With growing urgency, governments across the globe are setting bold targets for renewable energy. However, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that smart development will be needed to ensure the right mix of low-carbon electricity generation to cut emissions and to avoid unexpected environmental problems.
The first two public consultations on climate action organized by Canada's national government in Toronto, gave strong support to the demands of the People's Climate Plan (PCP), an alternative to federal climate-related proposals. The PCP's proposals are listed below.
Major energy distributors and consumers in Ontario and Quebec expect to spend more than $1-billion over four years on California greenhouse gas emission allowances. Without agreement with the United States, however, those international emission credits cannot be counted as part of Canada’s international commitment to reduce greenhouse gases.
June 17, 2016 VICTORIA — While B.C. ‘s carbon tax has drawn praise from around the world, the pioneering measure does not come close to meeting the claim of revenue neutrality the B.C. Liberals made for it at the outset.
“Revenue neutrality means that tax reductions must be provided that fully return the estimated revenue from the carbon tax to taxpayers in each fiscal year,” to quote the report on the tax in this year’s budget documents.
Even a few short months ago, the idea that Alberta would be considered ahead of its neighbour to the west when it comes to environmental stewardship would have been laughable.
June 3, 2016 - On the second floor of Royal Bank of Canada’s headquarters in Toronto’s financial district, traders Ryan Holm and Rostik Radik buy and sell allowances in a carbon market that will serve as a crucial element in Ontario’s ambitious effort to reduce greenhouse gases.
May 24, 2016 - The Alberta government is speeding ahead with aggressive action to address climate change, introducing new legislation on Tuesday that would require the province's population and industry to pay for their pollution and reduce energy consumption.
Environment Minister Shannon Phillips tabled her government's climate change legislation - Bill-20, the Climate Leadership Implementation Act, exactly one year after her New Democratic Party assumed power and ended 44 years of Progressive Conservative governments ruling the province.
Tuesday, May 17 - In the spring of 2015, B.C. Premier Christy Clark challenged jurisdictions around the world to meet or beat her province’s world-leading climate action plan. Now her government is wrestling with rising CO2 levels while Alberta and Ontario have moved aggressively to reduce their provincial greenhouse gas emissions.
Renewable energy companies see tremendous opportunity in Ontario’s climate-change plan, though skeptics question whether the proposed incentives and regulations will achieve the government’s goals and will impose costs that are unacceptable to voters.
