A special information supplement for the Conference Board of Canada
A CLIMATE FOR ACTION
While politicians continue to wrangle over what can be done to address climate change, many Canadian companies are quietly working behind the scenes to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve their sustainable practices to levels that meet or beat the benchmarks set by the Kyoto Protocol.
Having accepted that business could not continue as usual in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence that human activities were a severe and growing threat to global climate, firms across all sectors started implementing programs that are now making a real difference to their impact on the environment.
Jayson Myers, president of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME), the country’s largest trade and industry association, says the manufacturing sector reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 9.3 per cent below 1990 levels between 1990 and 2005, compared to the Kyoto target of six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012.
“This has been achieved through a range of measures such as improved energy efficiency, switching to cleaner fuels, new technology and processes and increased productivity,” says Mr. Myers.
He says the performance among large manufacturers such as aluminum, steel, chemical and paper producers has been even more impressive, with emissions being cut by a combined 20 per cent below 1990 levels between 1990 and 2005.
Mr. Myers points out that the manufacturing sector produces many of the technologies that help other industries reduce their emissions, and it also makes consumer products such as appliances that are more energy efficient than ever before.
However, he concedes that there is still considerable work ahead to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even further, particularly among small and medium-sized companies. But he cautions against the imposition of regulations that could impede further progress.
“We need to encourage continued investment in technology and processes that reduce greenhouse gases. We don’t need onerous or complicated regulations that are costly to implement and distract manufacturers from the good work they are doing,” says Mr. Myers.
Pembina Institute climate change policy analyst Clare Demerse, however, argues that government policies to limit emissions are vital. “We need strong government leadership on this,” she says. “Some companies are progressive and have made the right moves, but many others have not, and until we put a price on pollution, that won’t change.”
Despite a lagging regulatory environment, many companies are seeking opportunities in climate challenges.
David Paterson, vice president of corporate and environmental affairs for General Motors Canada, says reducing emissions is an important focus within the automobile sector. Greenhouse gas emissions at GM Canada’s plants are now 40 per cent lower than 1990 levels, and smog emitted by GM-manufactured vehicles is down over 99 per cent since the 1970s.
He says GM is firmly focused on offering customers a wider and more affordable choice of “green” vehicles.
“Although hybrids still make up less than one per cent of vehicle sales in Canada, demand is growing and we are committed to meeting it,” says Mr. Paterson. “But hybrids are only one part of the answer. Our strategy is founded on the fact that we will require a diversity of cleaner fuels and a much broader range of affordable green vehicle technologies to make real progress.”
GM is bringing 10 different hybrid vehicles to market in Canada over the next year and has 15 models today capable of running on up to 85 per cent ethanol. GM also sells 15 vehicles with Active Fuel Management engines that conserve fuel in highway driving.
By 2010, GM also plans to be selling its Chevrolet Volt plugin electric concept vehicle with a rechargeable electric battery range of 64 kilometres eliminating trips to the gas station altogether for urban drivers.
Graham Kissack, director of sustainability for Richmond, B.C.-based Catalyst Paper Corporation, says his company has achieved a 70 per cent reduction in emissions below 1990 levels mainly by switching to clean-burning wood waste and implementing energy efficiency measures.
“In essence, we switched from oil and diesel to cleaner alternatives such as natural gas and wood waste,” he says.
The changes were astute and timely; Catalyst invested close to $250 million over the past decade to cut emissions at its five manufacturing facilities.
Mr. Kissack says the investment is paying off in terms of reduced emissions and operating costs.
“We are using energy far more efficiently than before, and by switching away from fossil fuels, we are not as exposed to current energy price increases as some of our competitors,” he says.
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David Greenall
Principal Research Associate – Energy, Environmental and Transportation Policy
The Conference Board of Canada
Mark Jaccard
Professor of Resource and Environmental Management
Simon Fraser University
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| Attachment | Size |
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| climateforaction.pdf | 1.19 MB |