38 results
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2. Evaluating the Impact of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies on the Optimal Design and Expansion of the Amherstview, Ontario, Water Network: Canadian Case Study.
- Author
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Roshani, Ehsan, MacLeod, Stephanie P., and Filion, Yves R.
- Subjects
WATER distribution ,CLIMATE change ,GREENHOUSE gases ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,ENERGY consumption - Abstract
The objective of this paper is to assess the impact of proposed Canadian climate change mitigation policies (discounting and carbon pricing) on cost, energy use, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the single-objective design/expansion optimization of the Amherstview water distribution system in Amherstview, Ontario, Canada. The single-objective optimization problem is solved with the elitist genetic algorithm (EGA). The optimization approach is used in a parametric analysis to examine the impact of discounting and carbon pricing on GHG reductions for cement-mortar ductile iron and polyvinyl chloride pipe materials. Preliminary results indicate that the discount rate and carbon prices investigated had no significant influence on energy use and GHG mass in the Amherstview system and did not meet the emission-reduction targets set by the Canadian government. This result was attributed to a number of factors, including adequately installed hydraulic capacity in the Amherstview system, the use of a time-declining GHG emission intensity factor, and the scope of the expansion problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. The carbon cost of polar bear viewing tourism in Churchill, Canada.
- Author
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Dawson, Jackie, Stewart, EmmaJ., Lemelin, Harvey, and Scott, Daniel
- Subjects
POLAR bear watching industry ,MARINE ecotourism ,POLAR bear watching ,EFFECT of human beings on climate change ,GREENHOUSE gases ,INDUSTRY & the environment - Abstract
This paper examines the paradoxical issues surrounding long-distance tourism to view polar bears, a form of tourism which is disproportionately (on a per capita basis) responsible for greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions that are negatively affecting survival chances of the species. It also notes that the phenomenon of “last chance tourism” is influencing more tourists to visit the region. The paper describes and explains the evidence that climate change is causing a substantial reduction in sea ice, vital for Arctic wildlife species survival, particularly mega fauna, such as polar bears. Churchill, Canada is one of the few places where tourists can easily view polar bears. A total of 334 on-site tourist surveys and 18 in-depth interviews were conducted to help evaluate tourist perceptions of climate change and to estimate their GHG emissions related to polar bear viewing tourism. Polar bear viewing tourists perceive climate change to be negatively impacting polar bears but do not necessarily understand how they themselves contribute to GHG emissions, or understand offsetting possibilities. The polar bear viewing industry is estimated to contribute 20,892 t/CO2 per season. Mitigation strategies, including reduction and offsetting programs are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Accelerating the Take-Up of Climate Change Innovations.
- Author
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DALE, ANN
- Subjects
GOVERNMENT policy on climate change ,ENVIRONMENTAL policy ,MUNICIPAL government ,CLIMATE change research ,GREENHOUSE gases ,GOVERNMENT policy ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Public Policy is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Consideration of climate change mitigation in Canadian environmental assessment: intention and implementation.
- Author
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Hetmanchuk, Katja
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact statements , *INTENTION , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *CLIMATE change , *CLIMATE change mitigation , *GREENHOUSE gases - Abstract
Quantifying a proposed project's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and scrutinizing their effect on climate change are increasingly required in Canadian environmental assessment (EA) processes. This paper investigates to what degree an EA authority's intention for the inclusion of GHG considerations has resulted in implementation into environmental impact statements (EISs) by proponents and how these considerations influence the achievement of GHG reduction targets. Fifteen projects across five Canadian jurisdictions were reviewed. The examination revealed that well-developed intentions by EA authorities did not necessarily result in proponents following guidelines for GHG consideration in their EISs due to the absence of regulation or clearly defined policies. Conversely, even though intentions by an EA authority are underdeveloped in some jurisdictions, EISs sometimes exhibited thorough GHG assessments due to mechanisms in the EA process through which GHG consideration by the proponent could be compelled. The examination did not reveal how GHG consideration in EA currently assists in meeting reduction targets. A GHG emissions limit imposed during the EA process could link EA to success in meeting these targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Growth, degrowth and climate change: A scenario analysis
- Author
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Victor, Peter A.
- Subjects
- *
ECONOMIC development , *CLIMATE change , *SIMULATION methods & models , *GREENHOUSE gases , *ECONOMIC forecasting - Abstract
The paper proceeds with a discussion of the interplay of scale and intensity in determining greenhouse gas emissions. This is followed by the presentation of several macroeconomic scenarios using LowGrow, a simulation model of the Canadian economy. The scenarios considered are ‘business as usual’ which is a projection into the future of past trends, ‘selective growth’ in which differential growth rates are applied to parts of the economy according to their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, and ‘degrowth’ where the average GDP/capita of Canadians is reduced towards a level more consistent with a world economy the size of which respects global environmental limits. The paper ends with a comparison of the scenarios. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Issues and Implications of Carbon-Abatement Discounting and Pricing for Drinking Water System Design in Canada.
