OTTAWA,
March 10, 2008 -The Government of Canada
today published details of the Turning the
Corner regulatory framework originally announced
on April 26, 2007. The documents, posted
to Environment Canada's website, provide
additional details about how the Government
of Canada will move forward with its plan
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This plan includes mandatory
reductions for industry, along with additional
new measures to address two of Canada's
key emitting sectors: oil sands and electricity.
"Last April, this
government made a commitment to Canadians
to cut our greenhouse gas emissions an absolute
20% by 2020," said Canada's Environment
Minister John Baird. "Today, we are
announcing the details of those tough measures
that will put us on a path to meet our commitments."
Tough federal regulation
of industry's greenhouse gas emissions will
help achieve the Government's commitment
to a 20% reduction in Canada's overall emissions
by 2020, and will be the most important
driver of change for moving Canada to a
low-emission economy.
As announced in the
Turning the Corner plan last April, the
details of the plan include:
Establishing a market
price for carbon;
Setting up a carbon emissions trading market,
including a carbon offset system, to provide
incentives for Canadians to reduce their
greenhouse gas emission.
In addition, today's detailed regulations
include new measures like:
Setting a target that
will effectively require oil sands starting
operations in 2012 to implement carbon capture
and storage; and,
Effectively banning the construction of
new dirty coal plants starting in 2012.
"Our regulations will apply to all
big industry," said Minister Baird.
"From the oil industry to chemical
companies; from smelters to pulp and paper
mills, all big industry will have to do
their part."
In order to refine and
improve the regulatory approach, the Government
consulted extensively with environmental
groups, industry and other stakeholders
over the past year. This period of consultation
was important to ensure Canada's regulations
would result in real reductions of greenhouse
gases. The Government worked to accommodate
stakeholder views where reasonable, but
remained focused on the primary objective
of keeping its commitment to reduce greenhouse
gases.
As announced last April,
regulated industries will face mandatory
reductions that require companies to reduce
emissions 18 % by 2010 for every unit of
production. The details published today
specify how the targets will apply to each
industry sector, how the offsets and trading
systems will work and how credits will be
provided to companies that took early actions
to reduce their emissions.
We also believe more
can be done on electricity. The federal
government will establish a task force to
work with the provinces and industry to
reduce emissions even further by 2020, through
increased hydro, renewable and nuclear electricity
production and through further development
of the national grid. If necessary, regulations
remain an option.
Companies will be able
to choose the most cost-effective way to
meet their emission reduction targets from
a range of options: in-house reductions,
contributions to a capped time-limited technology
fund, domestic emissions trading and offsets
and access to the United Nations' Clean
Development Mechanism. Companies that have
already reduced their greenhouse gas emissions
prior to 2006 will have access to a limited
one-time credit for early action.
Proposed greenhouse
gas regulations are expected to be published
in the Canada Gazette later this year, and
the regulations finalized in 2009 to come
into force as planned on January 1, 2010.
Addressing industrial
emissions is just one part of the Government's
plan to reduce greenhouse gases and air
pollution. With a long-term goal that envisions
greenhouse gas emission reductions of 60
to 70% by 2050, Turning the Corner will
continue to evolve as new technology and
new ways of improving our environment are
discovered.
For more information
on what the Government is doing to reduce
greenhouse gases and air pollution, visit
www.ecoaction.gc.ca or call 1 800 O-Canada
(1 800 622-6232, or TTY 1-800-926-9105).
Éric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Baird and Lunney Take
Action to Help Clean-up Nanoose Bay
NANAIMO, British Columbia,
March 27, 2008 - Canada's Environment Minister,
John Baird and the local Member of Parliament
for Nanaimo-Alberni, Dr. James Lunney, today
announced $20,000 to help clean up Nanoose
Bay.
"Our Government
is taking real action to protect and preserve
our environment," said Minister Baird.
"The efforts of this community and
the Nanoose Streamkeepers to clean up this
important bay, and the Qualicum National
Wildlife Area is to be commended. Thanks
to the hard work of your local Member of
Parliament, James Lunney, our Government
is providing the support needed to finish
the job."
In 2006, following the
weather-related destruction of a nearby
First Nations marina, large amounts of Styrofoam
and heavy dock debris washed up along the
foreshore of Nanoose Bay, the outlying beaches
and the surrounding islands. The debris
caused disruption to the local environment,
including the estuary of the Qualicum National
Wildlife Area, located at the western end
of Nanoose Harbour. Since that time, local
volunteers have worked together to clean
the area by hand, and have successfully
removed much of the smaller debris. However,
as part of the effort,volunteers have identified
and marked some 110 large pieces of debris
that must be removed with special heavy
equipment.
"I am proud of
our community's efforts to clean up and
protect Nanoose Bay. Today's announcement
allows our community to take this cleanup
to the next level," said Dr Lunney.
"The National Wildlife Area is a sanctuary
for a number of important local and migratory
bird and other animal species. This is a
great example of the positive impact Canadians
can have when they work together to protect
and improve their local environment."
The funding will go
to a local volunteer organization, the Nanoose
Streamkeepers, who have helped co-ordinate
groups of volunteers to clean the shore,
removing several dumpsters of small debris
and coordinating the effort to remove the
larger dock portions from the foreshore
and estuary.
Minister's Office
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
