Don’t Let Fossil-Derived Hydrogen Undermine New Federal Strategy, Climate Hawks Urge – The Energy Mix: “Only renewable hydrogen is truly emissions-free, and as such, renewable hydrogen aligns with the deep decarbonization required to tackle climate change,” the groups state. “However, the oil and gas sector is pushing for governments to invest in fossil fuel-derived hydrogen as a way to search for a new market for their products as the world transitions away from fossil fuels,” with one government official citing hydrogen as a possible “net-zero moonshot” for the fossil sector.

That kind of talk, along with the latest draft executive summary of the upcoming federal hydrogen strategy, have the groups “deeply concerned that the government is caving to the demands of the industry rather than identifying what is in the Canadian economy’s best interest,” even as European planners identify renewable hydrogen as the “only sustainable hydrogen source,” the letter states.

Don’t Let Fossil-Derived Hydrogen Undermine New Federal Strategy, Climate Hawks Urge – The Energy Mix: “Only renewable hydrogen is truly emissions-free, and as such, renewable hydrogen aligns with the deep decarbonization required to tackle climate change,” the groups state. “However, the oil and gas sector is pushing for governments to invest in fossil fuel-derived hydrogen as a way to search for a new market for their products as the world transitions away from fossil fuels,” with one government official citing hydrogen as a possible “net-zero moonshot” for the fossil sector.That kind of talk, along with the latest draft executive summary of the upcoming federal hydrogen strategy, have the groups “deeply concerned that the government is caving to the demands of the industry rather than identifying what is in the Canadian economy’s best interest,” even as European planners identify renewable hydrogen as the “only sustainable hydrogen source,” the letter states.Read More

A strong climate law – Answers to your questions about Bill C-12: On Nov. 12, people across Canada joined my colleague Tony Maas (Ecojustice’s director of legislative affairs) and I for a special Q+A climate law Q+A session with scholar and climate activist Dr. Anne Keary. As it turns out, the timing of this conversation couldn’t have been any better: One week later the federal government tabled the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12).

We were pleased by this development. Climate activists, members of the public and environmental organizations like Ecojustice have worked tirelessly to push the federal government to introduce a climate law that holds decision-makers accountable for reducing emissions and putting Canada on the path to net-zero by 2050.

A strong climate law – Answers to your questions about Bill C-12: On Nov. 12, people across Canada joined my colleague Tony Maas (Ecojustice’s director of legislative affairs) and I for a special Q+A climate law Q+A session with scholar and climate activist Dr. Anne Keary. As it turns out, the timing of this conversation couldn’t have been any better: One week later the federal government tabled the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12).We were pleased by this development. Climate activists, members of the public and environmental organizations like Ecojustice have worked tirelessly to push the federal government to introduce a climate law that holds decision-makers accountable for reducing emissions and putting Canada on the path to net-zero by 2050.Read More

Fiscal Update Delivers ‘Downpayment’, Falls Short of Full Funding for Green Recovery: Leading into the update, the Trudeau government downplayed expectations for serious investment in a “greener and more just Canada,” MacDonald writes.
But “other countries have delivered budgets and other countries have
committed huge stimulus packages to climate goals, recognizing that the
pandemic represents a once-in-generation opportunity to embrace the
challenges and the opportunities around climate change.”

While “certainly, near-term spending needs to focus on the
pandemic,” he added, “governments should be able to walk and chew gum
at the same time.”

Climate Action Network-Canada said the fiscal update
contained “many encouraging signals,” along with “a few areas we will
watch with close scrutiny”, in a statement that acknowledged the
“exceptionally difficult COVID-19 pandemic year” the country has faced.

