Leading Thinkers Give Their Views on Sustainability

While Canadian thought leaders view cutting subsidies to dirty energy as having the most potential for greening the economy, Americans and Europeans are far more focused on green infrastructure investment.

This is just one of the findings of The 2010 Global Thought Leader Survey on Sustainability, a groundbreaking survey of more than 5,000 sustainability thought leaders in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. The survey was commissioned by the Pembina Institute from McAllister Opinion Research.

Thought leaders from government, academia, industry, institutions and non-profit organizations completed the survey, which featured a core set of sustainability-related questions plus four specialized sections: climate change, sustainable energy, green economics and oilsands.

Learn more: Summary Report

Paul Martin (Part 2) Natural Capital and Environmental Indicators

The 21st Prime Minister of Canada speaks with Pembina's David Dodge about importance of measuring natural capital: "I do not believe that a sound environmentalist and a sound economist can differ." Martin says it's important to develop alternative sources of energy and for Canada to not only benefit from protecting the environment but from the "tremendous economic opportunity" as well.

Watch more interviews in Pembina's 25th anniversary series

Value of Natural Capital in the Credit River Watershed

The natural capital of the Credit River Watershed near Toronto, Ontario, provides more than $371 million in ecological services to area residents every year. This finding is revealed in a new study by Mike Kennedy of the Pembina Institute and Jeff Wilson of Credit Valley Conservation.

“Natural capital is like the warehouse of nature.”

Mike Kennedy, co-author of Natural Credit

“Something not factored into modern economics are all of the services that nature provides us for free, just by its mere existence — things like clean water, waste processing, climate regulation, pollination and a host of other services that are essential to human survival.”

Perhaps surprisingly wetlands provide the highest economic values in services to the residents of the Credit Valley, contributing natural waste treatment, climate regulation and water supply services worth millions of dollars. The implication: remove the wetlands, lose the services.

Learn more:

Full Report | Fact Sheet | Media Release

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