David Suzuki's Blog, page 8

Renewable energy shift will continue despite U.S. withdrawal from Paris Agreement

VANCOUVER -- The U.S. government's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is short-sighted given the global acceleration of renewable energy.

"This top-down decision has left the U.S. administration stranded, spinning its wheels," David Suzuki Foundation science and policy director Ian Bruce said. "By withdrawing from the agreement, the president has taken a weak position that will stall economic and environmental progress."



The withdrawal will result in the U.S. administration surrendering its economic interest on the international stage with respect to climate issues and clean energy. As part of the Paris Agreement, the U.S. took on a leadership role in driving clean energy innovation, as well as monitoring other countries' progress and ensuring transparency. Now, Bruce said, the U.S. administration has weakened its position as a key player on the international stage.

"Global renewable energy investment and opportunities are accelerating by the day," Bruce said. "If the U.S. administration doesn't want to move forward, individual states will. California is already a world leader on climate policy. Texas is rapidly expanding its wind energy. Just because the U.S. has pulled out of the agreement doesn't mean Americans and U.S. investors will sit still. There is substantial economic opportunity in renewables. The U.S. solar industry alone creates one in 50 new jobs."

Polling results from Yale University's Climate Change in the American Mind survey conducted after the U.S. election show that 73 per cent of Trump voters would like to see the U.S. use more renewable energy. As recently as May 7, a small but increasingly vocal group of Republicans is embracing the reality of global warming and taking small steps to press the issue in Congress.



"The president is turning his back on states that voted for him," Bruce said. "Most Americans want renewable energy because it allows people the freedom to generate and supply their own energy and creates economic opportunities."

Bruce stressed that the U.S. can't afford to fall behind its international partners.



"After China, the U.S. is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas polluter -- and China is leading the renewable energy revolution. It has just become the world's biggest producer of solar energy. So even though the U.S. administration is out, the world continues to move ahead. The Paris Agreement is still strong, and countries and states will continue to propel renewables despite this decision."

Although the U.S. is out of the accord, Canada remains signed on.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Canada to seize a global leadership position in clean energy growth," Bruce said. "With World Environment Day on June 5, the U.S.'s decision means that climate action is important now more than ever. This is our chance to show the world that Canadians are innovative and forward-thinking by prioritizing renewable energy and upholding our international commitments to act on climate change for the sake of people now and into the future."



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For more information, please contact:

Emily Fister

Climate Change & Clean Energy Communications Specialist

David Suzuki Foundation

604-440-5470

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Fisheries and Oceans' funding welcomed

(Credit: Jeffery Young)

For more than a decade, scientists and environmental groups called on the federal government to invest in basic operations tasked to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced on May 31 that the federal government is reinvesting about $1.35 billion into those operations. This funding will help cover fisheries stock assessment (e.g., counting fish) and enforcement (e.g., hiring fisheries officers to enforce the Fisheries Act). We're still waiting for more details, and a lot of this money will also be allocated to basic infrastructure needs like ships and radar stations, but we were encouraged to hear that essential Fisheries and Oceans functions will be restored.

Without "boots on the ground" (or "boots on the water") we lack the eyes, ears and enforcement necessary to achieve even the most fundamental requirements of fisheries management or environmental protection. For example, sustainable fisheries require that we know how many fish are in the water or on the spawning grounds. As of 2016, these functions were severely underfunded, undermining fisheries management and compromising the ability of Canadian fisheries to achieve sustainability certifications, such as MSC certifications for B.C.'s pink and chum salmon fisheries.

The focus of yesterday's announcement was the Oceans Protection Plan. It's still unclear how this $1.5 billion strategy will support some of the most critical ocean conservation measures such as marine planning and protection. Minister LeBlanc did announce a smaller five-year, $75 million national Coastal Restoration Fund to support marine habitat restoration and address threats to marine species.

