Liberals Give Canada's Oceans More Protections

On February 15, 2017, the Government of Canada announced a partnership with the Province of B.C. and coastal First Nations to protect coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend upon them. This follows a November 7, 2016, announcement in which Justin Trudeau pledged $1.5 billion national Oceans Protection Plan. The plan creates a marine safety system, it restores and protects marine ecosystems and it strengthens the partnerships with Indigenous communities. The government also pledged to invest in evidence-based oil spill response methods.

After a decade of neglect from federal Conservatives, the ruling Liberal Government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has embarked on an ambitious plan to support Canada's vast ocean coastlines.

The Liberal government has repeatedly stated that it intends to take a science-based approach to protecting our environment, fighting against climate change, and growing the economy. The Liberal website adds, "We will protect our freshwater and oceans." The government will safeguard Canada's $40 billion ocean-based industries with what it calls, "robust and credible environmental assessments".

The Liberal plan includes a pledge to protect 10 percent of Canada’s marine and coastal areas by 2020. They will also invest $8 million per year in community consultation and science. The Liberal have also reinstated 40 million worth of funding for ocean science programs that were cut by the Conservatives. This money will be used to monitor fish, contaminants, and pollution. It will also support responsible and sustainable aquaculture industries.

The Liberal government has been criticized for trying to have it both ways. They want to be champions of the environment and climate action while at the same time ramping up fossil fuel production and building pipelines. They appear to present two diametrically opposed visions for the country. The schism is so pronounced that some of their big green announcements could be characterized as pyrrhic victories.

However, Canadian climate and energy policy is vastly more responsible than their Conservative predecessors. Investments in renewable energy have benefited from the change of government. Under the Liberals Canada played a leadership role at COP21 and they also secured a historic pan-Canadian climate deal.

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The Cost of Oil: BP Reaches $20 Billion Settlement with the Federal Government

In the largest single entity settlement in the Department of Justice's history, BP will have to pay $20.8 for its role in the infamous Gulf of Mexico oil spill in April, 2010. Since the disastrous explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform BP has been engaged in protracted negotiations with the federal government. Now the Department of Justice have finalized the settlement with BP. The settlement comes after years of legal wrangling. In July, the Supreme Court denied the company’s appeal to block benefits for those not directly affected by the spill.

As reported by The Hill, the fine breaks down as follows

• $5.5 billion to settle civil claims under the Clean Water Act
• $7.1 billion for environmental restoration work
• $700 million to compensate for still-unknown damages to natural resources in the region
• $4.9 million to Gulf Coast states affected by the spill
• $1 billion to local communities. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas will split that portion of the settlement.
• BP has also already spent more than $1 billion on environmental restoration work in the area

Almost $9 billion of the settlement money will be used by for a Gulf restoration fund. This money will be invested in coastal and habitat repair, water quality improvement in wetlands and recreational projects in the region.

Biologists have observed that the 3.19 million gallons of oil that pored into the Gulf is having long term effects that continue to this day.

"This is still the largest environmental penalty under the Clean Water Act and Oil Pollution Act, ever," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said. "BP is receiving the punishment it deserves while also providing critical compensation to the damage to the Gulf region."

The punishment will serve as a deterrent that will hopefully prevent similar disasters in the future.

"The steep penalty should inspire BP and its peers to take every measure necessary to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again," Lynch said.

The $20.8 billion fine is separate from the class-action settlement with businesses and individuals affected by the spill.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy noted that the settlement includes $700 million to address any potential environmental damages that officials have yet to discover.

"Justice is not about dumping a pile of money and walking away," McCarthy said. "It is about investing in sustainable ways that empower and strengthen the Gulf communities over the long term."

The settlement still needs to be approved by a federal court.

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BP's Legal Wrangling Five Years After the Gulf Oil Spill

BP has a lengthy criminal rap sheet that culminated in the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Despite BP's long criminal history they are anything but repentant. Rather than accept the penalties levied against them for the 2010 spill they are doing everything in their power to minimize their legal and financial responsibilities.

US District Court judge Carl Barbier found that BP was guilty of "gross negligence" and "willful misconduct." Although the trial concluded earlier this year, the final settlement has yet to be announced.

All throughout the legal proceedings BP has waged a massive and misleading advertising campaign which gives the impression that all is well in the Gulf. However this contention is squarely refuted by the science.

