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Nothing local in the sust-mar queue today ... so here's something i dug
up. Scroll down to see local CBC enviro news briefs.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO
For Immediate Release
October 8, 2002
"As Premiers, our first priority is improving health services for
Canadians." Statement by Canada's Premiers at the 43rd Annual Premiers'
Conference, August 1st, 2002
"Physicians, other health care providers, public health workers, indeed all
Canadians need to be made aware of the potential risks related to climate
change." Dr. Dominique Charron, Canadian Journal of Public Health
GREAT WEATHER - IF YOU'RE A DEADLY DISEASE: DE JONG
TORONTO - Frank de Jong, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, today
expressed alarm at a report linking climate change to the rise of virulent
illnesses. The report, produced by Health Canada, suggests that diseases
like West Nile, Dengue Fever, Encephalitis and the Plague could become more
common in Ontario as our climate continues to warm due to the effects of
manmade greenhouse emissions.
"Health Care consistently ranks as the number-one priority of Canadians -
and the number-one source of ribbon-cuttings, news releases and photo
opportunities for professional politicians," said de Jong. "But the message
from doctors and climate scientists is clear - if Ernie Eves is serious
about saving health care and saving lives, he must get serious about climate
change.
"A lot of people think freakishly warm weather is great, but unfortunately,
so do bugs, parasites and deadly diseases."
The overwhelming majority of scientists and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change have repeatedly said that human activity is warming the
planet. This will lead to the spread of diseases previously unheard of in
Ontario.
The Green Party stands with the many doctors, progressive economists and
business leaders who are urging action on climate change. It agrees with
the approximately 80 per cent of Canadians who believe governments must do
more to curb greenhouse gas emissions. And it supports the federal
Liberals' plan to ratify Kyoto, even if not all the plan's specifics are
fully known.
The Green Party challenges the Eves Tories to follow its lead.
"I know that the Tories are reluctant to stand up to the special interests
and economic elites who oppose Kyoto," says de Jong. "The cost of action
may seem high, but the cost to our children and grandchildren - all of whom
will pay for our inaction - may well be unbearable."
The Green calls for new tax structures and regulations to encourage
conservation of energy. It calls for incentives to develop the new and
emerging green technologies crucial for the sustainable economies of the
future. It would create a system of "full-cost accounting" that would end
unfair fossil-fuel subsidies, putting renewable and dirty energy on a level
playing field. It would build a fundamentally stronger economy and a
better, more satisfying quality of life for the people of Ontario.
"Ten years ago, if we had listened to the special interests, the
professional politicians and the defenders of the status quo, the ozone hole
would be over Queen's Park by now," said de Jong. "We can stop climate
change in its tracks, but it will take decisive, Green leadership."
The Green Party of Ontario is the province's fastest-growing political
party, with nearly 1,000 members. In the coming election, the party will
field a full slate of candidates across the province.
- 30 -
For further information:
Green Party of Ontario
416-929-2397
Email: admin@greenparty.on.ca
Website: http://www.greenparty.on.ca
=====================================================
For Immediate Release
October 8, 2002
BACKGROUNDER
CLIMATE CHANGE - SOMETHING CAN BE DONE
Ontario the Grey
The people of Ontario care about their environment. They are proud of their
parks, of their fresh water and their clean air. Our tourism posters
promote our province as a green wilderness. Ontarians consistently say that
environmental issues are one of their top three concerns.
But the reality is much different.
Ontario produces 197 megatonnes of greenhouse gasses - about one third of
Canada's total. Greenhouse gasses (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide
and others) have long been known to be responsible for climate change, which
is damaging our environment, harming our health and threatening the
sustainability of our economy. But despite this knowledge, each Ontarian
produces 17.3 megatonnes of greenhouse gasses per year - up over 8 per cent
from 10 years ago.
The True Cost of Kyoto
According to the Government of Canada's analyses, if the Kyoto Treaty (the
1997 international agreement to limit greenhouse gasses) is ratified by
Canada, Ontario's GDP will rise by 34.4 per cent to 36.3 per cent by 2012.
If the Kyoto Treaty is not ratified, Ontario's GDP is forecast to rise by
35.4 per cent.
In other words, ratification or no ratification, if GDP is used as a
measurement of Ontario's economy, the economy will continue to improve.
However, the Green Party believes that you can't measure an economy in GDP.
The GDP doesn't measure real wealth. For instance, if smog and emissions
continue to rise, it may create wealth for economic elites, but the costs to
your family's health and quality of life will be enormous. If you harvested
every tree in Ontario, you would be adding to the GDP, even as you created
an insurmountable environmental deficit.