We are cautiously optimistic that a $1.35 billion investment in these basic functions, to be approved in the current federal budget, will ensure stock assessment and enforcement capacity are restored to levels necessary to effectively conduct fisheries and conserve marine and freshwater ecosystems and species. We will work with the federal government to see that resources are allocated effectively, but will remain strong advocates to ensure the resources are sufficient where needed and are supported by policies, such as an effectively implemented Pacific Wild Salmon Policy and a modern Fisheries Act. While funding alone can't guarantee that Canada's lakes, rivers, coastlines and oceans are protected, it's a step in the right direction.

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Beau's and David Suzuki Foundation collaborate on bee-friendly farmhouse ale

Portion of sales of Cross Pollination to benefit foundation's Butterflyway Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2017

VANKLEEK HILL -- Certified organic Canadian craft brewery Beau's Brewing Company has collaborated with environmental advocacy group the David Suzuki Foundation to create Cross Pollination, a farmhouse ale brewed with organic honey and bee balm. Given Beau's longstanding commitment to sustainability, this latest partnership in its Ottawa 2017 collaboration series is a natural fit.

 

"To be able to work with the David Suzuki Foundation to further the work they're doing is a real point of pride -- not just for me, but for the whole brewery," says Beau's co-founder Steve Beauchesne.

 

Among the David Suzuki Foundation's ongoing initiatives is The Butterflyway Project, which aids Canada's declining pollinator populations -- bees and butterflies -- by establishing networks of wildflower patches in neighbourhoods throughout Canada. A portion of Cross Pollination sales proceeds will be delivered to The Butterflyway Project.

 

As bee balm is one of the most immediately recognizable pollinating plants, Beau's sourced organic essential bee balm oil from Quebec to use in Cross Pollination. Along with organic honey, the bee balm lends sweet, floral notes to the beer's aroma, characteristics that are complemented by the chosen style, a fruity and slightly peppery Belgian-style farmhouse ale. Cross Pollination pours hazy gold with a white foam and finishes clean, with wildflower reverberations. The use of traditional Belgian Saison yeast imparts a mild spice character to the beer.

 

This marks the sixth in a monthly series of beers Beau's will brew with friends from across Canada to honour Ottawa 2017, the capital city's official celebration of the nation's 150th. Beau's is the official brewery of Ottawa 2017, and its flagship lagered ale, Lug Tread, the official beer.

 

Cross Pollination will be available Thursday, June 1, in Beau's signature 600-ml bottles at the brewery's taproom in Vankleek Hill, Ontario; online at BYBO.ca; and in draught at select bars and restaurants in Ontario.

 

Beau's All Natural is an employee-owned independent Canadian craft brewery. Founded in 2006 by father and son Tim and Steve Beauchesne, Beau's brews interesting, tasty beers using best-quality certified organic ingredients & local spring water. In addition to flagship Lug Tread Lagered Ale, Beau's portfolio of award-winning beers include the "Wild Oats", "Farm Table" and "Gruit" Series. Beau's has been a recipient of more than 100 awards for brewing, packaging design and business practices, including two gold medals at Mondial de la Bière (Strasbourg, France, and Montréal, Québec); six Gold medals at the Canadian Brewing Awards, seven-times "Best Craft Brewery in Ontario" and seven-times "Best Regularly Produced Beer in Ontario" at the Golden Tap Awards. As a Certified B-Corporation, Beau's meets higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Beau's beer is available across Canada and in New York State. Beau's is the Official Brewery of Ottawa 2017. Oh yeah!

Website: www.beaus.ca

Twitter & Instagram: @beausallnatural

Facebook www.facebook.com/beausbrewery

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"Making of" Cross Pollination video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdK35...

Cross Pollination bottle photo

http://www.beaus.ca/design/cross-poll...

For more information about Beau's Brewing Co. or to request an interview, please contact:

Jen Beauchesne, Communications and Media Relationships

Beau's All Natural Brewing Co.

jen@beaus.ca • (613) 678-2301; (613) 307-0066for deadlines/ beer-mergencies

Steve Beauchesne, co-founder and CEO

Beau's All Natural Brewing Co.

