[All] News of interest

Tue Mar 19 20:28:10 EDT 2013

Hi folks

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Report from Australia's Sydney University states wind turbine syndrome is bogus. 

http://grist.org/news/researchers-find-that-wind-turbine-syndrome-is-bogus/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=tweet&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=mill

FEDERAL NEWS

German scientists are leaving the Tar Sands and boy they are not pulling any punches. Here are some excerpts:  

“As an environmental research centre we have an independent role as an honest broker and doing research in this constellation could have had reputational problems for us, especially after Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol,” he said.  

 ‘tail ponds’- toxic lakes that now cover up to 176 square kilometers of Alberta.

 Canada’s energy and climate policy is not accepted by the international community, especially Germany,” Messner said.

Environmentalists say that by 2020, a planned expansion in Alberta’s tar sands operation would sprawl to an area the size of Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland combined. 

in 2011 an EU report from Adam Brandt, an Assistant Professor at Stanford University found oil sands are between 12-40% higher than conventional crude, with the most likely barrel being 22% more carbon intensive.  Link to that report is here: https://circabc.europa.eu/d/d/workspace/SpacesStore/db806977-6418-44db-a464-20267139b34d/Brandt_Oil_Sands_GHGs_Final.pdf

 “A number of high level EU decision makers have stated that the Canadian lobbying effort goes beyond what is considered acceptable,” Darek Urbaniak of Friends of the Earth told EurActiv. 

FULL ARTICLE HERE: 
http://www.euractiv.com/science-policymaking/german-research-institute-pulls-news-518608#.UUiIhToF8VI.twitter

To view what appears to be a censored CTV version, visit here: http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/german-scientists-quit-oilsands-project-over-climate-concerns-1.1202087#commentsForm-379478

Environment Canada observed Diluted Bitumen does sink but...Harper killed their study before completion.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130314/tar-sands-dilbit-sinks-enbridge-oil-spill-floats-its-lab-study

Emails reveal Environment Canada officers can't do their jobs to enforce air pollution laws due to budget cuts.
http://o.canada.com/2013/03/17/federal-budget-cuts-undermine-mandate-of-environmental-enforcement-branch-emails/

“The government’s clean air mandate has clearly been compromised by their ideological hack-job of federal scientific capacity.” 
says Halifax MP Megan Leslie, the NDP’s environment critic. http://o.canada.com/2013/03/19/ndps-megan-leslie-says-emails-confirm-ideological-hack-job-at-environment-canada/#.UUjz1zAB_A-.twitter

It cost 25 times the operating costs to close the Experimental Lakes project. 
http://canadians.org/media/water/2013/15-Mar-13.html#.UUMrvbfjhow.twitter

IdleNo More UPDATE
The founders and its chapters across the country have issued a call to build mounting pressure, including through mass non-violent direct actions to be joined by non-natives, to challenge “the Harper government and the corporate agenda.” Details here: 
http://www.defendersoftheland.org/story/318

PROVINCIAL NEWS

Ontario's Supreme Court says Ontario has the right to take up First Nation's treaty lands for mining and forestry, 
Court says that the province doesn't need Federal permission to do this.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/court-rules-ontario-has-right-to-take-up-treaty-land-for-mining-forestry/article9913990/

LOCAL NEWS

ClimateActionWR has a new website!
ClimateActionWR is discussing ways to build a more resilient Waterloo Region. Official website here: http://www.climateactionwr.ca/
Forum 1 took place today at Knox Church encouraging NGO's, industry and public to collaborate with municipal officials in coming up with local climate change solutions. It was an overview of the program, an introduction into a new Climate Change Policy for the Region and a workshop on ways to move towards greater sustainability objectives. Next sessions are on Thursday at the Museum in Kitchener and on Monday at Cambridge City Hall. Pre-registrations can be done online here: http://www.climateactionwr.ca/participate/community-forums/

PERSONAL OPINION: The program appeared to be geared towards "marketing the region" as being sustainable. It is working with provincial growth targets as being absolute rather than optional. (50% population growth anticipated) It seemed very clear the staff were seeking comments based on a list of "pre-designated issues" rather than opening up dialogue on "should we grow" or "what is our geological carrying capacity" approach but none the less, people are given a form to give comment on the new strategy and there is room to tuck in ideas in there.
One of the key issues that was not discussed was the Lake Erie pipeline but there was strong support for the Region's current battle to support the official plan at the OMB. That was very good to see but experts on the panel did admit if that OMB process fails, we're pretty much screwed. That's not what they said verbatim but it is what it is. Either way, it was good to see GREN folks there and I think we really need to send the message that sustainability within geological carrying capacity should be given top priority. A Similar message to what was shared with the GRCA's water budget masterplan would be good: Plan within carrying capacity and protect source areas and farmlands for generations to come. 

PETITIONS

Support Great Lakes protection with Environmental Defence 
http://environmentaldefence.ca/take-action-twenty-cent-world%E2%80%99s-freshwater-needs-you

Avaaz petition to Ban Shark Fin Trade in Canada http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Canada_Time_to_Ban_the_Shark_Fin_Trade/?wSvafab

Have a good one everybody! 
Lulu :0)
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