The statutory penalty in the Clean Water Act for BP's actions its actions is $4,300 per gallon, or over $18 billion. Thus far BP has agreed to pay $4.5 billion in related criminal and civil penalties and faces additional fines, as well as to thousands of claims by individuals and companies. It’s also agreed to resolve most private-party lawsuits as part of an uncapped settlement BP values at about $9.2 billion

Whatever the fines, they will be a fraction of the actual costs to the economy, wildlife and the Gulf ecosystem.

After months of negotiations the EPA gave BP the right to bid for US contracts and oil leases on March 2014. However, BPs misinformation and refusal to take full responsibility for the Gulf oil spill casts aspersions on the EPA decision.

As reported by Bloomberg, the EPA imposed the contract suspension in 2012 after determining that BP hadn’t fully corrected deficiencies that led to the Gulf oil spill. BP sued the EPA in federal court in Houston seeking to lift the suspension and then dropped the lawsuit after a deal was reached.

As explained by Tyson Slocum, director of the Public Citizen’s Energy Program in Washington, the EPA decision was premature. This "lets a corporate felon and repeat offender off the hook for its crimes against people and the environment," Slocum said in a statement. BP "was on criminal probation at the time of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, and it has failed to prove that it is a responsible contractor."

The government suspended BP’s rights to seek federal contracts after the company pleaded guilty to 11 counts of felony seaman’s manslaughter, two pollution violations and one count of lying to Congress in connection with the spill.

In addition to the spill, the EPA cited the 2005 explosion at a BP-owned Texas City, Texas, refinery and two oil spills in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, as grounds for the 2012 debarment. At the time of the April 2010 spill, BP was on probation after pleading guilty in 2007 to a felony air-pollution charge and paying a $50 million fine for the explosion in Texas City that killed 15 workers.

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The Toll on Wildlife from the Gulf of Mexico BP Oil Spill

A number of wildlife species have been devastated by the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This includes seabirds, turtles, fish, and vegetation.

Between 800,000 and one million sea birds have died from oil exposure in the Gulf of Mexico since 2010. Entire seabird populations have suffered from major die-offs. Oil related deaths include 12 percent of brown pelicans (over 200,000 have been exposed to oil),  almost one third (32 percent) of northern gulf laughing birds and 13 percent of royal turns. A total of 20,000 Kemp's turtles and 60,000 Ridley turtles died in 2010.

Five times the normal rate of lung disease have been observed in bottlenose dolphins and a total of 1000 dolphins have been found stranded between 2010 and 2015.

Under the water a number of species were impacted including oysters and sea grass which provide food and habitat for a wide range of aquatic life. There has been an 85 percent reduction in the diversity of northern gulf seaweed habitats. Species that depend on this seaweed include shrimps, lobsters and crabs.

In the two years following the disaster there was a 50 percent drop in oysters and 10 square miles of sea grass were adversely impacted.

The importance of the gulf oil spill on fish species is important because two thirds of fish species that live in the area of the spill are found only in the gulf. As few as 50 Brydes whales are thought to be left in the gulf and the calves of this species are particularly vulnerable to the dispersant used to break-up the spill. Dispersants are also thought to have adverse health impacts on Sperm Whales and other species

To this day fish species continue to suffer from disruptions to their growth, development and reproduction. Some fish species were found to be covered in lesions due to the spill.

Heart defects and other morphological abnormalities have been found Atlantic bluefin, yellowfin tunas and an amberjack species. Swordfish, marlin, mackerel and other Gulf species may also suffer from similar impacts.

It will take years if not decades to understand the full scope on the impacts.

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Research Summary of BP's Gulf Oil Spill

A number of studies indicate that the environmental impacts of the BP's 2010 oil spill in the gulf is anything but over. Huge amounts of oil are still on the ocean floor and this is finding its way into the food chain. Other studies show fish that spawn in these oil contaminated waters in the Gulf are suffering from a wide range of lethal deformities.

A study published earlier this year suggested that the oil that lingers in the Gulf of Mexico continues to pose a threat to local ecosystems. The study by Florida researchers indicates that About 3,243 sq miles (8,400 square km) of the sea floor is still covered with oil from the disaster.