(613) 678-2799; (613) 676-2337for deadlines/ beer-mergencies

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Municipal leaders call on federal government to legally recognize the right to a healthy environment

OTTAWA -- Dozens of municipal leaders from across Canada gathered in Ottawa today to call on the federal government to follow their lead and legally recognize Canadians' right to a healthy environment.



Since November 2014, more than 150 municipal governments have passed environmental rights declarations, legally recognizing their residents' right to clean air and water, safe food and an enhanced voice in decisions that affect citizens' health and well-being.

"All citizens have the right to live, work and play in a safe and healthy environment," Ottawa Coun. Riley Brockington said. "This is not negotiable and is a basic right for all people."



The David Suzuki Foundation and Ecojustice hosted the event on May 31, bringing municipal leaders and members of Parliament together to celebrate the positive impacts of legally recognizing the right to a healthy environment.



"Local governments are leading the charge, but a federal bill would contribute immensely to our municipal efforts," Peter Robinson, CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation said. "There are critical environmental issues that can only be addressed at the federal level."



Over the past 50 years, the right to a healthy environment has gained legal recognition around the world faster than any other human right. More than 110 nations recognize this right in their constitutions, but Canada does not. Canada ranks 24th out of 25 OECD nations in environmental performance.



"Environmental rights are key to the genuine well-being of citizens and the ability for our citizens to live healthy, prosperous lives," Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said. "In Victoria, we recognize that our natural environment is directly tied to our economic prosperity. Protecting it is vital to our long-term future."



Evidence from other countries shows that legally recognizing the right to a healthy environment leads to stronger environmental laws, better enforcement of those laws and improved environmental performance.



"Eighty-five per cent of Canadians want to see our right to a healthy environment recognized in the Charter," Kaitlyn Mitchell of Ecojustice said. "In the short term, a federal environmental bill of rights would go a long way to protect our families and ecosystems from harmful pollution, and empower Canadians by ensuring they have a say in environmental decisions that will affect their daily lives."



Ecojustice and the David Suzuki Foundation are partners in the Blue Dot movement, a national campaign to advance the legal recognition of every Canadian's right to a healthy environment.



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For more information, please contact:



Alan Worsley

David Suzuki Foundation

AWorsley@Davidsuzuki.org

Office: 604-732-4228 ext 1211

Cell: 604-600-5341



Peter Wood

National Campaign Manager, Environmental Rights

David Suzuki Foundation

PWood@Davidsuzuki.org

Cell: 604-761-3075



Kaitlyn Mitchell

lawyer | Ecojustice

kmitchell@ecojustice.ca

416-368-7533 ext. 538

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B.C.'s NDP and Green Party agree to take the environment seriously

(Credit: BC NDP via Flickr)

The agreement signed by the B.C. NDP and B.C. Green Party could signal a monumental shift in the way the provincial government will address environmental issues. The David Suzuki Foundation has been advocating for policies and solutions that are key to the agreement. These include:

• Increasing and expanding the province's carbon tax

The agreement calls for increasing the carbon tax by $5 per tonne in 2018 and expanding it to include fugitive emissions from natural/fracked gas production and slash-pile burning in forestry. This closes a loophole in the current carbon tax that allows industries to freely pollute the atmosphere and is something the Foundation explicitly called for during the election campaign. Combined with a new rebate structure that will put cheques into the hands of British Columbians to offset their contributions to the tax, these changes will make B.C.'s foundational climate policy fairer for both businesses and consumers.

• Working with the Metro Vancouver Mayor's Council to improve and expand public transit

The B.C. NDP and B.C. Greens have pledged to first work with the Mayor's Council and the federal government to ensure that funding is available for completion of Metro Vancouver's transit and transportation plan. The provincial government will also work with the region's mayors to ensure more equitable funding of transit over the long term.

• Work to build a strong, 21st-century economy for the province

Although the agreement does not include any details explicitly supporting B.C.'s clean tech sector, it does call for the creation of an Emerging Economy Task Force and an Innovation Commission to work for business development and the technology sector. Combined with a new approach to traditional resource-based industries like forestry that puts a stronger emphasis on sustainability, these actions could help build B.C.'s clean technology sector and help the province take advantage of the rapidly growing global market for related products.

