What Do Canada's Unmuzzled Scientists Want?
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- Published on Thursday, 17 March 2016 13:00
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Canada-U.S. Plan to Nearly Halve Methane Emissions Could Be Huge Deal for the Climate
At the Canada-U.S. bilateral talks last week President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an ambitious plan to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 to 45 per cent below 2012 levels by 2025.
The announcement came as welcome news to many environmental groups concerned about the high global warming potential of methane. The gas is 25 to 34 times as potent as carbon dioxide over a century. Read more.
Indigenous Leaders Cry Foul About Lack of Input Into National Climate Plan
Many Indigenous leaders have expressed disappointment that only the leaders of the national organizations representing Inuit, Métis and First Nations were allowed to fully participate in the talks at a climate strategy meeting with the prime minister and premiers earlier this month. Other Indigenous leaders in attendance for the meeting in Vancouver were relegated to the role of spectators.
“Limiting conversation to three Indigenous voices from over 600 Indigenous communities across Canada is a vast under representation,” Melina Laboucan-Massimo, a climate and indigenous rights activist, said. “At a bare minimum, the regional chiefs should be at the table as well, but also Indigenous leaders and experts who work on climate should be as well.” Read more.
Canada's Unmuzzled Scientists Call for Protection From Future Muzzling
It already feels like a long time ago.
Remember way, way back when Canada’s federal scientists were shackled to their laboratory tables, unable to speak out or walk freely in the light of day?
How did things get so bad?
That’s something the scientific community at large is asking itself, in an attempt to prevent ideology-driven, anti-science policies from taking root once again.
“The government clearly supports science integrity — now we need them to safeguard it from future attacks,” Katie Gibbs, executive director of Evidence For Democracy, said. Read more.
Pacific Northwest LNG Review a 'Failure of Process': Fisheries Biologist Michael Price
In an open letter to Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change a group of scientists are publicly challenging the integrity of an environmental assessment reviewing the impacts of a major liquefied natural gas export terminal on the west coast of British Columbia.
The Pacific Northwest LNG plant, a controversial $11.4-billion export terminal, is proposed for Lelu Island near Prince Rupert. The terminal is slated to be built next to Flora Bank, a unique eelgrass rich intertidal zone scientists have termed a salmon superhighway. Read more.
Fact Check: Outlook for Coal Not Quite What it Used to Be
In contrast to the coal industry's flowery vision of a 21st century coal boom, the last few years have brought bad news for coal at every turn.
Demand has collapsed across much of the developed world, as seen in the 45-year low for coal power production in the United States.
According to the International Energy Agency, even in countries like China — oft-touted as coal’s hope for the future — “coal demand is sputtering” and renewables are “significantly curtailing coal power generation, driven not only by energy security and climate concerns but also by efforts to reduce local pollution.”
Analysts have predicted that coal consumption has peaked and the recent declines will only continue with environmental constraints and the renewed global commitment to address climate change.r15 |r0
