DARYN CAISTER: The Alberta Government committed $2 billion dollars to proceeding with unproven carbon capture technology this week. Carbon capture and storage, also known as CCS has been talked about for years as a potential method of reducing the green house gas emissions that are synonymous with oil and gas production like Alberta’s tar sands projects. Many papers over the past few years have discussed the pro’s as well as potential problems with CCS technology, but so far no full scale test facilities have accurately demonstrated that this technology actually works the way it’s supposed to, or at all. That didn’t stop the Alberta government announcing $2 billion dollars to fund the construction of several CCS projects for various companies in Alberta over the next few years. The funding was announced with a further $2 billion dollars for public transit funding for the province as the flagship initiatives of Alberta’s new climate change plan. The companies which successfully applied for funding from the fund were listed on the Alberta government website, for the purpose of disclosing what the public money would be used for; however almost all of the companies used less than three sentences to describe their intentions, with one even refusing to disclose its details publicly at all. Several of the projects are also using the funds primarily to use the captured CO2 to pump out additional oil from wells, or implementing them at hydrogen and enhanced recovery facilities rather than main tar sands facilities. The fund, and plans around CCS in Alberta were produced from an Alberta government Carbon Capture and Storage Development Council, which was chaired by former Syncrude president Jim Carter, who was later thanked by Energy Minister Mel Knight for his “efforts developing this comprehensive plan” and was told that the council’s recommendations would be “considered carefully as the report moves through the government processes”. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: Last week, the Alberta Carbon Capture and Storage Council released a report underlining the high cost of CCS technology. The Alberta and Canadian governments are pinning their hopes on the technology as a way of allowing oil sands operations to continue even as governments around the world commit to tighter emissions targets. In addition to last month’s $2billion investment by the province, the federal government has committed $650 million over the next five years to help develop the technology. Critics complain that CCS is unproven and expensive. Last week’s report estimates that development of CCS technology will require between $1 billion and $3 billion per year from both levels of government just to get off the ground. The report states that industry will also have to increase investment, a cost that will ultimately be passed on to energy consumers. The Council’s head, former Syncrude president Jim Carter, predicts that electricity prices will “at least double” in the coming decade. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: The Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute teamed up to release a comprehensive guide to carbon offsets. The paper, called “Purchasing Carbon Offsets: A Guide for Canadian Consumers, Businesses and Organizations” is intended to help Canadians at all levels of organization choose carbon offset programs and funds that generate the most impact for the environment. The paper ranks 20 Canadian carbon offset vendors on quality while reporting some of their business practices. The purpose of purchasing carbon offsets for climate conscious people to compensate for the parts of their carbon footprints that can’t be reduced through footprint reduction strategies. The offsets themselves represent a voluntary fee paid to a vendor to reduce carbon emissions somewhere else by a variety of methods such as planting trees or purchasing solar energy equipment to reduce the use of coal power consumption and may not necessarily be carried out in Canada. Part of the purpose of the report is to familiarize Canadian’s who may not be familiar with the concept to learn about it, and also to reassure others that may have been scared off carbon offset companies by some over the past years that have represented scams or misreported their investments. Overall, the purchase of Carbon offsets has increased in Canada over the past few years, and the Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute both support the trend, as long as the offsets are high quality, and the purchases are not instead of carbon reduction strategies that can be implemented by consumers and businesses. The 70+ page report includes a crash course on carbon offsets, a list of questions to ask carbon offset vendors before investing with them, and a detailed side by side comparison of a wide range of offset funds. The report can be found on the Suzuki foundation website and through the Pembina institute. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: A marine ecologist from Dalhousie University has published evidence that management of fish stocks may actually be working. The story started in 2006, when Prof. Boris Worm released a paper predicting that most of the world’s commercial fishing stocks would collapse by 2048. That led to public criticism by many fisheries scientists, including Prof. Ray Hilborn of the University of Washington, who called the report “alarmist” and “bogus”. After a live debate on National Public Radio, the two scientists began to realize that their views weren’t so far apart after all. This led them, along with 19 other researchers, to collaborate on a new study, the results of which were published in today’s issue of Science. The study examined the remaining fish stocks and the exploitation rate (the percentage of fish caught annually) in 166 locations around the world. It also looked at detailed historical data for 10 of those locations. Although 63% of world fish stocks are below the level required to maintain the species, exploitation rates have also dropped in 5 of the 10 well-studied regions. This is largely due to strict management practices, such as limits on total catch and restrictions on the type of gear that can be used. What’s more, stocks in some of those areas show signs of rebuilding. The study gives hope that, with proper management, the world’s commercial fish stocks could still last beyond 2048. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: The federal government cancels its clean car rebate program after only one year and claims it as a success. The $160 million rebate program was a surprise addition last year’s budget amidst much fanfare, providing up to $2,000 for consumers despite much criticism from North-American car manufacturers. Industry representatives decried the program because it was implemented without a phase in period for manufacturers to adjust and subsequently favouring imported vehicles which tend to be more fuel efficient on average. But the program has now been cancelled and the federal government is claiming that it has served its purpose. The was originally accused by being a token green policy for the government by environmental groups, but many including Environmental Defence agree that the solution was to ramp up the program, not cancel it. While the government claims that the program was concluded because it succeeded in raising consumer awareness of fuel-efficient vehicles, the program’s success is difficult to analyze due to Transport Canada claiming that it never set rebate targets or benchmarks at the programs conception, even though it did hand out over $32 million dollars in rebates to almost 28,000 consumers. It was also announced that he program would be superseded by a $250 million budget pledge to the auto industry to promote cleaner car technology, which was what the industry demanded in lieu of the rebate back at its inception. Both industry and environmental groups agree that the program was poorly set up in the beginning, and independent policy think-tanks identify the lack of a phase-in period for industry to adjust as one of its fatal flaws. In addition, while the program was started in March of 2007, the applications were not available on Transportation Canada’s website until October. Intentionally or by lack of proper planning it seems as if the federal clean car rebate program was doomed to fail, and the major car manufacturers are glad to see it go. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: Last Saturday, visitors to Vancouver were shocked to see the Sapphire Princess Cruise ship arrive in the harbour with a dead whale pinned across its bow. Tugboats, divers, and cranes from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans removed the carcass, sending it to the federal Institute for Ocean Sciences for a necropsy. The whale was struck somewhere along the ship’s journey from Ketchican, Alaska to Vancouver. It’s not known whether the animal was alive when it was hit. Princess Cruise Lines has said in a statement that it is unknown how the collision could have occurred, as it has strict whale avoidance procedures in place. So far, scientists working on the carcass have confirmed that it was a fin whale, a threatened species, and, after the blue whale, the second-largest animal on the planet. The specimen was a middle-aged female, likely past the end of her reproductive years, and weighed 70 tonnes, compared to 116,000 tonnes for the cruise ship. The whale had a slightly thinner layer of blubber than would be typical for the species, and no food was found in its stomach, leading some to speculate that it may have been ill when it was struck. The full report will not be issued for at least a week. In the meantime, the carcass has been towed a considerable distance off the west coast of Vancouver island and left to sink, where it will provide food for an entire ecosystem of marine organisms for weeks to come. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Over 100 people were evacuated in Toronto after a potential hazardous waste accident. The incident was caused by a truck carrying 35,000 litres of methanol lost control near the Lawrence and Warden area in Toronto. Methanol is a fire hazard which is also dangerous if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. Police representatives announced that the area should be able to remain open soon, but that it was off limits until then. Initially there was a degree of public panic around the incident, but initial concerns that the trailer had been leaking were incorrect and that the danger to the public was not as bad as had been feared. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Canada’s Environmental and Plastics Industry Council concluded that its products are safer than re-usable alternatives. The Industry group produced a 15-page report outlining its findings to a study showing that re-usable grocery bags are breeding grounds for bacteria and pose a public health risk due to yeast, molds and bacteria. The report threatens that potential hazards include food poisoning, allergic reactions, asthma attacks and ear infections. However a professor of microbiology Harley Rotbart from the University of Colorado, School of Medicine says that the report could create undue paranoia. Professor Rotbart called the study a “classic middle school science fair experiment where swabs are taken to random surfaces and, shockingly, germs are found on those surfaces”. As long as bags are washed carefully like any other surface that regularly comes in contact with food, the danger should be minimal. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: In another blow to Canada’s struggling nuclear industry, Bruce Power announced last week that it has cancelled plans to build two new reactors in the province. The company stated that a more cost-effective option will be to focus on refurbishing units 1 and 2 of its Bruce A generating station. Since 2001, Bruce Power has been the private operator of 8 CANDU reactors in Bruce County, Ontario all of which are leased to the company by the province. Only six reactors are currently online, and together they have a capacity of roughly 4,600 MW, about a fifth of Ontario’s electricity demand. When all units are in operation, this amount will expand to 6,800 MW, allowing the station to re-claim its place as the second-largest nuclear complex in the world. The decision to cancel expansion comes less than a month after Ontario delayed its own plans to construct new reactors at Darlington. Both the province and Bruce Power are counting on the fact that the drop in energy consumption caused by the current recession will allow some breathing room while they decide their next move. The decision is not expected to affect Bruce Power’s plans to move into Alberta and Saskatchewan within the next decade. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Protesters outside the planned landfill site overtop the world’s cleanest drinking water have been ordered to leave. Simcoe County was granted an injunction by the Ontario Superior Court this week ordering protestors that have been blocking construction of the site for more than two weeks to leave the site. According to the injunction protesters who have been trying to stop the construction of the landfill in Tiny Township are apparently allowed to picket across the street, but many are upset about the use of a court order to resolve a peaceful protest with such wide support. The protesters are mostly local residents and First Nations members but have also received the support of some big name national groups such as the David Suzuki Foundation. The past two weeks of stalling by the protesters have cost the county over $160,000 dollars according to Simcoe County Warden Tony Guergis, an amount he says the protestors will be expected to reimburse the County for. Despite threats and court involvement, citizen groups that have involved themselves in the issue such as the Council of Canadians insist that there may be a compelling case that the County doesn’t even have the authority it needs to proceed at all. According to Sean Dewart, a lawyer representing the CoC, municipal records indicate that Simcoe County voted to have preliminary work done on the site, but not for actual construction and therefore may not actually have the authority at all to begin construction. Ontario politics is even in on the dispute with the site being approved by the Ministry of the Environment, but Ontario’s environmental commissioner requested a review of the project. It still remains unclear what the ultimate outcome of the dump and Tiny Townships world standard aquifer will be; as this massive debate continues in court next week. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Dalton McGuinty’s new electric car announcement received mixed reviews by media and industry. Following up from last week’s story on proposed new electric car rebates of up to $10,000 for each vehicle in Ontario, it seems that the Premiers announcement was not as well received as he had hoped. The original announcement, which was made in front of GM plant and made much of GM’s new Chevy Volt was unsurprisingly seen by many as geared to help a particular company rather than the industry as a whole. While electric and plug in hybrids may help reduce Ontario’s carbon footprint, it will likely not help create many jobs as the Chevy Volt is not and will not any time soon me made in Canada. Other Car companies such as Toyota, which are coming out with their own electric and plug in options, say that they are wary of the government potentially trying to pick winners in this sector, and not relying on efficiency or competition driven solutions. Interestingly Ontario does have a made in Canada option, a short to mid range vehicle known as the Zenn Car which may or may not be applicable for the rebate. The new policy also seems to favour particular types of low emission vehicles over others, as when compared to pre-existing rebates for hybrids for far lower amounts. The government also only plans to pay for up to 10,000 of the rebates for now which is argued won’t be enough to foster self perpetuating Ontario market according to some analysts. Media outlets and auto-industry representatives may not be happy with the perceived current form of the policy, but few can argue with the ultimate goal as a strategy for limiting Ontario greenhouse gas emissions. The Ontario government is currently aiming to have 5% of all vehicles on Ontario roads be full electric by 2020. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Canada is lagging behind in commitments to protect federal land and ocean territory as parks. Last year was a record year for park creation in Canada, but the rate has drastically fallen since then according to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. Canada currently has about 10% of its landmass, and the most overall anywhere in the world protected as federal parks and nature reserves. However, it has promised far more than it has created, particularly in the form of critical habitat protections as part of the Canadian Species-At-Risk Act. While Canada’s total protected areas may be high with respect to total landmass, it lags behind in total percentage of territory as compared to many other countries and far behind the leader of the far smaller Venezuela, which protects 71% of its territory. Ecosystem researchers also say that while there are many Canadian parks, many of them are two small and splintered