• Preventing investment in long-lived fossil fuel infrastructure projects

Not mincing words, the agreement says the B.C. NDP and Greens will "Immediately employ every tool available to stop the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the seven-fold increase in tanker traffic on our coast, and the transportation of raw bitumen through our province." This pledge, if delivered upon, would go a long way to protecting coastal communities and sensitive marine ecosystems. It would also mark a meaningful provincial stand in the global fight against climate change. The federal government has approved the project but lengthy legal battles could be looming.

• Stop construction of Site C dam

The agreement calls for referral of the Peace region Site C dam project to the B.C. Utilities Commission for review, a step missing during the project's original approval. While work on the project will continue during the review period, the six-week and three-month timeframes for reporting indicate a willingness to halt the project depending on review findings. The Site C dam would not only flood valuable agricultural land and violate Treaty 8 First Nations' rights and title, but also limit new power sources such as wind, solar, tidal and geothermal from taking hold in B.C.

It remains to be seen whether the full suite of these recommendations will become reality, but they represent an important shift in the conversation around environmental issues in B.C. The Foundation hopes to engage with B.C.'s next government around these and other crucial issues to help get the province on the right track to ensuring a sustainable, prosperous future.

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Ontario's Commuter Cycling Program focuses on making province more active, cyclists safer

TORONTO -- Ontario's new Municipal Commuter Cycling Program will help more residents leave the car at home and safely cycle to work or school.

The four-year program will support infrastructure such as cycling networks between transit stations, separated bike lanes and cycling signals.

Money for the program will come from the province's cap-and-trade carbon pricing system.

"Last fall, we urged Ontario to build physically separated bicycle lanes," said Foundation policy analyst Gideon Forman. "We're grateful that the province listened to us and other experts and is now fully committed. Protected bike lanes provide incentives for cycling because they offer riders -- especially young ones -- far more protection than painted lines on a road."

Research by scientists at McGill University shows a correlation between safe cycling infrastructure and increased ridership. "We've seen this on the Bloor bike lane in Toronto," Forman said. "A couple of months after it opened, the number of cyclists using Bloor rose 36 per cent."

The Foundation is campaigning to make the pilot Bloor bike lane permanent and is advocating for lanes on Toronto's Danforth Avenue and Yonge Street.

One shortcoming in the new provincial program is its failure to mandate lower speed limits. The City of Toronto is reducing speeds on many streets, and the Foundation urged the province to implement this practice in all municipalities.

"Lower speeds save lives -- something cyclists know all too well," Forman said.

Despite this shortfall, the Foundation believes the new cycling program shows the value of cap-and-trade.

"There's something beautiful about a system that legislates industrial emissions reductions while helping to expand bike lanes," Forman said.



"It puts a price on things we don't want so we're able to build things we do want."

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Gideon Forman

Transportation Policy Analyst

David Suzuki Foundation

647-703-5957

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Lead your own beach bioblitz!

(Credit: Stephen Morgan)

At a bioblitz, volunteer citizen scientists observe species in a specific location within a limited time. It's a fun way to get outside, discover the wonders of biodiversity and collect valuable data.

Lead your own beach bioblitz! Choose a favourite nearby shoreline. Get family and friends together. Use the free iNaturalist mobile app. You can download it here for iPhone and here for Android.

With iNaturalist you can photograph wildlife and share where and when your sightings take place. iNaturalist scientists and taxonomists will help you identify species and share the data you collect with the scientific community. Don't own a smartphone? Take pictures on a digital camera and upload them to iNaturalist on a computer.

Planning your beach bioblitz

Download iNaturalist and practice. The app is easy to use and makes leading a bioblitz simple. Need help getting started? Join our Introduction to iNaturalist webinar on Tuesday June 6th: http://owl.li/6ya030cawTy

Set a date, time and location. Pick a time convenient for most people. Choose a nearby beach you like. Identify a good spot for your group to meet. Figure out how long your event will be (one to two hours is reasonable) and choose your walking distance accordingly. It's best to run your bioblitz during low tide. To check tides in your area click here and search for your region.

