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CANet Report and Recommendations

Implement Kyoto Conference - May, 2003


Alternative Transportation Biofuels

Consensus Positions:

• Fuels and vehicle policies have to be integrated.
  
• The first priority is to reduce demand.
  
• Focus on waste feedstocks as a priority.
  
• CANet's position should be informed by a rural development agenda + CAW
  

Actions:

• CANet must develop vehicle fuel strategy and principles for the short, medium, and long term to determine where R&D $$ should flow and where incentives should be directed.
  
• CANet must link with rural development (NFU) (Christian Farmers of Ontario), the
• CAW, and municipalities.
  
• CANet should pull together an overview paper regarding alternative fuels.
  Influence CSA Standard Development on Biofuel Technologies
  

Controversies:

• GMO's such as lignocellulous fermentation
  
• Transgenic feedstocks
• Health issues - aldehydes
  

Low impact renewables

General Comments and Issues:

• Much of the promotion of low impact renewables will be provincial rather than federal
  
• Need federal incentives (funding) for provincial implementation
  
• Linking adoption of low impact renewables to other air quality issues
  
• Education and marketing of low impact renewables will be important
  

Consensus Positions:

• CANet supports Renewable Portfolio Standards
  
• CANet supports a consumer solar thermal (green heat) program 100,000 homes as an example
  
• CANet supports a system benefit charge for conservation/low impact renewables (independent energy conservation)
  
• CANet supports the creation of a top down agency to promote low impact renewables (a longer term goal)
• CANet supports strategic partnerships to implement Kyoto at different levels (e.g. Federation of Canadian Municipalities, regional ENGOs)
  
• CANet supports the creation of a revolving fund or other funding mechanism to support low impact renewables projects (perhaps linked to systems benefit charge)
  
• CANet supports the phase out of coal fired power
  
• CANet takes the position that government procurement of energy should be 100% from renewable sources
  
• CANet opposes low price caps on electricity (but takes into account equity issues)
  
• CANet supports provincial policy packages for low impact renewables
  
• CANet supports the inclusion of climate change considerations into reform of the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
  
• CANet supports the principle of full cost pricing for energy
  

Actions:

• Lobby for Renewable Portfolio Standards
  
• Create publicity around successful deployment of low impact renewables (demonstration projects)
  
• Initiate strategic partnerships and provide support to other organizations (for example, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Labour movement, aboriginal communities)
  
• Lobby for the creation of a funding mechanism for low impact renewables (perhaps through the partnership fund or a systems benefit charge)
  
• Track government procurement of energy to ensure that low impact renewables are an increasing component of their energy use
  
• Lobby for the implementation of a federal government program designed to achieve 100,000 (or a million) green heated homes
  

Controversies:

• Target actions at large emitters (determined to fit in more with the LIES discussion)
  
• Ecological tax reform
  
• No new fossil fuel power (some cases for natural gas cogen projects were supported)
  
• R & D
  

Large Dams - Hydro

Consensus Positions:

• Industrial Hydro is not "green", not climate-friendly, not renewable and not acceptable unless:
  
• the run of the river is maintained
  
• no diversions
  
• no interbasin transfer of water
  
• no flow modifications (annual cycle)
  
• no reservoirs
  
• does not interfere with fish runs
  
• Hydro destroys sinks, generates methane and is not a solution to climate change. Therefore CANet does not support new industrial hydro projects nor new diversion projects- no Kyoto funds should go towards hydro.
  
• Green hydro must be defined as the run of the river, with no reservoirs, diversions and no inter-basin transfer.
  
• The Boreal forest is Canada's largest carbon reservoir. CANet supports the principle of no net Large Dams - Hydroloss of boreal forest.
  
• No carbon credit for existing hydro without and comprehensive assessment of existing impact, including shoreline erosion and GHG emissions and take steps to remediate them.
  
• This conference has founded a national Coalition on Hydro.
  13. Respect Aboriginal peoples right to maintain the integrity of their traditional lands and acknowledge their wisdom and knowledge in safekeeping the sacred relationship that exisits between humankind and the earth.
  

LIES

Consensus Positions:

• A regulatory framework is a priority on LIEs action
  
• Ensure actual reductions are achieved and targets exceeded
• Make sure there is discussion of the co-benefits of reductions and managing the intensity problem
  
• There needs to be public accountability
  

Actions:

… Establish a LIEs caucus to bring together stakeholders/interested groups to finalize CANet paper
… Dialog with labour and other potential allies
… Public messaging re need for accountability
… Some CANet p[eople need to respond to federal 'non-papers'
… Develop principles for allocation

Controversies:

… How to effectively participate in development of details of covenants
… No agreement on whether we should attempt to develop breakdown of how the 55MT should be allocated among 10 major sectors - too big a job for CANet
… time pressure is huge problem
… Principles for allocation discussed (needs more work)

a. Availability of low-cost reduction
b. Sectors competitive position
c. Leverage risk
d. Rate of emissions growth since 1990
e. Emissions intensity
f. Financial capacity to reduce emissions
g. Co-benefits and co-costs
h. Impact at global level
i. Employment impact
j. How it facilitates move to C-Free future
k. Need to balance national and regional interests
l. How to reward early action
m. Concern that covenants with with coal users will delay coal phaseout
n. Potential for double counting


Carbon Storage

Consensus Positions:

• CANet should monitor issue and develop position
  
• Need to develop recommendations on criteria for ranking technology investments
  

Controversies:

• Would be useful if there were some group opposing storage (to establish that end of the spectrum)
  
• How to manage with respect to goal of coal phase-out. Storage provides way of continuing coal use.
  
