Monthly Archives: May 2012

Building Ontario’s Green Economy: A Road Map

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This report by Blue Green Canada recognizes the efforts taken by the province of Ontario to become a leader in the green economy. The report makes recommendations for ways Ontario can further strengthen the green economy and pursue a resource efficient, socially inclusive, low carbon economy. The report contains a series of recommendations for a variety of sectors, including low-carbon transportation, cap and trade, energy efficient buildings, and waste management. 

 

LINKS:

Building Ontario’s Green Economy: A Road Map.  Summary:  

http://environmentaldefence.ca/reports/building-ontarios-green-economy-road-map

 

Building Ontario’s Green Economy: A Road Map. Report:

http://environmentaldefence.ca/sites/default/files/report_files/GreenEconomyRoadmap_FINAL.pdf

 

Promoting Safety and Health in the Green Economy: A Report Released by the International Labour Organization (ILO)

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This report highlights occupational safety and health (OSH) as an integral part of the promotion of green jobs and a greener economy to achieve economic and social development that is also environmentally sustainable. The report, titled Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy, looks at different “green industries” from an OSH perspective. Industries discussed include all forms of renewable energy, waste management (including shipbreaking), agriculture, forestry, construction, and the special case of nuclear energy.
 

LINKS:

 

Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy. Summary and link to the report:

http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_175600/lang–en/index.htm  

  

Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy. Summary and link to the report:

http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_protect/—protrav/—safework/documents/publication/wcms_175600.pdf

 

Growing Green and Decent Jobs

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A new International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) report with economic analysis by the Millennium Institute shows how investing 2% of GDP in the green economy in each of the next five years could create up to 48 million new jobs. The report analyzes 7 industries in 12 countries across Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Europe, including: Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Brazil, Dominican Republic, the USA, South Africa, Ghana, Tunisia, Indonesia, Nepal and Australia.

LINKS:

 

The Growing Green and Decent Jobs Report can be found here:

http://www.ituc-csi.org/growing-green-and-decent-jobs,11011.html

Summary Growing Green and Decent Jobs:

http://www.ituc-csi.org/summary-growing-green-and-decent.html?lang=en

Provincial Climate Change Plans Compared

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In the absence of effective policies from Canada’s federal government to tackle global warming, many provinces have stepped up to implement their own plans and policies. All Over the Map: A Comparison of Provincial Climate Change Plans looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each provinces’ plan. This report by the David Suzuki Foundation documents the shift, assessing each province’s climate change plans and programs and comparing the relative merits of each. It updates the status of each province’s efforts, and provides recommendations for moving forward.

LINKS:

 

All Over the Map: A Comparison of Provincial Climate Change Plans Report:http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/downloads/2012/All%20Over%20the%20Map%202012.pdf
Background and Interactive Map:

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/reports/2012/all-over-the-map-2012/

Post Carbon Pathways: Reviewing Post Carbon Economy Transition Strategies

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This report aims to provide a concise overview of learning from 18 of the most comprehensive and innovative large-scale post carbon economy transition strategies. Around the world, detailed policy and research initiatives are demonstrating that a rapid transition to a post carbon economy is both technologically and economically feasible. However, the latest climate science shows that the window for effective action is rapidly closing. Strategies to reduce emissions at the required scale and speed will need to be implemented in the next five to ten years if they are to significantly reduce the risk of runaway climate change.

 

The report is the first stage in an ongoing Post Carbon Pathways project designed to strengthen understanding of the most effective ways of overcoming barriers to the rapid implementation of post carbon economy transition strategies – with an emphasis on plans pitched at the speed and scale capable of having some real chance of reducing the risk of runaway climate change. Published by the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne and the Centre for Policy Development.

LINKS:

 

Post Carbon Pathways: Reviewing Post Carbon Economy Transition Strategies.
Link to briefing paper, summary, full report, and slides:
http://www.postcarbonpathways.net.au and;

 

Link to the full report:

http://cpd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/CPD_OP17_Post_Carbon_Pathways.pdf

Debating the Green Economy in the Lead Up to Rio+20

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This document is an overview of the international context of perceptions, actions and political discussions relating to the green economy, leading up to the Rio + 20 Conference in June. The Green Economy – The New Magic Bullet? considers the debate over exactly what a green economy is and should be with what measures and instruments it should be implemented, explaining that this has not yet been defined and is the topic of intense political debate. The report compares and contrasts the initiatives and definitions of a green economy by the UNEP and OECD in the context of the Rio + 20 Negotiations. Published by the Heinrich Boell group in Washington D.C.