Create a "project" on iNaturalist. The "projects" tool groups all observations from your event together. Click here for more information.

Invite your friends and family! Send e-mail, create a Facebook event or set up an EventBrite page. (EventBrite e-mails your whole list and monitors attendees.) Tell your citizen scientists to download iNaturalist, create an account and join your project (provide the project name so they can search for it) before the event day. Encourage them to play around with the app in advance to get the hang of it. A group of 10 to 20 citizen scientists is ideal for one leader.

Lead your group of citizen scientists!


Gather at your designated meeting spot
Run through how to "make an observation" on iNaturalist: http://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorials
Start walking! Encourage people to take in their surroundings and look for organisms. Tell people to keep their phones in their pockets until they're ready to make an observation.
Have fun!





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Announcement for B.C. minority government shows promise for a new direction on environment

The David Suzuki Foundation congratulates the BC NDP and BC Green party for reaching an agreement today to form a minority government, which if accepted by the lieutenant-governor, could bring new perspectives on the environment and jobs to the province.

"We're looking forward to working with B.C.'s next government to move our province's environmental agenda forward," Jay Ritchlin, the Foundation's director for Western Canada, says.

"This agreement could be an opportunity for progress on long-standing environmental issues. We're particularly keen to see whether B.C. can regain its status as a Canadian climate leader. That would mean a reassessment of projects such as the Site C dam and Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion and addition of policies to significantly reduce B.C.'s carbon emissions.

"The Foundation would also like to see movement to protect more of B.C.'s incredible nature, especially its ocean areas and coastlines. Support for marine planning partnerships underway will be essential. As well, the next government has an opportunity to end the grizzly trophy hunt once and for all, something British Columbians overwhelmingly support," Ritchlin says.

Details of the agreement between the parties are expected to be released tomorrow.

-- END --

Media contacts:

Jay Ritchlin, Director for Western Canada, David Suzuki Foundation

Cell: 604-961-6840

Theresa Beer, Communications Specialist

Cell: 778-874-3396

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Oil and plastic are choking the planet

(Credit: John Schneider via Flickr)

People who deny that humans are wreaking havoc on the planet's life-support systems astound me. When confronted with the obvious damage we're doing to the biosphere -- from climate change to water and air pollution to swirling plastic patches in the oceans -- some dismiss the reality or employ logical fallacies to discredit the messengers.

It's one thing to argue over solutions, but to reject the need for them is suicidal. And to claim people can't talk about fossil fuels and climate change because they use fossil fuel-derived products, such as plastic keyboards, is nonsensical.

There's no denying that oil, coal and gas are tremendously useful. They hold super-concentrated energy from the sun and are used to make a variety of products, from medicines to lubricants to plastics. The problems aren't the resources but our profligate use of them. Using them more wisely is a start. In many cases, we also have alternatives.

Burning oil, coal and gas to propel inefficient automobiles and generate electricity illustrates the problem. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, about 14 to 30 per cent of a gasoline-powered car's fuel is used to propel the vehicle. That energy is mostly moving a tonne of car, which often holds one 80-kilogram person. That's a lot of fuel and energy to transport one or two people.

Looked at this way, even electric or hybrid personal vehicles aren't terribly efficient, but they at least pollute less than gas-powered vehicles -- and the EPA notes 74 to 94 per cent of an electric car's energy goes to moving the vehicle and its passengers. Energy-efficient or electric vehicles are moving in the right direction, but public transit and active transport such as cycling and walking are better alternatives.

Fossil fuel power plants are also inefficient. Only about a third of the power generated reaches consumers. More is lost through wasteful household or business use. A lot of energy is also required to extract, process and transport fuels to power plants. Because of the many methods of generating and supplying electricity with renewable sources such as solar, wind and geothermal, it's tough to put exact numbers on efficiency, but far less power is wasted. Because the energy sources are inexhaustible and don't produce emissions, waste isn't as big a concern as with fossil fuels -- although it's still important.

