail article (27.11.09)
All facilities in British Columbia that emit over 10,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually will be required to publically report their greenhouse gas emissions beginning January 1, 2010, according to B.C Environment Minister Barry Penner. B.C. is the first province to require reporting of GHGs at a threshold of 10,000 tonnes.
The Government of British Columba News Release (25.11.09)
Quebec Premier Jean Charest commits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020. Quebec's stringent new target would give the province the lowest level of greenhouse-gas emissions per resident on the continent. Mr. Charest also warned that Canada will pay a heavy price if it fails to reduce greenhouse gases significantly. "There's the threat of economic reprisals if we don't follow the path being set in Copenhagen."
The Globe and Mail article (24.11.09)
Greening Greater Toronto launches a first-of-its-kind voluntary emissions reduction fund for large Canadian corporations that are not required by regulations to reduce their carbon emissions. The fund will buy carbon offset credits from green projects around the country and pass those credits on to the companies that invest in it. The first two investors are TD Bank which committed $3-million of capital over 5 years and Bank of Montreal which committed $10-million. Green Power Action manages the fund. (The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail article (23.11.09)
In an open letter a coalition of businesses is urging the Quebec government to set its own stringent pollution targets for 2020. The Quebec government is expected to introduce its own targets this month. (The Gazette article, 19.11.09) Canadian regulations that will cap greenhouse gas emissions are at least a few years away, according to Environment Minister Jim Prentice. He said the first step is to negotiate a global climate change treaty and conclude a continental agreement between Canada and the United States. (CBCarticle, 17.11.09) Prentice also said officials are starting to draft the text of an international political agreement to be negotiated and possibly adopted at the UN summit next month in Copenhagen but it may take most of 2010 for the global agreement to be reached. (CanWest News Service article, 17.11.09) But U.S. President Barack Obama stressed "Our aim (in Copenhagen) ... is not a partial accord or a political declaration but rather an accord that covers all of the issues in the negotiations and one that has immediate operational effect." (Reuters article, 18.11.09)
A new documentary by Vancouver filmmaker/journalist Miro Cernetig, Carbon Hunters, will be aired on CBC. Carbon Hunters delves into the controversial, little-understood, yet booming industry of carbon credit trading as a potentially workable mechanism towards solving what most people now acknowledge as the greatest crisis facing the planet: global warming.
Thursday November 26, 2009 at 8 pm on CBC-TV
Repeating: Friday November 27, 2009 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC News Network
World leaders at an Asia-Pacific summit in Singapore Sunday acknowledged there will be a delay in reaching a final climate change deal at Copenhagen and endorsed a call by Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen to focus on achieving a political accord in the Danish capital. Key to this is closing the gaps over what role the United States and China will play in a global solution to the problem.
"(There was) a pretty strong consensus at the meeting this morning that countries of the world remain a long way from a binding, legal treaty on climate change," PM Stephen Harper said.
Canada Environment Minister Jim Prentice suggested 2010 deadline for a new framework.
"The purpose of the conference [in Copenhagen] is to arrive at the new international framework that will apply from 2012 forward. It's 2009 now - we have some time. We have some time in 2010 to try and put that framework in place, and conceivably work on it in 2011," Jim Prentice said.
Recently Obama said he will attend the meeting in Copenhagen only if his presence will help to reach the climate change treaty. PM Stephen Harper aides said if Obama goes to Cophenhagen, Harper likely will attend.
Globe and Mail article (15.11.09)
CTV article( BC, 15.11.09)
Globe and Mail article (16.11.09)
The Vancouver Sun article (14.11.09)
Helijet International, a private Canadian helicopter service company based in Vancouver, retires 900 tonnes of CO2e in its first round of carbon offset purchases. Helijet pays a total of $22,500 to Pacific Carbon Trust, a B.C. Crown corporation, for offsetting its scheduled service greenhouse gas emissions. Helijet is currently working with Pacific Carbon Trust to develop plans to offset greenhouse gas emissions from other parts of their business, including air ambulance flights and ground operations. Vertical Magazine article (13.11.09)
A report The Carbon the World Forgot published today estimates that the boreal forest stores 22 per cent of all carbon on the Earth's land surface, making it the world's largest and most important terrestrial carbon storehouse. The report's authors stress that Canada has an important role to play because much of its boreal forest is still intact. They write that Canada's boreal stores the equivalent of 26 years worth of global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels. Mongabay article (12.11.09)
Prairies offer a competitive advantage is generating carbon offsets, according to Stephen Johnston, partner at Agcapita Partners LP. FCS Press Release (09.11.09)
Robert Page, chairman of the National Roundtable on Environment and Economy, predicts supply of carbon credits in Canada is a concern which means linking to international carbon credit system will be essential. He also envisages the Canadian market will be a hybrid cap and trade system, with some international trading restrictions.
The Chronicle Herald article (03.11.09)
Failsafe Canada Inc. enters into a Licensing Agreement with Greenhouse Emissions Trading Corp. of Alberta. The agreement will provide for the integration of various data platforms required for the accurate quantification and verification of carbon offsets within the trading market.
