Pembina Institute News

External review affirms quality of UN-backed climate research, suggests changes (blog)

Matthew Bramley — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:37:52 +0000

Yesterday the InterAcademy Council (IAC), a collaboration among the world's leading national science academies, issued its report on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — the UN body mandated by governments to conduct regular, comprehensive assessments of the science of climate change.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had asked the IAC to conduct an independent review of IPCC processes and procedures after it emerged that the last major IPCC report contained a few errors in the section that projects future impacts of climate change. As numerous distinguished scientists have pointed out, these errors have no effect on the overwhelming evidence that the world is warming, that greenhouse gases from human activities are mostly to blame, and that we face severe global impacts if we don't act urgently to cut emissions. Yesterday's IAC report does not change that picture.

Pembina reacts to study showing oil sands mines contribute heavy metals to the Athabasca River (media release)

Simon Dyer — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Simon Dyer, Oil Sands Program Director at the Pembina Institute, responded to the release of the peer-reviewed paper "Oil sands development contributes elements toxic at low concentrations to the Athabasca River and its tributaries."

Oil Sands Environmental Coalition calls on panel to reject Total oil sands mine application (media release)

Terra Simieritsch — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The Oil Sands Environmental Coalition filed a submission calling on the Joint Review Panel to reject Total E&P Canada's Joslyn North Mine Project application.

OSEC submission against Total Joslyn North Mine Application (publication)

Pembina Institute et al. — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The Oil Sands Environmental Coalition filed a submission calling on the Joint Review Panel to reject Total E&P Canada's Joslyn North Mine Project application.

When it comes to enforcing its regulations, is the ERCB more bark than bite? (blog)

Dan Woynillowicz — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:38:49 +0000

When the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) rolled out new regulations to manage oil sands tailings production (Directive 074) in February 2009, my colleagues and I were hopeful that a new, tougher approach to regulating oil sands development had begun. But based on past experience, we were cautiously optimistic at best.

At the time, my colleague Jennifer Grant responded: "Given the very weak track record of the ERCB and the Government of Alberta in implementing and enforcing oil sands environmental regulations, it may take two to five years to determine if this directive has teeth."

Allegations against climate science continue to unravel (blog)

PJ Partington — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:15:53 +0000

Earlier this year, we published a backgrounder assessing recent controversies and claims surrounding the integrity of climate science. There have been several new developments since then, so we thought it would be useful to summarize the main ones.

In line with the earlier investigations summarized in our backgrounder, the more recent reviews find that the allegations made about the "climategate" stolen e-mails affair or errors in volume II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC AR4) are either baseless or have no bearing on the case for urgent reductions in greenhouse gas pollution.

Environmental groups challenge Syncrude tailings plan approvals (media release)

Simon Dyer — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The Energy Resources Conservation Board's approval of Syncrude's tailings management plan is unlawful and must be revoked immediately, Ecojustice said today.

Ecojustice, acting on behalf of the Pembina Institute and Water Matters, has filed an application with the ERCB requesting approval be withdrawn until management plans are brought in line with ERCB's tailings management directive.

The Pembina Foundation Annual Report 2009 (publication)

Barb Bundt — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

This report features projects supported by The Pembina Foundation for Environmental Research and Education in 2009, a summary of the foundation's 2009 financial statements, and a list of supporters.

Bridging the Gulf between commuting and oil impacts (blog)

Cherise Burda — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:16:40 +0000

"Windmills not Oil Spills" — I saw this bumper sticker during the BP disaster. A Google search unearthed some even more provocative bumper stickers: "Plug the Damn Hole!" and "Way to go Gashole."

I'm hoping the vehicle owners that brandish these stickers will also realize the irony of an anti-oil sticker on a gasoline-fuelled bumper, regardless of its tagline. Surely they understand the connection between the Gulf disaster and their own steering wheel?

Report recommends five steps to cut Ontario's oil use, protect the environment and save money (media release)

Cherise Burda, Simon Dyer — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Bridging the Gulf highlights the connection between the choices made by commuters in Ontario, and the negative impacts of oil extraction in North America in light of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and ongoing ecological impacts from oil sands development. It focuses exclusively on personal transportation — how Ontarians get around every day — and presents five key actions to reduce oil use based on policy changes that are already underway in the province.