Most plastics are also made from oil -- which presents another set of problems. As with fuels, people started making plastics from oil because it was inexpensive, plentiful and easy for corporations to exploit and sell. Our consume-and-profit economic system meant automakers once designed cars not to be efficient but to burn more fuel than necessary. Likewise, manufacturers create far more plastic products than necessary. Many items don't serve much purpose beyond making money. Sometimes the packaging is worth more than the contents!

It's so bad that researchers from Australia's University of Tasmania and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds recently found 18 tonnes of plastic garbage -- 239 items per square metre -- scattered across a small South Pacific island 5,000 kilometres from the nearest human occupation. Scientists have also found massive, swirling patches of plastic in the North and South Pacific oceans, each holding around 400,000 plastic particles per square kilometre. University of Tasmania researcher Jennifer Lavers said plastic in the oceans could be as great a threat as climate change. "You put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or plastic in the oceans and both will stick around," she told New Scientist.

As with fossil fuels, the first step to addressing the problem is to substantially reduce plastics usage. There are also alternatives. To begin, we should recycle everything already produced. Plastics can also be made from renewable resources, such as hemp, or any fast-growing plant that contains cellulose. In fact, plastics were once commonly made from animal products such as horn and tusks, but when those became expensive, people started using plants, switching to oil products when that became more profitable.

We can and must cut down on fossil fuels and plastics. We also have alternatives, and ways to prevent plastics from ending up in the oceans. Those who look away and pretend we don't have a problem are only slowing solutions and accelerating our self-destruction.

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New science must guide Canada's regulations to shrink oil and gas industry methane pollution

VANCOUVER -- The federal government's proposed regulations to reduce fugitive methane emissions from Canada's oil and gas industry mark the beginning of an overdue effort to address this out-of-control problem.

For the first time, oil and gas companies across the country will be responsible for reducing their methane pollution, including detecting and repairing leaks. Methane is the main ingredient in natural gas/fracked gas and is 84 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

"The David Suzuki Foundation welcomes these much-needed protections," said Foundation science and policy director Ian Bruce. "We need to implement these regulations as quickly as possible given that this problem is so much bigger than we once thought. The industry's carbon footprint is larger than reported, and the regulations released today do not take the latest science into account."

Recent David Suzuki Foundation research revealed that methane emissions in B.C. are at least 2.5 times greater than the industry and federal and B.C. governments acknowledge. Similar current research by the group Environmental Defence suggests that methane emissions in Alberta have also been massively underreported. Accurately measuring the true magnitude of these emissions today will be critical to achieving the federal government's goal of a 45 per cent reduction by 2025.

"Cutting methane emissions is one of easiest and most affordable actions oil and gas companies can take to shrink their own climate change pollution," Bruce said. "Industry has long known about this problem and has the technology to fix it, yet new peer-reviewed science shows it has underreported the magnitude of the problem by more than 250 per cent in the British Columbia. We can't afford to delay action any longer. Industry needs to take responsibility now."

Capturing this gas instead of intentionally venting it or allowing it to leak not only makes sense for the industry that hopes to sell it, but also for strengthening climate action. Since methane only remains in that atmosphere for 12 years -- compared to centuries for carbon dioxide -- cutting these emissions will have a rapid impact on addressing climate change. It has been estimated that methane alone is responsible for 25 per cent of the observed, human-caused changes to Earth's climate.

"We should ultimately aim for a complete end to these emissions by 2030," Bruce said. "They are needless, inexpensive to fix and have been going on for far too long on a scale we now know is much larger than reported. Until we see the full details of the regulations, we won't be certain how close Canada will be to reaching its 2025 target. This is a pivotal point for the government to not only lead on climate action, but to ensure cleaner, healthier air for all people in Canada."

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For more information:

Emily Fister

Climate Change & Climate Energy Communications Specialist

David Suzuki Foundation

604-440-5470

Hey! Want more DSF? Join David Suzuki on Facebook