"This is going to affect the Gulf for years to come," Jeff Chanton, the study's lead researcher and a professor of chemical oceanography at Florida State University, said in a statement.

This study corroborates an October study which found that as much as 30 percent of the spilled oil remains on the ocean floor.

"Fish will likely ingest contaminants because worms ingest the sediment, and fish eat the worms. It's a conduit for contamination into the food web."

CBS news quoted the study’s lead researcher, Jeff Chanton, as saying: ‘This is going to affect the Gulf for years to come.

‘Fish will likely ingest contaminants because worms ingest the sediment, and fish eat the worms. It's a conduit for contamination into the food web.’

Dolphins and turtles in the Gulf are dying in record numbers. Bottlenose dolphins have been dying at more than twice the normal rate over the past five years and the nesting habits of the endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle changed dramatically around the time of the spill. Commercial fisheries have also seen a reduced yield.

The BP oil spill was an unprecedented disaster and after five years 2 percent of samples of water and seafloor sediment continue to exceed federal toxicity levels. According to research from the Associated Press the overall health of the Gulf of Mexico has declined 11 percent since April 2010.

The research suggests that lingering impacts of the BP oil spill in the Gulf are being felt by tuna and other species that spawned in oiled offshore habitats in the northern Gulf of Mexico. A Stanford NOAA study revealed that the spill is causing severe defects in the developing hearts of Atlantic bluefin, yellowfin tunas and an amberjack species. The study shows that crude oil exposures is slowing the heartbeat or causing an uncoordinated rhythm in these fish, which can ultimately lead to heart failure.

"We know from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Prince William Sound that recently spawned fish are especially vulnerable to crude oil toxicity," said Nat Scholz, Ph.D., leader of the ecotoxicology program at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. “"That spill taught us to pay close attention to the formation and function of the heart."

"This fits the pattern," said Dr. John Incardona, NOAA research toxicologist and the study’s lead author. "The tunas and the amberjack exposed to Deepwater Horizon crude oil were impacted in much the same way that herring were deformed by the Alaska North Slope crude oil spilled in Prince William Sound during the Exxon Valdez accident."

"The timing and location of the spill raised immediate concerns for bluefin tuna," said Barbara Block, Ph.D., a study coauthor and professor of biology at Stanford University. "This spill occurred in prime bluefin spawning habitats, and the new evidence indicates a compromising effect of oil on the physiology and morphology of bluefin embryos and larvae."

The culprit in the heart defect appears to be oil-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs can persist for many years in marine habitats and cause a variety of adverse environmental effects. Other observed morphological abnormalities on oil-exposed larva were also revealed in the study. This includes poor growth of fins and eyes.

"We now have a better understanding why crude oil is toxic, and it doesn’t bode well for bluefin or yellowfin embryos floating in oiled habitats.” said Block. “At the level of a single heart muscle cell, we’ve found that petroleum acts like a pharmacological drug by blocking key processes that are critical for cardiac cell excitability."

The authors further suggest that other species like cardiac-related impacts on swordfish, marlin, mackerel and other Gulf species may also be impacted cardiac abnormalities if they spawned in proximity to oil.

Experts say it could take "decades" for the ecosystem to recover.

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The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf Five Years Later

Exactly five years ago (April 20, 2010), BP's Deepwater Horizon oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 people and injuring 17 more. The explosion unleashed one of the worst environmental disasters in human history. For 87 days (April 20 and July 15, 2010) the oil spewed from the well and by the time it was finally contained at least 3.2 million barrels (134 million gallons) of crude oil had contaminated the Gulf of Mexico and 1,100 miles of coastline.

The worst marine disaster ever damaged bird sanctuaries, marine and wildlife habitats. It also soiled beaches, killed wildlife and devastated local economies. The ecologically vital marsh lands of the gulf coast have not recovered and wildlife is still suffering.

The Gulf may look clean but it is not. Even after a five year $28 billion clean-up operation the repercussions from the spill continue to this day. While much of the oil has evaporated or dissolved, up to 10 million gallons of oil remain on the sea floor. About 3,243 sq miles of the sea floor is still covered with oil from the disaster. Oil can also be found in marshes along the coast and deposits still wash up on shore.