- Author
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MacLeod, Stephanie and Filion, Yves
- Subjects
CARBON ,WATER supply ,GREENHOUSE gases ,WATER power - Abstract
Water utilities generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when they construct, retrofit, and operate their water distribution systems. The prospect of introducing carbon-abatement strategies such as carbon pricing and using low discount rates for project planning could potentially change the manner in which water utilities plan and design their drinking water systems. The objectives of this paper are to: (i) Review the current issues and controversies surrounding the choice of discounting rate and carbon prices in Canada to reduce the GHG emissions linked to operating water systems in Canada; (ii) Review previous research that has examined the impact of discounting and carbon pricing on design decisions in water supply and distribution systems, and; (iii) Illustrate the possible implications of carbon-abatement strategies (discounting and carbon pricing) on the design of Canadian water systems by way of a real-world case study. The implications of discount rate and carbon price uncertainty on water distribution system design are illustrated with the Amherstview-Odessa water transmission system in Ontario, Canada. The results of the Amherstview study indicated that lowering discount rate led to significant increases in electricity costs. The study results also suggested that for a sufficiently low discount rate of 1.4%, increasing carbon price led to a larger pipe size and pipe cost to offset carbon costs levied on fossil-fuel based electricity to operated the pumps for the life of the system. Additional studies are needed on large-scale water systems to inform decisions on system upgrades taken by water utility managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Moral progress and Canada's climate failure.
- Author
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Williston, Byron
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,ETHICS ,GREENHOUSE gases ,CLIMATOLOGY - Abstract
In a recent letter to Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, British columnist and climate change gadfly George Monbiot pleaded with Canada to clean up its greenhouse gas emissions act. The letter appeared just a week before the Copenhagen climate conference. In it, Monbiot alleged that Canada's newly acquired status as oil superpower threatens to 'brutalize' the country, as it has other oil-rich countries (Monbiot, G. 2009. Please, Canada, clean up your act, The Globe and Mail, November 30, A15). In this paper, I want to expand on Monbiot's bleak assessment of the Canadian national psyche. It has been pointed out that climate change is forcing us to rethink philosophical ethics. Some, like Dale Jamieson, believe that virtue theory is best equipped to meet the challenge of understanding the moral dimensions of this phenomenon. I think this is basically right, but that climate change is also forcing us to reassess our capacity for moral progress. The two challenges are linked. In what follows, I will first (Section 1) motivate the appeal to virtue ethics as a new way of understanding the ethics of climate change. Next (Section 2), I offer a virtue ethical account of moral progress. With the latter in place, we can (Section 3) uncover the real nature of Canada's moral failing on climate change: it is an impediment to the moral progress of our species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Determinants of environmentally responsible behaviours for greenhouse gas reduction.
- Author
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Ngo, Anh‐Thu, West, Gale E., and Calkins, Peter H.
- Subjects
CONSUMPTION (Economics) ,ECONOMIC demand ,GREENHOUSE gases ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) ,AIR pollution ,CONSUMER behavior ,ENVIRONMENTAL activism ,ENVIRONMENTALISM - Abstract
Canadian household consumption and driving behaviours are responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced across Canada. This paper examines and characterizes two sets of consumer behaviours, indoor GHG reduction behaviours and automobile GHG emissions, using data from a 2006 telephone survey of a representative random sample of 1002 Canadian households with cars. Two statistical models are used to analyse the impact of four groups of variables (environmental attitudes, policy opinions, automobile-related indices and socio-demographics) on GHG reduction at the household level. Results were obtained using ordered probit and Ordinary Least Squares regressions. Indoor GHG reduction behaviours were not correlated with automobile GHG emissions. Dominant factors increasing consumer GHG reduction behaviours both indoors and on the road were sense of personal responsibility and previous environmental activism. Canadians who least actively participate in GHG reduction activities were more likely to be living in the Prairie provinces and to be male. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Mitigating Climate Change with Renewable and High-Efficiency Generation.
- Author
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Hammons, T. J.
- Subjects
ENERGY policy ,CLIMATE change ,RENEWABLE energy sources ,ENERGY consumption ,GREENHOUSE gases - Abstract
This paper focuses on the status of policy studies on Global Climate Change and how renewable and high-efficiency generation technology can be part of the solution. It considers critical technologies and solutions toward realizing the targets set in the Kyoto treaty. Discussed is energy effi ciency in power generation, environmental benefits of high-effi ciency gas turbines in competitive energy markets which display less NOx and CO[sub 2] emissions per unit of power produced while providing power generators with the most competitive electricity, and experience in India in mitigating climate change with renewable energy as seen by the UN and an advisor to the Indian government in nonconventional energy sources. Also discussed is stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere that will present dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system as called for under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2001
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Environmental spaces for palsas and peat plateaus are disappearing at a circumpolar scale.
