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This paper tests for the applicability of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis at the Canadian and provincial/territorial levels using greenhouse gas emissions as an indicator for environmental degradation. The hypothesis is tested using provincial and territorial panel data from 1990 to 2014. The results vary depending on the econometric estimation method. The pooled regression results are mixed, with the EKC hypothesis confirmed at the Canadian level and in half of the provinces and territories. However, the fixed-effects regression results confirm the EKC hypothesis at the Canadian level and in all provinces and territories. The results also highlight the significance of technological change and province/territory specific characteristics in determining the level of greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recommendation in the 2019 Canada Food Guide to diversify protein sources in the human diet could lead to less red meat consumption by Canadians. The main goal of this paper was to assess the potential impact of the reduction in red meat consumption on the carbon footprint of Canadian livestock production. Beef, pork and broilers were used to represent Canadian carcass based food commodities. Three scenarios for allowable red meat (beef and pork) consumption were tested based on medical recommendations of 15.9, 23.7 and 27.6 kg (boneless weight) per capita per year. Maintaining national dietary protein intake at 0.39 Mt was the main boundary condition for the projected reduction of red meat. A spreadsheet model was used to interpolate published Greenhouse Gas emission estimates from 1981 to 2006 for beef, pork and broiler production to 2017. This model accounted for the life cycles, age-gender categories, and supporting crop complexes of each livestock type. Three production scenarios based on two different apportionments of allowable red meat to beef and pork, and two alternative beef diets, were combined with the three medical scenarios to formulate nine projected consumption recommendations. These projections generated the slaughter animal live weights, Greenhouse Gas emissions from their production, and their protein contents. All nine scenarios required a major expansion of broiler production to satisfy the required national protein intake. The amounts by which the nine scenarios reduced Greenhouse Gas emissions ranged from 0% to 31% of the 32.6 Mt of total national CO 2 e emissions for the production of these three commodities in 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial sector, accounting for 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is among the key drivers of human-induced climate change impacts. Given this volume of emissions, the sector could play a critical role in mitigating climate change. Canada is among the top 10 global GHG emitters and its industrial sector is responsible for more than 39% of national emissions. GHG emissions from the sector increased by almost 32% between 1990 and 2017 and are expected to almost double by 2050 if no measures are taken. This paper aims to evaluate how different technical and economic factors have contributed to the increasing GHG emission trends in Canada's industrial sector between 1990 and 2014. The Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index was developed and implemented as the decomposition method. Results from the analysis suggest that activity level is the biggest contributor to the increase in industrial GHG emissions between 1990 and 2014, which ranged from 5 Mt CO 2 eq in 1994 to 57 Mt CO 2 eq in 2014 compared to the 1990 baseline. Increased shares of low carbon-intensive industries and fuel switching contribute to GHG emission mitigation from the sector. The structural change is responsible for GHG reductions of 1.1 and 23.4 Mt CO 2 eq in 2000 and 2014, respectively. The impacts from fuel mixs and increased shares of low-carbon fuel ranged from −1 Mt CO 2 eq in 1994 to 16 Mt CO 2 eq in 2011. Despite improvements in process-energy-intensity (i.e., the energy consumed per unit of product) in several industries, changes in economic energy intensity (energy consumed per unit of economic output) have resulted in increased GHG emissions. These changes are mainly driven by changes in the process-energy intensity of the oil sands mining sector, the largest contributor to industrial GHG emissions in Canada. Image 107490 • Historical GHG emissions trends from Canada's industrial sector were analyzed. • GHG emissions decomposition analysis was done for the years 1990–2014. • The impacts of driving factors on increasing GHG emission trends were examined. • Activity level was found to be the main driver of GHG emissions. • Fuel switching and electricity decarbonization mitigate industrial GHGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]