PR-US.net News Release (30.10.09)
A new analysis, Climate Leadership, Economic Prosperity: Final report on an economic study of greenhouse gas targets and policies for Canada, by M.K Jaccard and Associates Inc. for the Pembina Institute and the David Suzuki Foundation conducts an in-depth study of federal and provincial government policies to allow Canada to meet one of two greenhouse gas (GHG) targets:
- a “2°C target” of 25 per cent below the 1990 level by 2020
- the federal government’s current target of three per cent below the 1990 level by 2020
The analysis shows that with strong federal and provincial government policies, Canada can meet the 25 per cent below the 1990 level by 2020 emissions target and still have a strong growing economy, a quality of life higher than Canadians enjoy today, and continued steady job creation across the country. The analysis also shows that the federal government needs to implement far stronger policies than it has proposed to date to meet its current greenhouse gas target. However, meeting either target requires governments to put a significant carbon price on GHG emissions and to back it up with strong complementary regulations and public investments. The analysis suggests that to meet the 25 per cent below the 1990 level by 2020 emissions target, a carbon price starting at $50 per tonne in 2010 needs to rise to $200 per tonne by 2020. To meet the government’s target of 20 per cent below the 2006 level by 2020 emissions target, a carbon price starting at $40 per tonne in 2011 needs to rise to $100 per tonne including the purchases of international reductions or $145 a tonne excluding the purchase of international reductions by 2020.
The report stresses that both sets of goals could be met while still preserving economic growth throughout the decade.
The Globe and Mail article (29.10.09)
Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice says Canada will not establish a new target for greenhouse gas reduction before the UN conference in Copenhagen in December. But Quebec's environment minister is disappointed over Canada’s stance.
The Gazette article (29.10.09)
Alberta's carbon market worth tens of millions of dollars, and set to grow as governments worldwide adopt new regulations to reduce greenhouse gases. All Albertans have a stake in this market.
The Edmonton Journal article (25.10.09)
According to this article, the B.C. government’s market and credit trading system appears to be working as hoped – as the first North American jurisdiction with mandatory carbon emission reduction targets. The credits are collected by Pacific Carbon Trust, a Crown corporation that pays emitters an unspecified amount for each tonne of CO2 emissions they cut through innovative conservation efforts, and resells them to government at $25 a tonne.
Kelowna.com article (24.10.09)
Summit Texas Clean Energy, LLC and Blue Source reached an agreement to market nearly 3 million tonns of CO2 to be captured annually from a new 400 mw coal gasification plant in Penwell, TX that begins construction in 2010.
Earth Times News Release (26.10.09)
Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice says Canada is committed to reaching a climate change agreement in Copenhagen this December but is not hopeful it will be concluded. He also says that Ottawa will not proceeds with the release of its detailed climate-change plan, including its proposed emissions caps on large emitters such as oil sands and power plants, until there is more clarity on how the United States intends to proceed in global climate-change talks in Copenhagen in December before it.
The Globe and Mail article (23.10.09)
In July 2009, the Canadian government lowered the greenhouse gas reporting thresholds from 100 to 50 kilotonnes. But climate-change regulation watchers believe this reporting cutoff may go even lower.
The Globe and Mail article (22.10.09)
Canadian businesses and green groups, called the Canadian NGO-Industry Cap-and-Trade Dialogue, make proposals for a national cap-and-trade system.
The green pages article (22.10.09)
Canadian chemical companies advocate for a single, national emissions cap for greenhouse gases.
The Globe and Mail article (21.10.09)
The third reading of Bill C-311, the climate change accountability act, introduced by NDP has been delayed by the House of Commons environment committee. Bill C-311 calls for Canada to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. It also gives the government the authority to make regulations to meet the targets, including penalties for contravention.
CBC article (19.10.09)
A growing number of Alberta farmers take advantage of the province's fledgling carbon trading market.
The Calgary Herlad article (16.10.09)
Canadian politicians paying close attention to the developing Alberta's carbon-trading industry. One of the province's first carbon brokers is the Emission Credits International Corporation of Didsbury.
The Edmonton Journal article (17.10.09)
Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice doubts whether an agreement will be worked out in Copenhagen. But the minister said Canada will go ahead with its own plan of reducing climate changing emissions by 20 per cent below 2006 levels by 2020 --and each province will individually have to live up to that target, including Alberta.
Calgary Herald article (15.10.09)
DHL Express Canada launches its GOGREEN service, carbon-neutral shipping that enables Canadian businesses to ship goods internationally and offset their environmental footprint.
DHL News Release (CNW, 13.10.09)
The Auditor General of Alberta releases the Report of the Auditor General of Alberta. The report states, among other things, that the government needs to get a much firmer grip on the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Alberta, and on the measurement of offsets purchased by firms to count against their GHG emissions.
Auditor General of Alberta News Release (Office of the Auditor General in Alberta, 02.10.09)
The Northwest Territories government’s joint climate change committee releases a report which states new practices, such as implementing a carbon tax, is something the territorial government needs to develop in order to "facilitate and drive adoption of the biomass and other renewable energy sectors."
Northern News Service article (02.10.09)
TD Bank buys renewable energy credits from the East Point Wind Farm in eastern P.E.I. in an effort to be carbon neutral by next year.
CBC article (24.09.09)
In a letter submitted to the Environment Canada, Western Climate Initiative calls on the federal government to revise its draft offset plan. The letter states that the system proposed by the Harper government would have trouble integrating with other international systems, including a proposed U.S. regime, if it does not require absolute caps on greenhouse-gas pollution from all industrial sectors.
CanWest News Service article (23.09.09)
Manitoba clarifies the offsets ownership rules under its two programs: Environmental Farm Action Program and Manitoba Sustainable Agriculture Practices Program. The percentage of funding provided by the province for projects under each program will be the percentage of offsets ownership by the province to the end of the program.
Alberta Farmer Express article (23.09.09)
Canadian PM Stephen Harper to propose a U.S.-Canada accord on climate change during Barack Obama’s visit to Canada.
The Globe and Mail article (12.01.09)
Pacific Carbon Trust, B.C.'s newest Crown corporation created to invest in B.C.-only projects that produce permanent emission reductions that are measurable and verifiable, is expected to be buying offsets for one million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
Times Colonist article (06.01.09)
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