- Author
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Leppiniemi, Oona, Karjalainen, Olli, Aalto, Juha, Luoto, Miska, and Hjort, Jan
- Subjects
GREENHOUSE gases ,EFFECT of human beings on climate change ,PEAT ,ENVIRONMENTAL geology ,PERMAFROST ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change threatens northern permafrost environments. This compromises the existence of permafrost landforms, such as palsas and peat plateaus, which have been assessed to be critically endangered habitats. In this study, we integrated geospatial datasets and statistical methods to model the suitable environments for palsas and peat plateaus across the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region. The models were calibrated using data from years 1950–2000. The effects of climate change on the suitable environments for the landforms were assessed by using low-, moderate-, and high-emissions scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway climate scenarios: RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5, respectively) for two periods (2041–2060 and 2061–2080). Hotspots for palsa and peat plateau environments occurred in northern Europe, western Siberia, and subarctic Canada. Climate change was predicted to cause an almost complete loss (decrease of 98.2 %) of suitable environmental spaces under the high-emissions scenario by 2061–2080, while under low- and moderate-emissions scenarios the predicted loss was 76.3 % and 89.3 % respectively. Our modeling results are in line with previously published thermokarst data pointing out areas of recent degradation of palsa and peat plateau environments. Our results provide new insights into the distribution of the permafrost landforms in less studied areas such as central and eastern Siberia. In addition, the predictions provide new understanding of the changing geoecological conditions of the circumpolar region with important implications for greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. How will Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions change by 2050? A disaggregated analysis of past and future greenhouse gas emissions using bottom-up energy modelling and Sankey diagrams.
- Author
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Davis, Matthew, Ahiduzzaman, Md., and Kumar, Amit
- Subjects
- *
GREENHOUSE gases , *EMISSIONS (Air pollution) , *CLIMATE change , *TRANSPORTATION industry , *PETROLEUM industry - Abstract
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are currently at the crux of political, environmental, technological, and cultural discussions due to climate change. A drastic reduction of GHG emissions is needed in order to mitigate potentially catastrophic climate change impacts. Thus, thoroughly understanding emission sources is imperative. A disaggregated analysis of Canada’s future GHG emission projections has not yet been conducted. The objectives in this paper are to assess disaggregated GHG emissions in Canada for the years 2014, 2030, and 2050, and analyze the results through Sankey diagrams. Emissions are calculated using a bottom-up multi-regional accounting-based Long-range Energy Alternative Planning systems model. Each major economic sector in Canada is analyzed including the electricity generation, residential, commercial and institutional, industrial, transportation, and agriculture sectors. The emissions released in these sectors are traced to the resources and end-uses responsible. Results are presented for Canada and for provinces individually. GHG emissions contained in exported resources are evaluated. Results show that Canada’s business-as-usual GHG emissions will grow from 732 million tonnes in 2014 to 780 and 798 million tonnes in 2030 and 2050, respectively. Canada exports more emissions contained in resources than it emits. Per capita emissions intensity will fall by 14% between 2014 and 2050. Results are compared to climate targets and key areas of GHG mitigation potential are identified. Alberta’s oil and gas sector and Ontario’s transportation sector are the two single largest sectoral sources of emissions by 2050. This research can help policy makers, innovators, and the public better understand GHG emissions, which can lead to more effective GHG mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. The Politics of Obstinance: Issue Framing in Australian, Canadian, and American Climate Policy.
- Author
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Cass, Loren
- Subjects
- *
NATURAL resources , *CLIMATE change , *GREENHOUSE gases , *EMISSIONS (Air pollution) , *ENVIRONMENTAL policy - Abstract
Australia, Canada, and the United States share a number of important attributes. They are all English speaking former British colonies. They are continent sized countries with substantial portions of their economies devoted to natural resource extraction and processing. In relationship to climate change, they are also substantial emitters of greenhouse gas emissions, and all three have faced political struggles related to domestic and international climate policy. The United States and Australia are alone among the developed states in refusing to be bound by the Kyoto Protocol. Canada has ratified the Protocol, but its emissions have continued to rise precipitously, and it will be unable to meet its Kyoto commitments without generous use of the flexibility mechanisms contained in the Kyoto Protocol. Given the similarities in the situations of these three states, how do we explain the variation in domestic and foreign policy responses to climate change? This paper will argue that the interaction between international norms and domestic norms fundamentally shaped the domestic framing of climate change as a political problem. The paper will explore the initial framing of climate change as a political problem in each country and will emphasize the role of international and domestic actors in defining the problem and its political significance. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
