Op-Eds
The federal government’s Emission Reduction Plan, which it published in July, calls for economy-wide greenhouse gas reductions of 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. In particular, it projects emissions from homes and commercial buildings that will fall 37 per cent from 2005 levels. Judging by reasonable estimates of what it would take to achieve this, however, that goal appears wildly unrealistic.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings are the third largest source of emissions in Canada. (The first two are oil and gas and transportation) In contrast to some other sectors of the economy and despite better technology and efficiency, GHGs from buildings have actually increased since 2005, partly because the…
Alors qu’on placote autour du BBQ, une bière à la main, s’amène à l’horizon la tempête parfaite pour troubler notre insouciance : une crise alimentaire mondiale.
Les plus fortunés se scandaliseront du prix du bifteck d’aloyau ou du homard, mais pas assez pour s’en priver. Les autres devront se serrer la ceinture et un nombre grandissant iront le ventre vide.
Cette tempête parfaite est la fille des ouragans que nous connaissons bien : la pandémie, la guerre en Ukraine et le réchauffement climatique.
Il y a assez de nourriture pour tous, mais tous ne peuvent se la payer, surtout quand les prix grimpent en flèche.
Depuis le début de la COVID-19, les prix des céréales sont en hausse de 75 % et…
Pas facile de lâcher le biberon pétrolier qui empoisonne notre planète. Comment concilier la nécessaire décarbonation et la sécurité énergétique ? Et, de surcroît, assurer une transition juste pour les provinces productrices ?
Ces questions n’ont pas de réponses faciles. À raison, les environnementalistes poussent pour un sevrage et une transition rapide vers les énergies renouvelables. Mais les consommateurs sont habiles à rationaliser l’utilité de leur VUS. Et à l’ère du populisme, les gouvernements craignent de les brusquer. Quant aux pétrolières et aux provinces productrices, elles cherchent évidemment à protéger leur pactole le plus longtemps possible.
En Europe, la guerre en Ukraine a rappelé brutalement l’…
Earlier this month, the Alberta government launched a NAFTA investment arbitration suit against the United States, seeking $1.3-billion as compensation for President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. TC Energy, the company behind KXL, has filed its own NAFTA case, but Alberta is now seeking compensation for the province’s investment in the pipeline.
The case is groundbreaking because for the first time it involves one government – albeit a provincial one – suing another government under the North American free-trade agreement investment provisions. This has implications for other investment disputes around the world.
When the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020, it…
The recent terrible B.C. floods have confirmed how unprepared we are for climate change and severe weather events. The extensive damage in British Columbia has been in the spotlight; a similar event in another province would have many of the same disastrous consequences. The federal and B.C. governments announced this week they will spend $228-million to help affected farmers and their communities return to normal production activity.
What can be done to help protect the value of physical assets from climate risk – specifically housing and commercial buildings? More universal access to flood insurance is the most obvious risk-management tool, along with significant investment in public infrastructure to build resilience. However…
