����������������������������� THE GALLON ENVIRONMENT LETTER ����������������� Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment ������������������ Institut Canadien du Commerce et de l'environnement ���������������������� 506 Victoria Ave., Montreal, Quebec H3Y 2R5 ���������������������� � Ph. (514) 369- 0230, Fax (514) 369- 3282 �������������������������������� Email� [EMAIL PROTECTED] ��������������������������� Vol. 3, No. 3, January 21, 1999 ************************************************************** ������������� CANADA��� CANADA��� CANADA��� CANADA ************************************************************** �ALTERNATIVES� MAGAZINE THREATENED LAST CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE MAY BE SHUTDOWN BY FEDERAL AGENCY For more than 28 years, �Alternatives� magazine, created in 1971, published out of the University of Waterloo, Ontario, has been providing Canada with excellent environmental information and advanced thinking on many of the emerging issues. Other great Canadian environmental magazines like �Probe Post� and �Ecolutions� have disappeared, leaving �Alternatives� as the last major Canadian magazine. Now its very survival is at stake. Its annual $30,000 funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is being stopped by the Council. Dr. Robert Gibson, long time Editor of �Alternatives� said that, �Alternatives is the official publishing vehicle of the Environmental Studies Association of Canada, which represents scholars in universities across Canada and is part of the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada. It is heavily used in university libraries and its contents are widely adopted as university course text material. To us this suggests that our approach is indeed appropriate. Alternatives is a successful, if atypical, scholarly journal that actually does reach a wide audience of scholars and practitioners.� The funding was provided by SSHRC through the Aid to Research and Transfer Journals Program, under the Ministry of Industry� Canada. The SSHRC decision to end its annual funding was based on an adjudication committee's assessment which apparently concluded that the journal does not meet the SSHRC transfer journal criteria. Yet the journal had met the criteria for the last decade and has not changed its basic intellectual approach. So why now?� What is different? What would cause the SSHRC to change its mind? It doesn�t make sense. If you want to save Canada�s last prestigious environmental journal, write or call, Marc Renaud, President, SSHRC, Tower II, 10th Floor, Constitution Square, 350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1610, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6G4, Ph. (613) 995548, email� [EMAIL PROTECTED], Their website is� <http://www.sshrc.ca/>http://www.sshrc.ca/� You should also contact the Hon. Sheila Copps, Minister of Heritage, responsible for Canada�s culture and cultural publications like magazines. As well, you may also wish to contact the Hon. John Manley, Minister, Industry Canada,� 235 Queen St., Ottawa. He is the Minister responsible for SSHRC, and indirectly, for the funding for �Alternatives�. Contact him at ph. (613) 995- 9001, Fax (613) 992 0302,� Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************************************** PARTICIPATE IN CANADA�S ENERGY SUPPLY/DEMAND CONSULTATIONS Canada�s National Energy Board (NEB) will be holding consultations on the country�s energy supply and demand (oil, natural gas and electricity). The deadline for written submissions is March 1, 1999. The NEB is updating its long-term outlook on energy supply and demand, which will be entitled "Canadian Energy - Supply and Demand to 2025". Round one consultations took place in April 1998, and round two is happening now, concentrating on comments regarding the NEB's preliminary analysis. The final report is to be released in June 1999. Workshops are being hosted during February in eight cities. Contact Ian Hayhow, Project Manager, National Energy Board, Tel. 403- 299- 3107,� Fax 403 299- 3664, email� [EMAIL PROTECTED] Also, see the NEB website <http://www.ec.gc.ca/>http://www.neb.gc.ca ********************************************************************** LATEST TWO STUDIES ON CLIMATE IMPACT POSSIBILITIES ON CANADA <http://www.ec.gc.ca/>Environment Canada has released the latest two volumes of the Canada Country Study which examines the impact of climate change in Canada and the ways in which Canadians can adapt to its effects. These reports make recommendations as to critical next steps to increase Canadians' understanding and capacity to� respond to climate change.� For more information or copies of the� report contact Environment Canada at 1- 800- 668- 6767; Fax 819- 953- 2225; Email� [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to the website http://www.ec.gc.ca/press/ccs2_n_e.htm. ************************************************************* CANADIAN "BIG THREE" AUTOMAKERS RENEW AND STRENGTHEN COMMITMENT TO POLLUTION PREVENTION Chrysler, Ford and General Motors today announced in December 1998, their continued commitment into the new millennium towards a voluntary reduction in toxic substance use, generation and release from the automotive manufacturing facilities. The renewed and strengthened Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the CEO�s of the Canadian "Big Three", Mr. Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA) and the Ontario Minister of the Environment Norman Sterling and the federal Minister of the Environment Christine Stewart. The MOU was started in May 1992, and has been renewed to December 31, 2000.� Since 1992, the agreement has resulted in reductions and/or eliminations of more than 6,700 tonnes of the listed target substances and 330,000 tonnes of other substances and wastes. Contact, Mark A. Nantais, President, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, ph. (416) 364-9333, or the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2), 'Canada's Foremost P2 Resource', 100 Charlotte St., Sarnia, Ontario� N7T 4R2, 1- 800- 667- 9790, fax 519 337- 3486, email� [EMAIL PROTECTED], website� <http://c2p2.sarnia.com/>http://c2p2.sarnia.com *************************************************************************** RYERSON HOSTS 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WORLD ORDER AND ENVIRONMENT Ryerson Polytechnic University has issued a Call For Papers for the Second Interdisciplinary Conference on the Evolution of World Order � Global and Local Responsibilities for a Just and Sustainable Civilization�, June 3 to 6, 1999, at Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Ontario. The conference aims to assess the shortcomings in the existing world order, and at proposing new social structures and processes which are more meaningful to the environment and fair social systems. Registration fees are CDN$ 190. For those who wish, they can submit a one-page abstract of a proposed presentation, poster, exhibit or internet presentation.� Mail, or facsimile copies should be accompanied by a computer disk in MS Word, WordPerfect or ASCII text file.� Email copies in the same format are acceptable.� Send to Helmut (Ken) Burkhardt, Adjunct Professor of Physics, Ryerson Polytechnic University Toronto, and Co-chair, World Order Conference. All accepted abstracts will be published on the WOC discussion list, and the WOC home page.� Tel. 416- 979- 5000 x 7246, Fax 416-979- 5064 email� [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website� <http://www.pgs.ca/>http://www.pgs.ca/woc/ Newsletter ************************************************************** BOVAR ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLETES CONTRACT TO INSTALL AIR POLLUTION MEASURING DEVICES IN MALAYSIA The Canadian environmental companies, BOVAR Incorporated Ltd., was awarded a twenty year privatization concession to install, operate and maintain a network of 50 continuous air quality monitoring stations throughout Malaysia. It formed a joint venture company with Malaysia's Progressive Impact Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (PIC), calling the new company, Alam Sekitar Malaysia (ASTHMA). Currently they have 39 stations in operation.� Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. has installed 32 API devices nationwide and the remaining 18 devices will be complete by the year 2000. Besides those requisitioned by the DOE, an additional three devices were installed in East Malaysia at the request of the Sarawak State Government (NST August 19, 98). **************************************************************** GET YOUR EMS SOFTWARE FROM GREENBRIDGE MGMT ONTARIO Run a complete environmental management system (EMS) gap analysis on Greenbridge Management's environmental info centre web site. Greenbridge has developed a suite of EMS software and diagnostic tools that run off their web site.� You can also conduct a detailed diagnosis of your emergency response plan and your risk management practices. Save your results and track your progress. There is no need to install and maintain software. It is ready to run if you already have a web browser. The diagnostic tools are accompanied by extensive "how-to" tips, references, sample procedures, list of environmental aspects found in different industries, discussion forum, and many related web sites. The material is updated regularly, so there is no need to remove and insert new pages into 3-ring binders like there is in a paper system. If you are an environmental director and want to give your site environmental co-ordinators an easy tool to diagnose their EMS, this site is for you.� For a demo, call Phil Green at (905) 855 0975� or e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED]� Greenbridge Management Inc. Suite 260, 2155 Leanne Blvd, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 2K8. Ph. (905) 855- 0975 fax (905) 855- 0977, website� <http://www.greenbridge.com/>http://www.greenbridge.com **************************************************************** BCNI CORRECTS PREVIOUS ARTICLE ON BCNI John R. Dillon, Vice President, Environment and Legal Counsel, Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) wrote to clarify some of the inaccurate information provided in our last newsletter article on BCNI. For example, he rightly questions the information provided in Allan Fotheringham�s article in Canada�s Maclean�s Magazine we quoted, that stated, � d�Aquino brought 17 federal and provincial deputy ministers together at the Kyoto Conference to watch his slide show that preached for a reduction in Canada�s environmental goals.