14. KYOTO SHELL GAME.
- Author
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Gillis, Charlie
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,GLOBAL warming ,GREENHOUSE gases ,INTERNATIONAL obligations ,TREATIES - Abstract
This article discusses the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and how since its ratification in Canada few changes have been made to battle global warming. The day after Canada officially ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in December 2002, David Anderson was in New York City to deposit the freshly signed paper with the Treaty Section of the United Nations. It was his shining moment as federal environment minister: an avowed multilateralist and an unabashed tree hugger, Anderson had spent three years battling opponents -- and sometimes cabinet colleagues -- over a deal he firmly held to be a turning point in the war against global warming. Whatever it was about the Kyoto accord that stirred such emotions two years ago seems like a distant memory, to the point where neither proponents nor critics of the deal give it much chance of making a difference in Canada. Since the conception of the protocol in 1990, greenhouse gas emissions in Canada have climbed some 20 per cent (as of 2002), and all signs suggest those numbers have increased since Anderson's giddy time in New York two years ago. But most critics agree on the basic errors that have led us to our current dilemma, where reaching our stated goal of cutting emissions six per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 -- a reduction of at least 240 megatonnes per year -- would require a brand of resolve we simply don't have. Our most grave, and perhaps most foreseeable, mistake was fooling ourselves into thinking we could do our part under Kyoto without inflicting pain on so-called large final emitters.
- Published
- 2005
15. SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF ?ARBON-NEUTRAL ECONOMY CONCEPT.
- Author
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Vakulenko, Ihor, Saher, Liudmyla, and Shymoshenko, Anastasiia
- Subjects
ECONOMIC development ,GREENHOUSE gases ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
The purpose of the article is to study trends in the development of scientific interest in the issue of implementing a carbon-neutral economy. The authors performed a bibliometric analysis of the publications indexed in the Scopus database using VOSviewer 1.6.16 software and Microsoft Excel. This analysis contributes to determining prospects for transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy and priority areas requiring special attention to accelerate this process. The obtained results of the study of the patterns of the development of the carbon-neutral economy indicate that this concept has a dynamic development, which traces the prerequisites for the formation of a powerful scientific school that investigates the influence of changes in the level of energy efficiency in the process of carbon-neutral development of the national economy. Analysis of the dynamics of publication activity demonstrates a reasonably rapid growth in the number of publications. From 1992 to March 2023, the average growth rate of published research results in the analyzed field was 28.50%. A comparison of subject areas in the study of the carbon-neutral economy shows the predominance of energy, ecology, and socio-economic studies. As a result of the bibliometric analysis of 654 publications indexed by the scientometric database Scopus during 1992-2023 on the topic of the carbon-neutral economy using the software VOSViewer v. 1.6.10, six scientific clusters were identified, which study the possibilities of building an economic system with minimal carbon emissions, taking into account the technical, technological, climatic, social and economic aspects of this issue. However, there is an urgent need to study the organizational and economic mechanisms of replacing non-renewable energy resources with renewable ones in the conditions of rapid changes in the global energy market. The study of the geographical affiliation of the authors of scientific works in this area showed that scientists from China, the USA, Great Britain, Germany, India, Canada, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and Spain published the most significant number of publications. The share of publications by geographical affiliation to these countries is 75%. At the same time, the number of publications in the Scopus database published by domestic authors is relatively small, which once again confirmed the lack of research and timeliness of the study carried out in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Public attitudes toward climate science and climate policy in federal systems: Canada and the U.S. compared.
- Author
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Lachapelle, Erick and Borick, Christopher P.
- Subjects
- *
GREENHOUSE gases , *FEDERAL government , *CLIMATE change , *CARBON taxes , *EMISSIONS (Air pollution) - Abstract
The article offers information on the policy agenda's greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive countries in Canada and the U.S. It mentions that federal government focused on the risks of climate change. It states that sub-federal jurisdictions focused on enacting policies from emissions trading and carbon taxes to efficiency standards and renewable electricity fuel.
- Published
- 2011
17. The Diffusion of Local Actions against Global Climate Change in Australia, Canada and the US.
- Author
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Vasi, Ion Bogdan
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,CARBON dioxide mitigation ,GREENHOUSE gases - Abstract
The article discusses the diffusion of local actions against global climate change in Australia, Canada and the U.S. Since the late 1980s, numerous studies have warned about the effects of global climate change. Local actions against global climate change were initiated in 1991 with the Urban CO
2 Reduction Project, which aimed at designing local strategies to control the emission of greenhouse gases. The success of this program lead to the Cities for Climate Protection program, initiated two years later by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.- Published
- 2005
18. Estimating 2010–2015 anthropogenic and natural methane emissions in Canada using ECCC surface and GOSAT satellite observations.
