Pembina Institute's Green Economics News

Green energy upgrade protects Ontarians from rising nuclear costs (media release)

Renewable Is Doable Group — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Choosing to scale up green energy to replace the retiring Pickering nuclear station is more affordable for Ontarians than buying expensive replacement reactors, says a report released today by Renewable is Doable, an alliance of organizations including the Pembina Institute, the Canadian Environmental Law Association and Greenpeace. Last summer, Ontario suspended its purchase of two new replacement reactors when their cost reportedly topped $26 billion — $20 billion more than expected in 2007.

Pembina Institute Comments on Canada’s Proposed Passenger Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations (publication)

Matthew Bramley, PJ Partington — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Pembina's analysis finds the proposed federal regulations for tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles and light trucks may have little to no effect on reducing climate change pollution.

Federal government out of step with leading thinkers on sustainability, climate and energy issues: survey (media release)

Marlo Raynolds — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The federal government is out of step with leading thinkers on issues related to sustainability, energy and climate change, according to the results of a groundbreaking survey of more than 5,000 experts and government officials.

The 2010 Global Thought Leader Survey on Sustainability (publication)

McAllister Opinion Research — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The views of more than 5,000 sustainability thought leaders in Canada, the U.S. and Europe are outlined in The 2010 Global Thought Leader Survey on Sustainability.

Dig Baby, Dig (made possible by ongoing government subsidization) (blog)

Mike Kennedy — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:23:28 +0000

If anyone is still not convinced that our ongoing subsidization of fossil fuel consumption is irrational (to say the least), a recent statistic released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) should prove convincing.

In 2008, the world economy subsidized oil consumption to the tune of US$557 billion in developing countries and provided as much as US$100 billion in subsidies to oil production in developed countries. Meanwhile, the top five earning publicly traded oil companies reaped $US150 billion in profits ( ExxonMobil $US45.2 billion, Royal Dutch Shell $US31.4 billion, BP $US25.6 billion, Chevron $US29.3 billion). According to the report by the IEA, this level of subsidy, if removed, could reduce oil consumption by 850 million tonnes (6.7 billion barrels) by 2020- the combined consumption of Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand or 13 years of oil sands production at current rates of extraction.

The economics of an oil spill (blog)

Mike Kennedy — Tue, 04 May 2010 21:47:08 +0000

I was flying over the Gulf of Mexico when I first learned about British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon oil spill. At 30,000 feet from my plane window the oil spill looked something like a tailings pond surrounded by an ocean of blue. As anyone who is following the news coverage knows, this small pond of oil has spread into what may be the worst environmental disaster of this century and it will turn into quite the economic disaster as well.

Gulf spill spells bad news for Enbridge pipeline (op-ed)

Karen Campbell — Sun, 02 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

As oil gushes into the Gulf of Mexico, the consequences of a spill from the proposed Enbridge oilsands pipeline and related tanker traffic are all the more real.

Ontario to spend $8 billion on renewable energy (media release)

Green Energy Act Alliance, Tim Weis — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:00:00 +0000

As part of the Green Energy Act Alliance, Pembina applauds Ontario's plans to spend $8 billion on renewable energy projects.

Pembina reacts to new federal vehicle regulations (media release)

Cherise Burda — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Cherise Burda says Canada is taking an "America Lite" approach with the announcement of new federal vehicle emissions regulations. While Canada's regulations match the U.S. requirements for passenger vehiclees, Canada is not matching the level of federal support that the Obama administration has announced for public transit and vehicle efficiency.

New analysis compares U.S. and Canadian investments in sustainable energy in 2010 (media release)

Tim Weis — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Pembina's analysis shows the U.S. is set to outspend Canada nearly 18:1 per capita on renewables, and more than 8:1 per capita overall on sustainable energy programs and projects in 2010.

Pembina Reacts to 2010 Federal Budget (media release)

Tim Weis — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

The 2010 federal budget could hardly do less on renewable energy and climate change issues, said Tim Weis, Director of the Pembina Institute's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program.

At a Crossroads (publication)

Amy Taylor, Jennifer Grant — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

The Canadian government, as a resource manager for the Northwest Territories' oil and gas resources, is at a crossroads — it has to decide how to manage oil and gas development in the territory. This fact sheet makes the case for a win-win development scenario, which would provide maximum benefit to the public (the resource owners), while allowing oil and gas companies to earn fair returns on their investments.

Where did our green loonies go? (blog)

Amy Taylor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:30:23 +0000

In response to the global economic downturn, many world leaders have introduced significant economic stimulus packages in an effort to ramp up economic development. Seizing the opportunity to kick-start a green economy, forward-thinking governments are getting double-duty out of these plans by dedicating a significant chunk of stimulus spending towards renewable energy and efficiencies. Canada? Not so much.

Pembina representative available for comment on federal budget (media release)

Tim Weis — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

A policy expert from the Pembina Institute will be available for comment and analysis following the release of the federal budget on March 4.

Pembina Reacts to 2010 Speech from the Throne (media release)

Matthew Bramley — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Matthew Bramley, Director of the Pembina Institute's Climate Change Program, said today's federal Throne Speech fails to clearly signal an improvement in the government's poor track record on climate change and investment in the clean energy economy.

Personal debt shouldn’t make our economy look good (blog)

Amy Taylor — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:54:38 +0000

When federal finance minister Jim Flaherty recently announced changes to the rules governing mortgage approvals in Canada, he took a first step in recognizing we’ve been spending more than we’re making and increasing our debt loads in an unsustainable way. If we were measuring our economic well-being in a more holistic way, we’d have recognized the unsustainable debt levels long ago and been able to take preventative measures.

Congress vs. Parliament: Who will decide Canada’s climate policy? (op-ed)

Marlo Raynolds — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Marlo Raynolds argues that the real challenge for Canada's Prime Minister is whether he is able to create a made-in-Canada climate plan — or leave it to American lawmakers to decide our climate and, therefore, economic policy.

Using the Market to Fix the Environment (blog)

Mike Kennedy — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:10:48 +0000

I used to think that the only thing needed for better environmental policy was a government that could stand up to polluters. While this still may be the most effective approach in some instances, these days, I realize the issues are more complex. In some situations, direct financial incentives may be an effective way to improve environmental quality.

At a Crossroads (publication)

Amy Taylor, Peggy Holroyd, Jennifer Grant, Mike Kennedy, Katherine Mackenzie — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:00:00 +0000

The Canadian government, as a resource manager for the Northwest Territories' oil and gas resources, is at a crossroads — it has to decide how to manage the development of the oil and gas resources in the territory. A win-win development scenario would allow companies to earn fair returns on their investments while providing maximum benefit for resource owners today and in the future. With a view to achieving a win-win development scenario for oil and gas developments in the territory, this discussion paper reviews and evaluates the existing Frontier Lands Petroleum Royalty Regime; the system for awarding lease rights for oil and gas; and key opportunities for the Government of the Northwest Territories to capture revenue from oil and gas developments within the territory.

Resolving to "Green" Canada's Economy (blog)

Amy Taylor — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:03:33 +0000

Time to crack open the 2010 calendar. Another year gone by. The Christmas decorations are now back in storage, the left-over turkey all gone, and the New Year's resolutions are firmly in hand. This year, I decided to come up with a few green economics resolutions for Canada.