Bridging the Gulf (publication)

Cherise Burda, Alison Bailie, Graham Haines — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Bridging the Gulf highlights the connection between the choices made by commuters in Ontario, and the negative impacts of oil extraction in North America in light of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and ongoing ecological impacts from oil sands development. It focuses exclusively on personal transportation — how Ontarians get around every day — and presents five key actions to reduce oil demand based on policy changes that are already underway in the province.

Pembina Reacts: Report reveals oilsands having negative impact on Canada's freshwater (media release)

Simon Dyer — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Simon Dyer, oilsands program director for the Pembina Institute, responded to today's release of the Liberal members' of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development report from the committee's study of the impact of oilsands development on Canada's freshwater.

Environmental groups echo First Nations call for caribou protection (media release)

Simon Dyer — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Environmental groups have joined with four Alberta First Nations to urge the federal environment minister to provide emergency protection for caribou herds in northeastern Alberta, Ecojustice said today.

Ecojustice, acting on behalf of the Alberta Wilderness Association, the Pembina Institute and the Sierra Club of Canada Prairie Chapter, filed a letter today to Environment Minister Jim Prentice, demanding that he use emergency protection provisions in Canada's Species at Risk Actto protect caribou habitat in northeastern Alberta.

“Tell it like it is” oil sands campaign requires facts (blog)

Simon Dyer — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:40:26 +0000

We think it's a shame the government of Alberta doesn't hold themselves to the same standard they hold those that disagree with them.

Case in point: Jerry Bellikka, spokesperson from Premier Ed Stelmach's office, said: "If you compare overall emissions in Ontario and Quebec with Alberta's, setting aside growth ... I think you would find both those provinces are significantly higher than Alberta." This is plain wrong. Either Bellikka is unaware of the facts or choosing to ignore them.

Pembina and Water Matters React: Noncompliance with tailings directive 074 a growing concern (media release)

Simon Dyer — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Simon Dyer, oil sands program director for the Pembina Institute, and Joe Obad, associate director of Water Matters, responded to today's announcement that the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) has approved Imperial Oil’s Kearl oil sands tailings plan.

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.

Ontario's Green Energy Plan 2.0 (publication)

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

This Renewable is Doable report outlines how Ontario could save money by replacing the retiring Pickering nuclear station with green energy options.

The truth about tailings (blog)

Jennifer Grant — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:07:56 +0000

Some of the facts in a report I authored were recently challenged. The report, Northern Lifeblood - Empowering Northern Leaders to Protect the McKenzie River Basin, investigated current and future threats to the basin, including the risks associated with the 170 square kilometres of toxic tailings lakes in the Athabasca watershed. And it's the facts surrounding those toxic tailings lakes that were questioned.

Our report findings are carefully referenced, citing government, industry and academic, peer-reviewed documents. Nonetheless, Suncor Energy raised concerns with our findings in a letter to the editor printed in the Edmonton Journal.

Pembina reacts to Stelmach oil sands PR at Council of the Federation (media release)

Marlo Raynolds — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

In response to comments made by Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach at a Council of the Federation meeting, Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director of the Pembina Institute, responds that other Canadian provinces clearly demonstrate that you don't need to increase pollution in order to achieve strong economic growth.

Will Alberta learn from BP's mistakes? (blog)

Danielle Droitsch — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:58:56 +0000

Yesterday, U.S. President Barack Obama said, "the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end." As this catastrophe transitions from crisis to clean up and compensation, many are already starting to ask questions about whether BP and the U.S. government acted responsibly in the face of the spill. Few will ask whether BP's public relations job was effective. In fact, many have criticized BP for dedicating significant resources (upwards of $50 million) to its public relations efforts in lieu of taking more aggressive action.

Meanwhile, the oil sands public relations battle continues across Canada and in Washington D.C. Yesterday, another public relations chapter opened with the Government of Alberta launching a $268,000 ad campaign, commencing a "full court press" hitting national print publications, the Internet and possibly radio.