The unprecedented spill took place 5000 feet below the surface of the ocean, 40 miles off the Louisiana coast. It had immediate economic impacts on the fishing industry and tourism. It also took a devastating toll on wildlife. Untold thousands of birds, turtles fish and shrimp were killed in the aftermath and a range of species are being impacted to this day. Dolphins and turtles are dying in record numbers and fisheries are still being affected.

The head of the NOAA during the spill Jane Lubchenco aptly summarized events when she said, "The spill was — and continues to be — a disaster. The bottom line is that oil is nasty stuff. Yes, the Gulf is resilient, but it was hit pretty darn hard."

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BP Issues Climate Warning and Calls for Carbon Pricing

One of the world's largest oil companies has stated that we have to price carbon to curtail carbon emissions.

The science is clear and there have been a vast number of warnings coming from a wide variety of sources including, AGU, IEA, IPCC, PwC, World Bank, and the World Meteorological Organization stating that our current trajectory is catastrophic. Now even those responsible for the problem are coming forward with warnings of their own.

In a February 2015 report titled, "Energy Outlook 2035," BP says that to keep carbon dioxide emissions within upper threshold limits the world must take coordinated action. 

BP's warning foreshadows demands that will be made for global emissions reductions at the forthcoming COP 21 climate talks at the end of the year in Paris. The UN and many other scientific bodies have repeatedly said that we must keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times to avert the worst impacts of climate change.

Many people think that the only way we can curtail climate change is through some forms of carbon pricing scheme and it would appear that BP agrees. BP has warned that atmospheric levels of CO2 from burning fossil fuels are unsustainable in the absence of global pollution regulations. The BP report predicts that CO2 emissions will increase by 1pc per year, or 25pc in total, through to 2035.

"The most likely path for carbon emissions, despite current government policies and intentions, does not appear sustainable. The projections highlight the scale of the challenge facing policy makers at this year’s UN-led discussions in Paris. No single change or policy is likely to be sufficient on its own," said BP chief executive, Bob Dudley. "This underpins the importance of policy-makers taking steps that lead to a global price for carbon, which provides the right incentives for everyone to play their part."

The author of the report, BP’s new chief economist Spencer Dale also acknowledged the volatile nature of oil prices from here on in.

"After three years of high and deceptively steady oil prices, the fall of recent months is a stark reminder that the norm in energy markets is one of continuous change," said Mr Dale.

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After a Failed Cover-up Shell Sub-Contractor Pleads Guilty

On December 11, Noble Drilling, Shell’s sub-contractor pleaded guilty to eight felony charges relating to environmental and safety violations on board the vessels Noble Discoverer and Kulluk in the Alaskan Arctic in 2012.

In addition to the offenses which include unsafe operating procedures Noble Inc. also tried to cover-up their illegal actions. According to the court ruling, Noble, “actively took steps to conceal its use of illegal [systems]”, and “knowingly made false entries” concealing problems from the authorities. Noble also admitted to illegally discharging bilge water from the Discoverer.

Noble will pay a $12.2m fine and the company has been placed on probation for four years and must upgrade all of its plans to meet safety and environmental protection requirements.

This news comes as Shell prepares to drill in the Arctic's Chukchi Sea next summer.

Shell has scrapped the Kulluk but the replacement called the Polar Pioneer may be worse as it is owned by Transocean, the same company that was behind the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The US Supreme Court recently denied BP's request to reduce its liability for the disaster.

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Supreme Court Gives BP a Lump of Coal for Christmas

The US Supreme Court has rejected BP's bid to decrease the settlement it agreed to pay to businesses and individuals. British Petroleum (BP) is well known for having produced the biggest offshore oil spill in history.

In 2010 BP's Deepwater Horizon exploded killing 11 people and spewing almost 5 million barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico. The environmental effects of this spill are being felt to this day.

A study published in October showed how there is a 1,235 square mile ring of coagulated oil residue on the ocean floor.

Another study published in March found that the BP oil spill has caused morphological abnormalities including heart deformities potentially leading to heart failure in several large predatory fish including Atlantic Bluefin tuna, Yellowfin tuna and Amberjacks.

Gulf area business suffered across the board but BP only wants to pay those who can prove that there is a direct link between the oil spill and their losses. On Monday December 8th, the Supreme Court refused to hear BP's argument. So far BP has paid out 2.3 billion of an estimated 9.7 billion to plantiffs. The ruling means that BP will have to pay an additional 7.4 billion to plantiffs.

