Nov 25, 2011
One of the hot potatoes being passed around the policy branches of state departments around the globe is the question of how to achieve a comprehensive, balanced and ambitious post-2012 Kyoto protocol that satisfies the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities. Recently, there have been numerous discussions to address this issue. One avenue, it is hoped, is deeper collaboration between policy makers during the upcoming UN climate change... read more
Oct 13, 2011
Many Canadians take access to clean drinking water for granted and do not yet realize that water conservation is fast becoming a critical issue as the supply of portable water becomes increasingly scarce in many parts of the country. A recent report by Bob Sandford, lead author of Climate Change Adaptation and Water Governance, links that scarcity to climate induced-water stress on Canada’s fresh water resources. According to Sandford that stress includes... read more
Sep 23, 2011
The realization that renewable energy technologies (RETs) and energy efficiency measures (EEMs) play a critical role in combating global climate change is not recent, but the awareness of their importance has made its way into mainstream just over the past decade. Still, a decade seems to be ample time for these technologies to be well integrated into our built environment. Particularly with regards to inadequate regulatory frameworks and the perceived risks of... read more
Sep 22, 2011
A relatively new generation of natural gas development technology, widely known as “hydraulic fracturing”, offers the possibility of extracting natural gas from shale in a more environmentally friendly manner. Hydraulic fracturing is a process by which thousands of gallons of pressurized water... read more
Jun 29, 2011
Next year, we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Rio Summit. I was 12 when the first summit occurred. I was obsessed with the Amazon forest and capuchin monkeys. Fast-forward 20 years and it has been a whirlwind of summits, conferences, talks and protocols. There have been some successes, such as the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer, however, most environmentalists have given up on the hope that governments will take bold steps... read more