We believe that any discussion of climate change must also consider:
· The cost to the health care system of smog-related sickness;
· The cost to Ontario's shipping industry of record-low levels in the Great
Lakes;
· The cost to northern communities in lost tourism revenues - both during
the winter and summer months;
· The cost to Ontario's farmers of four years of drought;
· The cost to the forestry industry of drought-related wildfires and tree
die-off;
· The cost to Ontario businesses brought on by gridlock, high energy costs
and lost worker-hours; and
· The cost to our children, all of whom will pay dearly tomorrow if we do
not tackle our environmental deficits today.
The Green Party believes in creating a Better Way to Live for all Ontarians.
We will make the tough decisions necessary to lead Ontario into a Green,
sustainable future.
New Solutions for New Problems
Ontarians know that it is no longer a question of IF we will change our
ways, but WHEN. Professional politicians continue to take a go-slow approach
to climate change - using outdated approaches and economic measurements
(such as the GDP) to try to solve the problem.
But the Green Party knows that we will not be able to solve the problems of
the 21st century with the ideas and the technology of the 18th, 19th or 20th
centuries. We can't solve a problem using the same ideas that created the
problem in the first place!
We need bold, fresh ideas. We need strong leadership. And we need it now.
A Hard Rain is a Gonna Fall
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) owns five coal-fired power plants that are
responsible for 34 per cent of Ontario's airborne mercury emissions (a
potent neuro-toxin); 23 per cent of Ontario's sulphur dioxide emissions
(smog and acid rain); and 14 per cent of Ontario's nitrogen oxides emissions
(smog and acid rain).
Converting the coal plants to cleaner-burning natural gas would:
· Reduce OPG's nitrogen oxides emissions by 90 per cent;
· Reduce OPG's sulphur dioxide emissions by 99.5 per cent;
· Reduce OPG's mercury, lead and cancer-causing emissions by 100 per cent;
· Provide Ontario with 50 per cent of the greenhouse gas emission reductions
the entire province needs to achieve compliance with its Kyoto targets.
Most of the coal for OPG's coal plants comes from the U.S. By switching
from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas we will also provide a boost to
Alberta's natural gas industry.
The Green Party supports the phasing out of Ontario's coal plants. If
elected, it would pull the plug on dirty energy.
The Green Party would also promote biodiesel.
Biodiesel costs more to produce than regular diesel but, because of the
environmental benefits, the Government of Ontario has recently removed the
taxes from bio fuels making them more fiscally competitive. The Green
Party would continue to promote bio fuels and other alternative energy
sources.
The Answer is Blowing in the Wind
The Canadian Wind Energy Association estimates that there are over 3,000
Megawatts (MW) of commercially viable wind energy in Ontario, which, if
developed, would create thousands of jobs in construction, manufacturing,
wind resource assessment and maintenance.
The development of 3,000 MW of wind energy would result in $4.5 billion in
investment for the province, and would supply 5 per cent of the province's
power. Ontario currently has only 3 MW of wind capacity installed, 40 per
cent less than PEI, and 3 per cent of Quebec's capacity.
The Government of Canada has made a $260-million commitment in the 2001
Federal Budget to harnessing wind energy. The Eves Tories, however, have
done nothing significant for wind energy.
The Green Party would encourage the development of wind energy as a
stepping-stone into a green, sustainable economy.
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SUST-MAR TIP: subscription management commands go to majordomo@chebucto.ca
CBC enviro news-briefs follow:
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PROVINCE REINSTATES FUEL REBATE PROGRAM
The Nova Scotia government is once again offering a $50 fuel rebate for
low-income earners.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_fuelrebate20030117
WTCC BONUSES NECESSARY, MINISTER DEFENDS
Bonuses worth tens of thousands of dollars are going out to the managers of
a Crown corporation, according to the auditor general. But the minister
responsible for the World Trade Centre says that's OK.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_agwtc20030117
WINTER COD FISHERY OFF CAPE BRETON TO STAY OPEN
A federal judge has rejected an attempt to close a fishery off southeastern
Cape Breton.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_codjudge20030117
ATLANTIC SHARKS DISAPPEARING: STUDY
Sharks in the Atlantic Ocean need immediate protection or they could
disappear in just a few years, according to scientists in Nova Scotia.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_sharks20030116
DOG FOUND SHOT ON CAPE SABLE ISLAND
SPCA officials are investigating the shooting of a dog in southwestern Nova
Scotia.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_shotdog20030116
© Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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