This is but the latest attempt of BP to shirk its multi-billion dollar responsibility. Just a month earlier BP tried to get the courts to reduce their fines for "gross negligence" under the Clean Water Act from 18 billion to just over 12 billion.

While BP was seeking a multi-billion dollar gift this Christmas, all they got from the courts was a lump of coal.

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Video - Remembering Haiyan and Working for Climate Justice

One year ago today, November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever to hit land, devastated the Philippines. Powerful winds and seven meter high storm surges killed as many as 7,300 people and forced a million families from their homes. A year later thousand of people are still homeless.

The chief climate negotiator from the Philippines Yeb Saño delivered a speech to the U.N. climate summit in Doha following the devastating Typhoon Bopha that killed some 1,100. "In Doha, we asked, 'If not us then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where?' In the wake of Haiyan one year later in Warsaw," Saño said: "What my country is going through as a result of this extreme climate event is madness. The climate crisis is madness. We can stop this madness. Right here in Warsaw." 

Super storms like Typhoon Haiyan are the true face of the fossil fuel industry and unless we can rein in this rogue industry we will see even more record breaking storms. We know that fossil fuels are the leading cause of climate change and we must work to reduce our consumption and the emissions they cause.

The people of the Philippines are on the front lines of climate change and they are rising up and demanding climate justice. We must stand with them in their call for climate justice. They are at the forefront of a global movement calling for responsible governance and they need our support.  Be part of the global movement to stand together and say that we will not let storms like Haiyan become a way of life; we will stand together for climate action.

Last January 25th over 20,000 people came together in the Philippines for the Peoples Surge Rally. This call for climate justice is being reenacted on the anniversary of Haiyan. Hundred of people are staging a protest walk that will take them from Manilla to Tacloban City, the epicenter of the super-storm.

"We work with the local government and make them commit to implement disaster risk reduction management and climate change adaptation measures into making resilient communities. We walk for every Filipino whose lives and livelihood are at stake; for every country like the Philippines that has been damaged and continues to be damaged by climate change and its impacts.We walk to show world leaders that we refuse for Haiyan to be our way of life"

People Surge, an alliance of victims, organizations & individuals of the typhoon, has been mobilizing around the anniversary. They are preparing a two-day rally in Tacloban City for the anniversary wherein 20,000 participants who are survivors of calamities from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are expected.

With the aim of letting them know that we are with them, 350.org has organized a message campaign. Their fight is our fight. We are a global movement and we must stand together with those who are being devastated by climate change.

Click here to add your message.

You can help by donating to the Climate Relief fund which delivers 100 percent of the money raised will go to the Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC). Click here to donate.

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Judge Declares BP is Grossly Negligent but are Fines Enough?

A September 4, 2014 federal ruling states that BP was "grossly negligent" in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The judge cited BP for recklessness and criticized the company for what he termed "profit-driven decisions." This ruling is a crucial part of holding BP accountable.

On September 2, 2014 Halliburton agreed to pay a 1.1 billion settlement for its role in the disaster, but BP's fines could amount to more than 16 times that amount.

As explained in a statement by national and local organizations in New Orleans working on Mississippi River Delta restoration, "Today’s ruling a vital step toward holding BP accountable, restoring the Gulf."

BP has set aside 3.5 billion for civil penalties under the US Clean Water Act. However, the ruling by US District Judge Carl Barbier could cost the company more than five times that amount. BP may have to pay as much as $18 billion in pollution fines for the Gulf spill. In total the fines could amount to $4,300 for each barrel of crude spilled.

A total of 80 percent of the proceeds will go to environmental restoration projects and the remaining 20 percent will go into a trust fund to cover cleanup costs for future spills. However, no amount of money can repair all the ecological damage, nor will it bring back all of the creatures killed or the 11 workers that perished in the disaster.

In addition to fines, stock prices are another way that these legal proceedings are hurting BP. The company's shares closed down 5.9 percent in London following the federal judge's ruling. The cost have been significant even for an oil giant like BP. Due to the Gulf oil disaster, the company has been forced to sell off assets effectively making it a smaller company.