Fiscal Update Delivers ‘Downpayment’, Falls Short of Full Funding for Green Recovery: Leading into the update, the Trudeau government downplayed expectations for serious investment in a “greener and more just Canada,” MacDonald writes.
But “other countries have delivered budgets and other countries have
committed huge stimulus packages to climate goals, recognizing that the
pandemic represents a once-in-generation opportunity to embrace the
challenges and the opportunities around climate change.”While “certainly, near-term spending needs to focus on the
pandemic,” he added, “governments should be able to walk and chew gum
at the same time.”Climate Action Network-Canada said the fiscal update
contained “many encouraging signals,” along with “a few areas we will
watch with close scrutiny”, in a statement that acknowledged the
“exceptionally difficult COVID-19 pandemic year” the country has faced.Read More

‘The worst is yet to come’, report warns as Ontario food banks see rise in first-time users: A newly-released report
says it’s believed “the worst is yet to come” as Ontario’s food banks
recorded seeing an overall 26.5 per cent increase in first-time users
within the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The
same report found nearly half of food bank visitors said they’re
worried about getting evicted or defaulting on mortgage payments in the
coming months, while more than 93 per cent reported borrowing money,
accessing a payday loan or using credit to help pay for monthly
necessities.

‘The worst is yet to come’, report warns as Ontario food banks see rise in first-time users: A newly-released report
says it’s believed “the worst is yet to come” as Ontario’s food banks
recorded seeing an overall 26.5 per cent increase in first-time users
within the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic.The
same report found nearly half of food bank visitors said they’re
worried about getting evicted or defaulting on mortgage payments in the
coming months, while more than 93 per cent reported borrowing money,
accessing a payday loan or using credit to help pay for monthly
necessities.Read More

Bill C-12, Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act: A Preliminary Review |: Despite being characterized by the government as “binding”, the proposed law features a number of weaknesses and limitations. Further, while tabling this bill is a commendable step (especially if it becomes law), and is the result of many years of hard work and input from environmental organizations, it leaves difficult, long-standing conversations unaddressed.

Accountability and transparency mechanisms are then built around this milestone-targets-plans approach. The Minister would, under s 14(1), be required to prepare a “progress report” regarding each milestone year at least two years before the start of that year (i.e. the 2030 milestone year report would be due at the start of 2028). The progress report would have to contain an update on progress toward the target, an update on the specific information required in the plan (as per s 10(1) above), and “any other information… including information on any additional measures that could be taken to increase the probability of achieving the plans greenhouse gas emissions target” (s 14(2)).

Despite the government characterizing this proposed law as “binding”, that concept is distracting in this context. If passed, this act would certainly enshrine the 2050 net-zero target in legislation and create all the above-described target-setting, plan-making, and report-writing obligations. The current government would be obliged to comply with all this. However, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty, as reflected in section 42(1) of the federal Interpretation Act, RSC 1985, c I-21, dictates that parliaments of tomorrow have the power to repeal and amend any act of a previous parliament.

Bill C-12, Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act: A Preliminary Review |: Despite being characterized by the government as “binding”, the proposed law features a number of weaknesses and limitations. Further, while tabling this bill is a commendable step (especially if it becomes law), and is the result of many years of hard work and input from environmental organizations, it leaves difficult, long-standing conversations unaddressed.Accountability and transparency mechanisms are then built around this milestone-targets-plans approach. The Minister would, under s 14(1), be required to prepare a “progress report” regarding each milestone year at least two years before the start of that year (i.e. the 2030 milestone year report would be due at the start of 2028). The progress report would have to contain an update on progress toward the target, an update on the specific information required in the plan (as per s 10(1) above), and “any other information… including information on any additional measures that could be taken to increase the probability of achieving the plans greenhouse gas emissions target” (s 14(2)).Despite the government characterizing this proposed law as “binding”, that concept is distracting in this context. If passed, this act would certainly enshrine the 2050 net-zero target in legislation and create all the above-described target-setting, plan-making, and report-writing obligations. The current government would be obliged to comply with all this. However, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty, as reflected in section 42(1) of the federal Interpretation Act, RSC 1985, c I-21, dictates that parliaments of tomorrow have the power to repeal and amend any act of a previous parliament.Read More