- Author
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Baray, Sabour, Jacob, Daniel J., Maasakkers, Joannes D., Sheng, Jian-Xiong, Sulprizio, Melissa P., Jones, Dylan B. A., Bloom, A. Anthony, and McLaren, Robert
- Subjects
ATMOSPHERIC methane ,METHANE ,CLIMATE change ,GREENHOUSE gases ,EMISSION inventories ,BIOSPHERE - Abstract
Methane emissions in Canada have both anthropogenic and natural sources. Anthropogenic emissions are estimated to be 4.1 Tg a -1 from 2010–2015 in the National Inventory Report submitted to the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Natural emissions, which are mostly due to boreal wetlands, are the largest methane source in Canada and highly uncertain, on the order of ∼ 20 Tg a -1 in biosphere process models. Aircraft studies over the last several years have provided "snapshot" emissions that conflict with inventory estimates. Here we use surface data from the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in situ network and space-borne data from the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) to determine 2010–2015 anthropogenic and natural methane emissions in Canada in a Bayesian inverse modelling framework. We use GEOS-Chem to simulate anthropogenic emissions comparable to the National Inventory and wetlands emissions using an ensemble of WetCHARTS v1.0 scenarios in addition to other minor natural sources. We conduct a comparative analysis of the monthly natural emissions and yearly anthropogenic emissions optimized by surface and satellite data independently. Mean 2010–2015 posterior emissions using ECCC surface data are 6.0 ± 0.4 Tg a -1 for total anthropogenic and 11.6 ± 1.2 Tg a -1 for total natural emissions. These results agree with our posterior emissions of 6.5 ± 0.7 Tg a -1 for total anthropogenic and 11.7 ± 1.2 Tg a -1 for total natural emissions using GOSAT data. The seasonal pattern of posterior natural emissions using either dataset shows slower to start emissions in the spring and a less intense peak in the summer compared to the mean of WetCHARTS scenarios. We combine ECCC and GOSAT data to characterize limitations towards sectoral and provincial-level inversions. We estimate energy + agriculture emissions to be 5.1 ± 1.0 Tg a -1 , which is 59 % higher than the national inventory. We attribute 39 % higher anthropogenic emissions to Western Canada than the prior. Natural emissions are lower across Canada. Inversion results are verified against independent aircraft data and surface data, which show better agreement with posterior emissions. This study shows a readjustment of the Canadian methane budget is necessary to better match atmospheric observations with lower natural emissions partially offset by higher anthropogenic emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Policy Commentary/Commentaire BC's Carbon Tax Shift Is Working Well after Four Years (Attention Ottawa).
- Author
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Elgie, Stewart and McClay, Jessica
- Subjects
CARBON taxes ,ENVIRONMENTAL policy ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact charges ,TAX reform ,CLIMATE change prevention ,GOVERNMENT policy ,GREENHOUSE gases ,ENVIRONMENTAL policy & economics - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Public Policy is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Uncertainty of downscaling method in quantifying the impact of climate change on hydrology
- Author
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Chen, Jie, Brissette, François P., and Leconte, Robert
- Subjects
- *
CLIMATE change , *UNCERTAINTY , *HYDROLOGY , *GENERAL circulation model , *GREENHOUSE gases , *EMISSIONS (Air pollution) , *TEMPERATURE , *WATERSHEDS - Abstract
Summary: Uncertainty estimation of climate change impacts has been given a lot of attention in the recent literature. It is generally assumed that the major sources of uncertainty are linked to General Circulation Models (GCMs) and Greenhouse Gases Emissions Scenarios (GGES). However, other sources of uncertainty such as the choice of a downscaling method have been given less attention. This paper focuses on this issue by comparing six downscaling methods to investigate the uncertainties in quantifying the impacts of climate change on the hydrology of a Canadian (Quebec province) river basin. The downscaling methods regroup dynamical and statistical approaches, including the change factor method and a weather generator-based approach. Future (2070–2099, 2085 horizon) hydrological regimes simulated with a hydrological model are compared to the reference period (1970–1999) using the average hydrograph, annual mean discharge, peak discharge and time to peak discharge as criteria. The results show that all downscaling methods suggest temperature increases over the basin for the 2085 horizon. The regression-based statistical methods predict a larger increase in autumn and winter temperatures. Predicted changes in precipitation are not as unequivocal as those of temperatures, they vary depending on the downscaling methods and seasons. There is a general increase in winter discharge (November–April) while decreases in summer discharge are predicted by most methods. Consistently with the large predicted increases in autumn and winter temperature, regression-based statistical methods show severe increases in winter flows and considerable reductions in peak discharge. Across all variables, a large uncertainty envelope was found to be associated with the choice of a downscaling method. This envelope was compared to the envelope originating from the choice of 28 climate change projections from a combination of seven GCMs and three GGES. Both uncertainty envelopes were similar, although the latter was slightly larger. The regression-based statistical downscaling methods contributed significantly to the uncertainty envelope. Overall, results indicate that climate change impact studies based on only one downscaling method should be interpreted with caution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Feasibility of Cloud Based Smart Dual Fuel Switching System (SDFSS) of Hybrid Residential Space Heating Systems for Simultaneous Reduction of Energy Cost and Greenhouse Gas Emission.
- Author
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Demirezen, Gulsun and Fung, Alan S.