In the wake of the ruling, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation released the following statement:

"More than 4 years after the BP oil disaster, today’s ruling brings hope and justice for the people, wildlife and ecosystems of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. For 87 days, the Deepwater Horizon well spewed more than 4.1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico – because of BP’s egregious conduct. A court of law has confirmed that risky and reckless behavior has consequences. The areas most damaged by the spill cannot wait any longer for restoration to begin. Today’s ruling is a vital step toward holding BP and other parties responsible for the largest oil spill in our nation’s history."

It is hoped that by making the costs of such mishaps so burdensome, it will decrease the likelihood of their recurrence. Has BP learned its lesson?

Rather than accept the ruling, BP has indicated that it will fight the decision. A trial on the Clean Water Act fine is expected to take place in January 2015. Sadly, this tragic debacle is far from over and spill-related litigation may drag on for decades.

New projects including some in the Gulf of Mexico suggest otherwise. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the company was among the most active bidders in a lease sale in the Gulf last month. Further, the company has reached an all time high in Gulf oil extraction with 10 rigs increasing production by 32 percent over last year.

No matter how much BP pays, it will not be able to stop the egregious impacts on wildlife, nor can it stop the oil that continues to wash ashore from Louisiana to Florida. Given the fact that the impacts of the largest petroleum spill in marine history will last for generations, 18 billion seems like a steal.

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Infographic - BP Oil Spill 4 Years Later

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Event - The Sustainability of Delta Cities (Debate)

A debate on the ‘Sustainability of Delta Cities’ will take place on June 4,2014 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The debate will look at how we can better exploit what we know about land subsidence in urban areas. The speakers will examine the links between planning, design and construction in delta cities using Jakarta, New Orleans and the Green Heart of the Netherlands as examples.

Delta cities are facing long-term problems such as land subsidence, climate change and rapid rises in the population. Jakarta, New Orleans or Gouda: they can all look forward to major challenges.Land subsidence is a slow and lengthy process that today’s cities are not built to cope with.It is a problem that has not been adequately understood by urban planners, landscapers and architects. For these groups, Deltares will organise a debate on Wednesday 4th June, in the Kunsthal in Rotterdam.

Experts are called in only when the effects of land subsidence become apparent. By that time, the damage to buildings, infrastructure or foundations is already clear. Or flooding may have got worse, and floods be more likely. The cost of all the resulting damage can be enormous.

A debate organised by Deltares will look at how we can better exploit what we know about land subsidence in urban areas. The speakers will examine the links between planning, design and construction in delta cities using Jakarta, New Orleans and the Green Heart of the Netherlands as examples. After a broad description of the issues, the debate will focus on practical solutions. Possible approaches will be suggested for the implementation of measures from a governance perspective.

The debate is part of the IABR in Rotterdam. In the Kunsthal Rotterdam, from May 29 through August 24, IABR–2014–URBAN BY NATURE– presents IABR's projects as well as almost a hundred projects from all around the world – from the very small to the very large. Conferences, plans, movies, infographics, images and models take the visitor on a trip through the past, present and future of our urban landscapes: can we solve our environmental problems by tackling them in the city?

For more information click here. To register send an email to the following address: iabr@deltares.nl city,

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Kitchener/Waterloo's Climate Change Action Plan

Late in November, 2013, Kitchener city council unanimously endorsed Waterloo Region's first-ever climate change action plan. The plan will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by six percent from our 2010 levels by 2020. Waterloo and Cambridge Councils did the same earlier this month.

Kitchener has already made important investments designed to reduce environmental impacts. This includes transportation and energy conservation. They also have programs to assist residents and business to be part of the transition to a low-carbon economy. This includes car and bike sharing.

In addition to reducing Kitchener's 3.6 million tonne carbon footprint, these moves are designed to strengthen our local economy. The top 13 projects in the plan will provide $350-million to the local economy and create 5,400 jobs. The net effect of the plan will be reduced costs, increased our energy security and less smog.

The Waterloo region has experienced first hand the exorbitant costs associated with extreme weather events. Two severe storms in the Waterloo Region in July cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Click here to access the full plan and a summary version.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Event - The 2nd World Intelligent Cities Summit and Exhibition (WICS 2013)

The 2nd World Intelligent Cities Summit and Exhibition, which will be held on the 27th – 28th November 2013 in Istanbul, Türkey. Future development of cities and regions will require the intelligent integration of communications technology, coupled with changing behaviour in how we use this technology, to make our cities and regions smarter and more energy efficient.