• Storage technology is moving very fast DSM (Kyoto and Beyond)
  

Consensus Positions:

• Canet should advocate federal incentives for homes, nonprofits, small commercial retrofits
• Local capacity/infrastructure to deliver energy savings
  
• Support co-gen that displaces fossil fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emoissions.
  
• Rate reform: net billing, timer of day thermal use
  
• Hold gov't to account for progress on its energy use
  
• Demand federal building code (province should adopt) that represents state of the art as should all equipment standards.
  
• Get rid of the Kanata clothesline ban bylaw ie regulations and rules that increase enrgy use!
  

Actions:

• Develop a new way to media message efficiency
  
• Conduct a poll on fuel efficiency standards - does the public support it!
  
  
  

Carbon Sinks

Proposed CANet consensus Positions:

… If Canada does not meet sinks credits as it expects in the federal plan, any shortfall to be made up with domestic emission reductions
… Ban any clearcut of old growth and boreal forests
… Canada not to use any credits from sinks in CDM for Kyoto compliance
… No new "large scale hydro" in Canada

Actions Identified

… Explore further how CANet would distinguish good and bad sinks
… Act as watchdog on sinks credits claimed by Canada, including accounting of credits and debtis, and including consideration of social, environmental, etc considerations
… Act as watchdog on domestic carbon trading
… Develop Article 3.3 accounting methodology for hydro reservoir emissions
… Define "large scale hydro"
… Pursue agricultural credits/debits issues
… Develop a sinks policy for the second commitment period negotiations
… Sinkswatch and CDM Watch

Positions proposed for which there was no consensus:

… No use of sinks credits by Canada for first commitment period compliance
… No use of sinks beyond 2012


Transportation

Consensus Positions:

In the context of a comprehensive transportation policy CANet supports:

Transit
… More money for public transit, but this money linked to better land-use planning / greenhouse gas reductions
… Community transportation planning for smaller urban centres
… Tax break for transit passes
… Plan for employer bulk purchases of transit passes
… Greener transit vehicle fleets

Cars
… Mandatory increased fuel efficiency
… Feebates (needs to be carefully thought through)
… Regulate car advertising

Freight
… Need to promote shift from truck to rail and cleaner/more efficient trucks, but this means re-regulating the trucking industry and dealing with just-in-time delivery
… Need to promote shift to from truck to rail where human population densities support it
… No new rail in wilderness areas for resource exploitation
… Improve intermodal infrastructure
… Fuel efficiency standards for freight (trucks and rail)
… Address small delivery trucks/couriers
… Provide accelerated capital cost allowances for alternative fuel vehicles

Other
… Don't build more roads
… Link to ethanol / biodiesel
… Promote active transportation
… Do something about off-road and marine emissions and air travel
… Recreational use of internal combustion vehicles should be dealt with independently of other off road vehicles Actions: … Develop a comprehensive transportation policy, because it's all linked. Controversies … Tax incentives programs for freight


International

Issues for discussion:

1. The United States
2. Russia ratification
3. Clean Development Mechanism
4. The second commitment period and target
5. Influencing Canada's international position
6. Developing countries

Actions Recommended:

• Establish caucus of interested groups to develop strategies, maintain watching briefs and investigate partnership activities to inform negotiations for 2nd phase of Kyoto target.
  
• Host a 1-2 day workshop on international issues with faith and international development community
  
• Work with other US/ Canada bilateral agencies, engos, like NEGECP, IJC, Great Lakes Governors and Premiers, Western Premiers, etc.
  
• Share success stories with State engos
  
• For second commitment period, settle in on the Torrie target, 50% by 2030, and examine strategies to help Canada to that positions
  
• Push Canada to develop a negative list of CDM projects like Germany
• Create some space in Foreign Affairs Ministers office for CANET
  
• Investigate linkages with EDC, North South Institute, others
  
• Send a letter to PM, Graham, and Anderson with our CDM positive list
  
• Investigate options to make a recommendation to the steering committee regarding joining the International Court of Justice case against the US.
  

Nuclear Phaseout Resoultion/DSM Renewables phase in plans

Given that New Brunswick and Quebec's only nuclear reactors need to be rebuilt or shutdown by the end of this decade, and Ontarios nuclear program will be coming off line between 2010 and 2020, CANet reiterates is call on Canada and the provinces to phase out all nuclear programs, and establish phase in plans for Demand Side Management and low impact renewables in order to meet and exceed its Kyoto objectives.


Election of New Steering Committee

1. Matthew Bramley, Pembina Institute
2. Joy Kennedy, Kairos
3. Ann Coxworth, Saskatchewan Environment Society
4. Steven Guilbeault, Greenpeace
5. Alex Boston, David Suzuki Foundation
6. Keith Stewart, Toronto Environment Alliance
7. David Coon, Conservation Council of New Brunswick
8. Elizabeth May, Sierra Club of Canada
9. Howlan Mullaly, Ecology Action Centre
10. Angela Griffiths, Clean Nova Scotia elected Chair
11. Lewis Rifkin, Yukon Conservation Society
12. Serge Larochelle, Resource Conservation of Manitoba
13. Richard Gendron, Quebec
14. Donna-Lynn Ahee, Individual member
15. Ken Maybee (Health liason), New Brunswick Lung Association
16. Dave Bennett (Labout Liason), Canadian Labour Congress
17. Kia Millyard, Emminence Grise