- Subjects
- *
RESIDENTIAL heating systems , *FUEL switching , *HEAT pumps , *FUEL systems , *GREENHOUSE gases , *AIR source heat pump systems - Abstract
Through tests conducted at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's (TRCA) Archetype Sustainable Houses, a hybrid residential space heating system with a supervisory controller was monitored and studied to evaluate its performance and effectiveness for the heating season. A high efficiency natural gas furnace (NGF) and an electric air source heat pump (ASHP) were coupled together to meet the space heating demand of the house. This integrated system is called the cloud based Smart Dual Fuel Switching System (SDFSS) that considers time-of-use (TOU) pricing, fuel cost, short-term weather forecast, and equipment efficiencies and capacities. This multi-variable decision-making process defines an optimal schedule for the hybrid system to run more cost effectively. This paper analyses two separate SDFSSs. According to these analyses, the SDFSS systems showed lower operating cost with respect to the furnace or the ASHP system alone with various carbon tax (CT) levels from $0 to $250/tonne of CT with an increment of $10/tonne of CT that were simulated, along with a significant GHG emission reduction relative to the conventional heating systems. Furthermore, with these technologies, Canada's residential sector could potentially meet Canada's Paris Agreement goals. The SDFSS technology is a is flexible, user friendly, ubiquitous technology for the smooth transition from today's natural gas dominated space heating system to the future's low carbon infrastructure powered by a heat pump and renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. A Proud Record of Leadership in Addressing and Adapting to Climate Change.
- Author
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Lazar, Avrim D.
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,CLIMATOLOGY ,FOREST management ,FOREST products industry ,GREENHOUSE gases ,AIR pollution ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) - Abstract
This article discusses several issues in addressing and adapting to climate change in Canada. Forests are a vital component of the cultural, social and economic fabric of Canada. They provide both products and services that are essential to Canadians and people around the world. In the global context, Canada's forest mosaic includes some of the largest intact forest ecosystems, representing over 10% of the world's forest cover, 25% of the global natural forest, and 30% of the world's temperate rainforest. To date in the forest sector, discussions and actions pertaining to climate change have focused primarily on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase carbon sequestration. Canada's forest industry takes pride in its record of leadership in GHG mitigation. Since 1990, the pulp and paper industry has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 28% while increasing production by over 30% surpassing its Kyoto targets by more than four times. The Canadian forest industry's commitment to sustainable forest management practices ensures that it regenerates what it harvests, planting some 630 million seedlings annually, assisting in carbon sequestration. while maintaining eco-system integrity.
- Published
- 2005
23. Arctic 2030: What are the consequences of climate change?: The US response.
- Author
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Backus, George
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,GREENHOUSE gases ,PERMAFROST ,NATIONAL security ,MARINE ecology - Abstract
Although scientists disagree about the rate at which Arctic ice is melting, climate change will greatly alter the northern latitudes in coming decades if greenhouse gas emissions are not curtailed. Many of the expected changes will be negative; already, permafrost is melting in Siberia, and apartments and factories are sinking into quagmires. The melting of Arctic ice, however, will also open sea-lanes to shipping and allow access to enormous oil and gas reserves beneath the Arctic Ocean. The prospect of increased Arctic commerce brings with it competition among countries and companies for control of the area’s riches, and international competition always carries the possibility of conflict. Three authors, all experts in national security and the Arctic, explore the military, diplomatic, environmental, and economic outlook for the Arctic in 2030: from Russia, Yury Morozov (2012); from Canada, Rob Huebert (2012); and from the United States, George Backus. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Quantifying the impacts of human activities on reported greenhouse gas emissions and removals in Canada's managed forest: conceptual framework and implementation.
- Author
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Kurz, W.A., Hayne, S., Fellows, M., MacDonald, J.D., Metsaranta, J.M., Hafer, M., and Blain, D.
- Subjects
GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,GREENHOUSE gases ,CLIMATE change ,ANTHROPOGENIC effects on nature ,FOREST management - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Forest Research is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Uncertainty of inventory-based estimates of the carbon dynamics of Canada's managed forest (1990-2014).
- Author
-
Metsaranta, J.M., Shaw, C.H., Kurz, W.A., Boisvenue, C., and Morken, S.
- Subjects
CARBON dioxide & the environment ,FORESTS & forestry ,GREENHOUSE gases ,MONTE Carlo method ,FOREST management - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Forest Research is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. A comparison of greenhouse gas emissions in the residential sector of major Canadian cities.
- Author
-
Mohareb, Eugene A. and Mohareb, Adrian K.
- Subjects
ENERGY consumption & the environment ,GREENHOUSE gas analysis ,HOME energy use ,EMISSION control ,RETROFITTING ,ENERGY conservation laws ,CITIES & towns - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. The Constitutionality of a Federal Emissions Trading Regime.
- Author
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Sheffield, Kai D.
- Subjects
EMISSIONS trading ,ENVIRONMENTAL policy ,ENVIRONMENTAL law ,GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,CRIMINAL law ,COMMERCIAL law ,CARBON offsetting - Abstract
The article examines the potential constitutional bases for Canada's emissions trading regime. It provides an overview of the three heads of Canada's federal power such as the criminal law, trade and commerce, and the national concern branch of the peace, order, and good governance power. Information about the government's explicit policy about greenhouse gas reduction is presented.