This event is designed to help municipalities and regions of all sizes drive innovation, boost efficiency, leverage data, upgrade service delivery and achieve economic prosperity. 

With technological innovations transforming governance, and how citizens, businesses and public institutions interact with each other, it is crucial for you to understand the tools, processes and models required to cultivate “smart” communities and cities. Speakers and attendees in disciplines ranging from science and technology to planning and economic development will present cutting edge strategies to strengthen institutional efficiency, and assess broader commitments to competitiveness and sustainability.

This is the most important forum on a constantly evolving topic. Take advantage of exclusive opportunities to interact with the leaders around the world. WICS will provide key information, structured networking time, and actionable solutions to your most pressing questions. Leave with the best practices and insights for enhancing accessibility and public service delivery through technological innovations. This senior-level conference was developed with the thoughtful input of world leaders. Enjoy an exclusive setting, connect with senior government executives and exchange your successes and challenges while building referrals for your future professional endeavours.

This event will once again gather together city leaders, Government officials, academics, urban service providers and city development experts to share experiences, smart thinking and best practice for implementing the smart cities of tomorrow. WICS is an international platform for the transfer of knowledge, allowing leaders of municipalities to learn from the pioneers of smart city concepts and technologies. The event is unparalleled in the region for its peer-to-peer learning experience and excellent networking opportunities, aiding leaders and key stakeholders of municipalities to develop a secure and robust infrastructure that is fit for purpose for all citizens and achieves a more sustainable future.

Why attend?

•The key summit and exhibition for the smart cities sector
•The 2-day international summit will provide the best industry insights from eminent experts
•The combination of a high level summit and exhibition creates an ideal platform for you to meet the right people face to face

Who Should Attend

2nd Annual World Intelligent Cities Summit and Exhibition provides essential information for senior representatives from industry, academia and policy bodies working in a variety of roles including:

✓ Municipalities (Large and Small) & City administration officials and senior staff

•Mayors,
•Councillors,
•Chief Information Officers,
•VP/Directors of IT, Operations,
•Economic Development, Planning & Development,
•Communications & Engagement,
•Policy Analysts,
•CAO

✓ Technology Providers

•Presidents,
•CEOs,
•VP Business Development/Marketing,
•VP Infrastructure/Public Sector
•Project Directors,

✓ Urban Planners, Architects, Engineering & Consulting Firms

•Principal,
•VP,
•Project Directors/Managers,
•Associate,
•Business Development
•Engineering professionals

✓ Banks, Venture Capitalists, Investment Firms

•Presidents,
•CEOs,
•VP/Director of Business Development

✓ Universities, Colleges, Research Institutions and Labs, Non-Profits

•Executive Directors,
•Professors,
•Directors of Research & Development

✓ Provincial and Ministerial

•Chief Information Officers,
•Chief Technology Officers,
•Policy and Research Analysts,
•Directors of Planning & Development,
•Project Directors and Managers

✓ Technology entrepreneurs
✓ Business strategy executives
✓ IT service and solution providers
✓ Specialized advisors and consultants
✓ Societal change experts
✓ Developers
✓ Utility professionals: Metering, billing, CRM/CIS
✓ Metering Managers, Technical directors of utilities
✓ Real Estate Developers
✓ Network infrastructure vendors
✓ Automation solutions
✓ Telecom operators

To register click here.

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Video - Naderev Saño's Emotional Speech at COP 19/CMP 9 in the Wake of Typhoon Haiyan

Philippines delegate Naderev (Yeb) Saño made a passionate speech on behalf of those who have died and those who are suffering in the wake of Typhoon Hiayan. He pleaded with the world to take immediate, drastic action to reduce climate change-causing greenhouse gases. During this emotional speech at the UN's climate meeting in Warsaw, he announced his decision to fast for the climate until a meaningful outcome is in sight. "We can fix this, we can stop this maddness" Sano concluded.

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Video - Naderev Saño's Passionate and Prophetic Plea at the 2012 Doha Climate Talks

Last year Naderev Saño, the lead negotiator for the Philippines made an impassioned plea for action at the 2012 UN Climate Conference in Doha. Saño, could not hold back his tears as he made an appeal for real action on climate change. Although he was speaking after Typhoon Bopha struck the Philippines in 2012, in light of Typhoon Haiyan this year, his words are prophetic.