LINKS:

The Green Economy – The New Magic Bullet? Expectations from the Rio + 20 Conference at:

http://www.boell.org/downloads/Unmuessig_Green_Economy_Magic_Bullet.pdf

Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Released

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The Government of Canada simultaneously released the National Inventory Report, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program facility-level data and related overview report, and the greenhouse gas indicators of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators program in April. The Government of Canada has praised the data pointing out that emissions have not increased while the economy has grown. Critics point out however, that at the current rate, Canada will not meet the targets set for 2020.

 

Canada and other signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have submitted the National Inventory data to the UNFCCC, which has released the national inventory submissions of greenhouse gas emissions by all signatories. The report includes sectoral and trend tables for all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals, and sectoral background data tables for reporting implied emission factors and activity data.

LINKS:

 

Inventory of GHG emissions from Canada, 1990- 2010. See full report at the UNFCCC website:
http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_submissions/items/6598.php

 

Executive summary at Environment Canada website:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/ges-ghg/default.asp?lang=En&n=8BAF9C6D-1

Good Jobs, Green Jobs Regional Conferences

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This year the Blue Green Alliance, USA is holding four regional conferences, rather than one national conference in order to enable and encourage more participation. Conferences have been held in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, with the final conference being held May 10-11th in Detroit. Plenary sessions from the regional conference held in Philadelphia on April 3rd and 4th are available in video format on the conference website. Information on the conference can be found on the website: http://www.greenjobsconference.org/

Ontario Announces Clean Energy Task Force

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The Task Force has been established to help broaden the Province’s energy focus. The Task Force will facilitate collaboration within Ontario’s clean energy industry to identify export markets, marketing opportunities and approaches to demonstrate Ontario’s advanced clean energy systems.

Ontario’s Clean Energy Task Force:

http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2012/04/members-of-the-ontario-clean-energy-task-force.html

Mexico’s House of Representatives Approve Climate Change Act

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On April 19th, Mexico passed landmark legislation: the far-reaching Climate Change Act that will impose binding emission reduction targets on successive governments. The Act will also provide the government with the power to introduce new renewable energy incentives, phase out fossil fuel subsidies, and potentially introduce emissions trading mechanisms.  The legislation requires the government to cut emissions by 30 per cent by 2020 and ensure that 35% of the country’s electricity should come from renewable sources by 2024, and with an end goal of cutting carbon emissions 50 per cent by 2050.

For commentary summarizing aspects of Mexico’s Climate Change Act at Nature News online, go to: http://www.nature.com/news/mexico-passes-climate-change-law-1.10496

Groups Mobilizing for Rio+20 Conference, June 20-22nd

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The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will take place over three days, June 20-22, 2012. The theme of the Conference is the “Green Economy” and the overall theme is “The Future We Want”. The conference website, with an introductory brief about green jobs is at:

http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=224&menu=45  

 

Chatham House in the U.K has published “Rio+20 and the Global Environment: Reflections on Theory and Practice”, a special issue of International Affairs, vol. 88, no.3, May 2012. Go to Chatham House Online: http://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/ia or

Wiley Online: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/inta.2012.88.issue-3/issuetoc   

Canada’s Greenest Employers Announced

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Launched in 2007, the Canada’s Greenest Employers competition is organized by the editors of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. This special designation recognizes the employers that lead the nation in creating a corporate culture of environmental awareness, have developed exceptional earth-friendly initiatives and attracting people to their organizations because of their environmental leadership.

Employers are evaluated based on the following criteria: (1) the unique environmental initiatives and programs they have developed; (2) the extent to which they have been successful in reducing the organization’s own environmental footprint; (3) the degree to which their employees are involved in these programs and whether they contribute any unique skills; and (4) the extent to which these initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity and whether they attract new people to the organization.

Greenest Employers website, with a list of employers:

http://www.canadastop100.com/environmental/

Earth Hour Challenge – Actions for a Day or a Year?

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The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) supported the Earth Hour campaign by WWF, which was held on March 31. ITUC recognizes the influence unions have in communities and workplaces to act on issues of climate change and is challenging individuals and workplaces to take actions throughout the year.

Introducing the pledge for workplaces and individuals:

http://www.sustainlabour.org/noticia.php?lang=EN&idnoticia=385

Suggested actions to be taken in workplaces:

http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/earth_hour_leaflet_en.pdf