- Published
- 2014
28. Kivalina v. Exxonmobil: A Comparative Case Comment.
- Author
-
Péloffy, Karine
- Subjects
APPELLATE courts ,GREENHOUSE gases ,GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,CLIMATE change ,ACTIONS & defenses (Law) - Abstract
Copyright of McGill International Journal of Sustainable Development Law & Policy is the property of McGill International Journal of Sustainable Development Law & Policy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2013
29. Canary in a coal mine: perceptions of climate change risks and response options among Canadian mine operations.
- Author
-
Ford, James, Pearce, Tristan, Prno, Jason, Duerden, Frank, Berrang Ford, Lea, Smith, Tanya, and Beaumier, Maude
- Subjects
COAL mining ,CLIMATE change ,SURVEYS ,GREENHOUSE gases ,GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,WEATHER forecasting - Abstract
A survey documenting how climate change is perceived and responded to by Canadian mine operations was administered to a random sample of practitioners working at mine sites across Canada. Key findings include: (1) Mines are sensitive to climatic hazards; (2) There is concern about climate change among mine practitioners, but the majority have not yet noticed climate change to be affecting operations; (3) Future climate change is expected to have negative impacts for mine operations; (4) Mines are responding to climate change mainly through efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also through adaptation, although to a lesser degree; and (5) Knowledge of future climate change projections and impacts is limited, potentially constraining understanding of the nature of climate change risks. The survey compliments previous work documenting perceptions among upper level management on climate change in the Canadian mining industry. The results from both surveys are largely consistent, establishing that the mining sector perceives climate change as an emerging risk and is developing response options, but needs to invest more time and resources for adaptation to what are inevitable changes in climate. The results support the need for targeted in-depth research to assess the vulnerability of mining to climate change and to evaluate response options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Sharing developed countries’ post-2012 greenhouse gas emission reductions based on comparable efforts.
- Author
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den Elzen, Michel G. J., Höhne, Niklas, Hagemann, Markus M., Vliet, Jasper van, and van Vuuren, Detlef P.
- Subjects
UNITED Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) ,GREENHOUSE gases - Abstract
The Bali Action Plan as adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2007, states that Annex I (developed) countries should reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, based on comparable efforts. Within this context, we have explored various comparable effort approaches (for example, equal marginal abatement costs for all countries) for reducing emissions by the year 2020 for individual countries and regions. In all calculations, the total reduction for Annex I countries as a group is assumed to be 30% below 1990 levels. In the analysis, we compare the reduction targets as calculated from the different approaches with the emission reductions as pledged by these countries as part of the Copenhagen Accord, as drafted under the UNFCCC in 2009. Our analysis indicates that the different elements in these calculations may cause a diversity in outcomes and that, therefore, individual countries may favour certain elements over others. These elements include (a) the choice of the approach itself (the same approach may produce very different outcomes for countries with diverging national circumstances, such as Canada and Russia); (b) the reference year (such as 1990 or 2006 emissions, is very important for countries with an increase in emissions since 1990 (e.g. the United States, Canada) or for those that have lower emission levels (e.g. Russia, the Ukraine)); and (c) rules on land use (these are important for countries with large forest areas). It should be noted that the stringency of the individual countries’ reductions as pledged, differs substantially from the stringency of the reduction targets calculated from the effort-sharing approaches. The current pledges by both the European Union and the United States, are lower than the reductions that would be obtained in the effort-sharing approaches for a 30% overall reduction in Annex I countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Market Created for Emission Reductions in all Sectors of the Economy.
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,ENVIRONMENTAL policy ,GREENHOUSE gases ,GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,BIODIVERSITY ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) ,CLIMATOLOGY ,GOVERNMENT policy - Abstract
This article informs that the Government of Canada took another step to honour its Kyoto commitment with the proposal for a domestic offset credit system, which will reward innovation and provide incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As promised under the document "Moving Forward on Climate Change: A Plan to Honour Our Kyoto Commitment," the Government has issued a paper setting out the system's proposed rules. The proposed system will encourage innovative Canadian projects that use new practices and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Companies, governments, organizations or citizens undertaking such projects provided they meet the criteria to be finalized following consultations will be awarded credits. As a key part of the Canada Climate Change Plan, the Offset System represents further progress under Project Green, a set of policies and programs aimed at supporting a sustainable environment and a more competitive economy. Along with climate change, it will address a range of environmental issues, including biodiversity, water, contaminated sites and clean air.
- Published
- 2005
32. Nitrous oxide dynamics in managed northern forest soil profiles: is production offset by consumption?
- Author
-
Kellman, L. and Kavanaugh, K.