Here is a brief excerpt of his speech:

"I appeal to all, please, no more delays, no more excuses. Please, let Doha be remembered as the place where we found the political will to turn things around...The outcome of our work is not about what our political masters want. It is about what is demanded of us by 7 billion people...I ask of all of us here, if not us, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where?"

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The Horrors of Typhoon Haiyan Offers a Painful Glimpse into our Future

While it is reasonable to come to the conclusion that Typhoon Haiyan was exacerbated by climate change, it is indisputable that this record breaking storm, likely the most powerful to ever make landfall, is a foretaste of our future if we continue on our current trajectory.

As we watch the painful reports of people burying their dead, searching for loved ones or desperate for food and water we would do well to remember, this is not the isolated fate of an isolated people. This is what lies in store for all of us if we fail to make the transition to a low carbon economy.

By some estimates as many as 10,000 people may have died in Tacloban alone, if aid does not come soon many more will die from thirst, starvation and disease. Almost a million people have been displaced as their homes have been destroyed. 

Like so many countries, the Philippines struggles to deal with rampant corruption and violent extremism. When extreme weather is added to the mix we have a volatile and corrosive combination. As always the poorest people are the hardest hit.

While the impacts of the storm are horrific, it could have been far worse. Sadly it will get far worse in the Philippines and elsewhere unless we do act now to significantly reduce our ongoing output of GHGs. First and foremost this means rapidly reducing our consumption of fossil fuels.

We do not need to speculate about what the future of climate change will look like as Typhoon Haiyan offers a tragically graphic illustration. The death, devastation and suffering in the Philippines affords us a painful glimpse into what it will be like in a world ravaged by climate change.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Typhoon Haiyan: Why We Must Help the People of the Philippines

We all have responsibilities to assist those who are suffering from extreme weather particularly those of us who live in wealthy nations. Climate scientists have linked Typhoon Haiyam to climate change. We already know that climate change causes extreme weather and we also know that we are all guilty of contributing to global warming. Wealthier nations have additional responsibilities as we know that our wealth was achieved through industrialization. Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases (GHGs) which are a byproduct of industrialization. Therefore, wealthier countries have an obligation to help, both because we are the biggest contributors of global warming causing GHGs and because we have the means.

Extreme weather will increase in a world rocked by climate change and we need to be ready to help those in need. We can invest now in strategies to mitigate carbon and other GHGs or we can pay later as we try to address the awful toll of such events. For those who think we don't need to do either, think again. Failure to mitigate climate change or manage its aftereffects will have global consequences that will affect us all. This ranges from climate refugees, to conflict and war.

The second quarter of the Fifth IPCC report indicates that global food chains are also likely to break down and we will be far less able to feed ourselves and the globe. Drinkable water will also be in short supply.

In the Philippines the death toll will rise beyond the thousands that have already perished. People will die of thirst, hunger and disease. In addition to the absence of basic sustenance, almost one million people have lost their homes and have no shelter. Vast amounts of croplands have been devastated and in addition to the loss of their livelihoods, farmers will not be able to provide food. It will take months if not years to recover.

President Obama said the United States also stood ready to assist the government’s relief and recovery efforts. The US has deployed ships and aircraft to deliver supplies and help in the search-and-rescue efforts and the US Embassy in Manila has provided $100,000 for immediate health and sanitation efforts.

Tacloban has been devastated but this is not the only area affected. A number of fishing communities are located right up to the shoreline and may have been wiped out altogether. Cebu province was also hit hard.

Hurricane Sandy revealed that wealthy nations are not immune to the destructive impacts of extreme weather. Typhoon Haiyan offers us a glimpse of our own future. Even if we ignore the issue of culpability, we must do all we can to help, if for no other reason than the realization that we are all vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Click here to go to 350.org's direct relief aid.

Click here for a comprehensive summary of reputable charities accepting aid for Typhoon Haiyam relief (list compiled by ABC News).

Until December 9th, Canadian donations earmarked for Typhoon Haiyan made to a registered charity will be matched by the government of Canada. Click here to donate to the Canadian Red Cross.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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