from each other to provide any real protection and safe habitat for the species within them. Ocean protection is even worse according to the report, with less that 1% of Canada’s oceans and fresh water reserves being protected. While many new parks and reserved areas have been created this year, the report says that the progress when compared to its commitments in the International Convention on Biodiversity to establish a complete network of ocean parks by 2012 has been extremely slow. In addition to marine health, Society members suggest that nature reserves in the ocean could one day help local economies; by creating proper fishing limits and protected zones that might one day help depleted species such as the Codfish come back. Another example from the report of government neglect in this area was the unofficial status of the Gatineau Park boundaries just minutes from parliament hill in Ottawa; an oversight which would allow for the land to be sold or used to develop public works incompatible with a protected area. The report on the state of Canada’s parks has been released to coincide with Canada’s Parks Day on July 24th, to help raise awareness of the issues. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: The first few days of a new bike lane was a big success in Vancouver. The slightly controversial new bike lane over a busy bridge to the city core was opened for the three week trial with a speech by the mayor and city councillors taking a virgin ride. While some motorists were unhappy about the increased delays, including one driver who apparently yelled obscenities at the mayor from his car during the opening speech the overall reaction seemed positive. Despite complaints the car traffic was only slightly interrupted during the day except somewhat greater delays during the afternoon rush-hour. The designated bike lane is only one of many proposed or implemented plans taking shape across the country in major cities where cyclists and pedestrians have been fighting for years to gain more equitable and safe access to public transportation infrastructure. A previous trial was initiated in 1996, but was stopped after only one week due to complaints from motorists. City councillors are hoping that citizens will be more open to the idea now, and have vowed to allow the trial to continue for the full three month period. The success of the trial will be judged by the number and safety of the use of the lane, and while councillors have proposed other options including widening the bridge for a separate bike lane, or a separate bike and foot only bridge if the trial doesn’t go well. They also said that these options would obviously be far more expensive so they hope that motorists can learn to share the currently existing bridge and other city infrastructure. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: If you’ve ever taken a train between Montreal and Toronto, you may have experienced the frustration of being stopped just outside Kingston, watching a CN freight train pass you by. Because there are only two tracks, owned by CN, delays like these have been commonplace anytime three trains converge. Luckily, the situation is about to improve. Last week, in Toronto’s Union Station, Science and Technology Minister Gary Goodyear announced a $300 million investment in a major upgrade to VIA’s busiest rail corridor. The plan includes the addition of a third line in strategic areas along the corridor, as well as improvements to stations, locomotives, and accessibility. The new rail alone will allow two more train trips between Toronto and Montreal daily, as well as shave 30 minutes off the journey. The investment is part of the $407 million in stimulus money for rail renewal and expansion announced in January’s budget. Minister Goodyear said that the project will create 2600 person-years of employment. Work will begin in the next few weeks and is expected to be completed in 2011. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: This week, three major uncontrolled wildfires raged in the interior of British Columbia. The fires affected the areas of Rose Valley Dam, Terrace Mountain, and Glenrosa-West Kelowna. All three were discovered July 18th, and at least two are suspected to be caused by human activity. In addition to the devastating loss of hundreds of acres of forest, there have been social and economic consequences. 11,000 residents were temporarily evacuated from their homes. The British Columbia SPCA has rescued nearly 300 animals from the wildfires, including horses, livestock, and domestic pets. Local sawmills lost thousands of truckloads of potential timber, and forestry jobs will likely be cut. Debate continues over the long-term significance of the fires. Some suggest that a ban on prescribed burning has led to worse conditions than usual. Others point to the fact that nearly half of all forest fires are caused by humans, and urge greater care in fire prevention. In any case, the fires are the worst that have been seen since 2003 when a 250-square-kilometre blaze in Okanagan Mountain Park, destroyed over 200 homes and forced the removal of about 27,000 people. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: Nova Scotia Power Inc. has failed to impress the provincial regulator with a plan to produce power from wood biomass. The proposal would have involved a deal with the NewPage lumber mill at Port Hawkesbury. Waste wood from the mill (such as tree tops and roots) would have been burned in a generator built by a third company, Strait Bio-Gen Incorporated. The electricity would then have been purchased by Nova Scotia Power and sold to 50,000 homes. The plan would have involved a billion dollars worth of electricity purchased over the course of 25 years. Although it did not technically require approval from Nova Scotia’s Utility and Review Board, the power company said it would not proceed without its blessing. However, the review board said it did not have the authority to approve the deal, based on its sheer size and the fact that it would fix the price of electricity for over two decades. The review board also criticized the lack of detail in the documentation it received. Opponents of the plan complained that it would lead to clearcutting of Nova Scotia’s forests as the mill increased logging to keep up with power demand. The proposal came about as Nova Scotia Power Inc. is under pressure to produce 5% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010 or face stiff fines imposed by the province. Currently, NSPI relies heavily on imported coal, oil, and natural gas for its power. It operates a number of hydroelectric plants as well as one tidal power station, but these plants supply only a small fraction of the province’s demand. Last year, NSPI signed contracts with seven wind power producers, but only one of those projects is expected to come online by this fall. [ index ]

TYLER IRVING: This week, Metro Vancouver mayors continued to meet in an attempt to find a way to meet a $450 million shortfall in TransLink’s budget. TransLink is Metro Vancouver’s regional transportation authority, responsible for rail, bus, and other commuter lines in the region. In 2008, the provincial government committed to a massive transit expansion, aiming to double ridership by 2020. However, Translink officials say it needs $260 million in additional funding per year just to meet its current commitments, and would need $190 million more to fund expansions, including the long-awaited Evergreen line in the northeast metro region. TransLink is currently funded by local taxes on fuel, parking, and property, all of which Metro Vancouver mayors are reluctant to raise. They would like to access new funding sources, such as a share of the provincial carbon tax. However, energy Minister Sheila Bond has suggested that TransLink will have to make do with the revenue it has. TransLink’s CEO has said that at this point, it couldn’t even borrow the money, as any investor could see that it has no way of paying it back. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: The evidence is stacking up: environmental contaminants may very well play a role in the onset of diabetes. A new Great Lakes study has added to a growing body of evidence, suggesting that simply eating well and exercising may not be enough to defend against diabetes. This most recent study linked diabetes and peoples body burdens of DDE. This is a chemical that’s produced as the body breaks down the pesticide DDT. Even though DDT was banned in America more than 35 years ago, there are still trace amounts found in the vast majority of people—and its former use is still apparently taking its toll. But this is just one chemical that’s been connected with diabetes– a number of studies that have found strong correlations between diabetes and exposure to a variety of pollutants. Researchers are uncertain as to how chemicals might contribute to the disease, but pollution seems to disrupt the way genes produce proteins. Given that 8 percent of the population of America is diabetic, the health implications could be huge if there is indeed a link. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Officials in Brazil were shocked to find that 1,600 tonnes of waste had illegally been imported from Britain and found its way to Brazilian ports. In three Southern ports of Brazil, the waste arrived, packed into 89 shipping containers. The waste includes discarded toilet seats, used syringes, and old TVs and computers, among other things. The garbage was sent from Britain, falsely declared as a cargo of plastics. So what will Brazil do with this rotting imported waste? Send it right back to where it came from. Arrangements have been made for it to be returned to the UK. Brazil has also issued fines of $419, 000 to the three Brazilian companies that imported it. The U.K. and Brazil are both signatories of the Basel Convention which is the United Nations treaty that controls the cross-border movement of hazardous waste. An investigation has been launched to determine how the waste was exported and if the companies responsible for the export were in violation of this international treaty. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: Lonesome George is the last of his kind of a species of Giant Tortoise found in the Galapagos islands. But at 90 years old, he may soon be a father. This past Monday, 5 unhatched eggs were found in his pen- all in seemingly perfect condition. Galapagos tortoises like George were among the species that were observed by Charles Darwin while he formulated his theory of evolution. Many of them have become critically endangered from over hunting and habitat destruction. Scientists have been trying to get George to mate since 1992, when they first introduced two female tortoises of a different subspecies into his pen. It’s not certain if his eggs will actually hatch—we’ll have to wait 120 days to see if they’re actually fertile. [ index ]

DARYN CAISTER: In brief this week, hundreds of high-resolution satellite photos of the Arctic have been declassified by NASA. This means that the satellite photos have become available to the scientific researching community for analysis. The photos are of the Arctic sea ice, and have been taken during the past 10 years. They have the potential to help scientists study the rapid changes taking place in the Arctic. It’s thought that they may even be an asset in studies of polar bear habitats, the movement of ice-flows, and of the formation and evolution of melts ponds. Given this new tool to study the arctic, scientists will be able to explore the arctic from a new a perspective—that is, from above. [ index ]