- Subjects
FOREST soils ,NITROUS oxide ,SOILS ,FORESTS & forestry ,NITROGEN oxides - Abstract
This study investigates soil N
2 O dynamics in forest soils representing early (3-years) and late (>50 years) post-harvest succession in Atlantic Canada over a 9-month snow-free period in order to develop a better understanding of the role of managed forests as sources and sinks of N2 O. We couple measurement of surface flux with detailed measurements of subsurface N2 O concentrations at four mineral soil depths (0, 5, 20 and 35 cm) at 40 plots located within four sites. Median surface fluxes were similar at all sites regardless of the management stage (−5 to +19 ugN2 O–N/m2 /day), with all sites behaving as net sinks and sources of N2 O over the measurement period. Subsurface mineral soil N2 O concentrations at early (3-year) post-harvest succession sites, which ranged from median values of 362 ppbv at 0 cm to 1783 ppbv at 35 cm depth, were significantly higher than late post-harvest succession sites where median concentrations ranged from 329 ppbv at 0 cm to 460 ppbv at 35 cm depth. Examination of relationships between subsurface gas storage and surface flux magnitudes, suggested although recently harvested forest soils may be producing N2 O at a greater rate than mature forest soils, observed patterns are consistent with a strong sink for this gas that prevents its conservative transport through the soil profile, and ultimate emission to the atmosphere through the majority of the measurement period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Canadian-U.S. Environmental Cooperation: Climate Change Networks and Regional Action.
- Author
-
Selin, Henrik and Vandeveer, Stacy D.
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL policy ,POLLUTION prevention ,EMISSION control ,GREENHOUSE gases ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
This article reports that Canadian-U.S. environmental relations manifest a growing importance of transborder state and provincial cooperation and policy-making. Under the joint Climate Change Action Plan, adopted by the New England Governors and the Eastern Canadian Premiers in August 2001, participating provinces and states commit to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2010 and 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. The provinces and states moreover pledge to ultimately decrease GHG emissions to levels that do not pose a threat to the climate, which according to an official estimate would require a 75-85 percent reduction from 2001 emission levels.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. The Cultural Politics of Kyoto: Lessons from the Canadian Semi-Periphery.
- Author
-
Soron, Dennis
- Subjects
TREATIES ,INTERNATIONAL relations ,GREENHOUSE gases ,GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
Discusses the significance of the Canadian government's announcement of its ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). Commitment of the country to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; Influence on the cultural politics of the treaty; Questions of Canadian autonomy raised by the country's policy towards the protocol.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Tax Policy and Global Warming.
- Author
-
Duff, David G.
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,GREENHOUSE gases ,AIR pollution ,EMISSION control ,GLOBAL temperature changes - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Tax Journal / Revue Fiscale Canadienne is the property of Canadian Tax Foundation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2003
36. Wicked.
- Author
-
Curran, Deborah
- Subjects
SUSTAINABLE development ,ECONOMIC development & the environment ,ENVIRONMENTAL engineering ,ECOLOGICAL modernization ,SUSTAINABLE urban development ,GREENHOUSE gases ,CLIMATE change ,ENVIRONMENTAL degradation - Abstract
The article discusses several challenges in overcoming the wicked issues of community sustainability in Canada. It initially focuses on the difficulty of the community to win on the wicked problems of green development, centering the issues that include climate change, greenhouse gas, and environmental degradation. It also accounts the problems why the federal government finds it hard to combat the wicked nature of sustainability demands, including the failure of the government to carry out sustainability and to demand for it. Furthermore, it delves into the observed ten traits for wicked problems, as well as the proposed factors on the potential success to community sustainability.
- Published
- 2009
37. Success on Substance, Deadlock on Procedure.
- Author
-
Depledge, Joanna
- Subjects
INTERORGANIZATIONAL relations ,ORGANIZATION ,INTERNATIONAL relations ,CLIMATE change ,CARBON dioxide ,GREENHOUSE gases ,BIOREMEDIATION ,ENVIRONMENTAL policy - Abstract
The article reports on the proceedings of the 24th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Montreal, Quebec that took place from 26 to 28 September 2005. This presents a discussion of the "Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage". Other issues were also discussed and these are with regard to a secretariat proposal setting out a policy and process for admitting observer organizations and the finalization of the draft of an updated set of guidelines for the preparation of national greenhouse gas inventories in 2006.
- Published
- 2005
38. Same Greenhouse Gas 3 Different Stories.
- Author
-
TORRIE, RALPH
- Subjects
GREENHOUSE gas mitigation ,GREENHOUSE gases ,ENERGY industries ,CLIMATE change ,ENERGY consumption - Abstract
The article discusses how lifecycle analysis (LCA) can help in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to apply the ecologist Barry Commoner's law of ecology. It states that LCA provides framework of connecting things which could be an effective response to climate change in Canada by lowering or even eliminating the emission. It also states that analysis from the point-of-emission of GHG to the energy end use indicates the demand for energy services such as heat, mobility and electricity. INSET: Plotting a Low-Carbon Future.
- Published
- 2013
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