�� Fotheringham was inaccurate. Mr. d�Aquino did not go to Kyoto with John Dillon. Nor did he or Dillon make a presentation to Canadian officials there. Actually, the BCNI presentation was made earlier, and in Canada, to senior Canadian officials on Kyoto before they went to Kyoto. Notwithstanding, we do apologize for any incorrect information. The following is John Dillon�s full letter on our article. ******************************************************** BCNI STATES THAT I take issue with a number of statements in the article. � 1)� Tom d'Aquino did not go to Kyoto.� I was a member of the Canadian� delegation, and so too were a number of business and environmental� group representatives, as is now standard practice. 2)� With regard to the claim that d'Aquino brought 17 federal and provincial deputy ministers together at the Kyoto Conference", Fotheringham is wrong.� No such meeting took place in Kyoto. 3)� Your suggestion that the BCNI "has been going head to head with environmental groups in Canada on the new Canadian Environmental Protection Act" is also at odds with the facts.� A�� number of industry and environmental groups have made their views known on Bill C-32, but BCNI has not been part of this exercise. 4)� I categorically reject your suggestion that the BCNI "has been working hard on the federal and provincial governments to relax their environmental protection measures" . BCNI was one of the early proponents of sustainable development in Canada, arguing that environmental and economic progress can and should go hand in hand. We urged our members to look aggressively for opportunities to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and recent evidence shows that a number of major industry sectors have done so.� Where we have parted� company with the federal government is with regard to whether the� Kyoto target is realistic for Canada, a reduction of 25 percent in a� relatively short period of time. And we say this in light of what� other countries have agreed -- or not agreed! -- to take on as� targets, given our dependence on energy intensive industries for a� substantial portion of our national wealth, and given that there is� little reason to believe that Canadians are ready for the rather substantial changes in behaviour and lifestyle that such an ambitious target would require. Signed, John R. Dillon, Vice President, Environment and Legal Counsel, Business Council on National Issues, 90 Sparks Street, Suite 806, Ottawa, Ontario�� K1P 5B4, Tel. (613) 238- 3727, fax (613) 236- 8679, email� [EMAIL PROTECTED] **************************************************************** BCNI�S NEWSLETTER EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT MEETING STRINGENT KYOTO TARGETS The Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) published and circulated to senior decision makers in government and industry the Spring 1998 issue of its newsletter, �National and Global Perspectives�, which had a section on climate change under the heading �sustainable development�. It featured five articles warning Canada against pursuing a rapid and substantial reduction in greenhouse gases. The first article by Gwyn Morgan, Alberta Energy Company Ltd., stated that, �the Kyoto Protocol sets totally unrealistic reduction targets in equally unrealistic time frames.� He added that, �not many Canadians will realize that Canada�s Kyoto commitments could spread a virulent virus which emaciates the livelihood and living standards of millions of Canadians.� In another article, Roger Phillips, IPSCO Inc., questioned the accuracy of the science supporting the call for greenhouse gas reduction. Phillips wrote that, �scientists can�t even agree on whether the long term climate trend is a warming one�. Phillips added that, �There is a good chance that the real contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming will be so small as not to warrant draconian action.� Tom d�Aquino wrote in the same newsletter an article entitled, �Punitive Measures Will Not Work�, asked,� �how then should business try to influence the agenda on the climate change issue so that it truly can be compatible with expanded trade and economic development throughout the world?� Tom d�Aquino added that, �citizens need to understand that major changes in lifestyle and economic expectations are in store....�. **************************************************************** CEIA ONTARIO TO HOST NAD BANK SPEAKER AT BUSINESS BREAKFAST On March 22, 1999, 700 am, CEIA Ontario will host a business opportunities breakfast with a key representative from the North American Development Bank (NADBank) in Toronto. Following the breakfast, a half day workshop will be held for CEIA Ontario environmental company members on how to work with the NAD Bank. CEIA Ontario is co sponsoring along with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment�s Green Industry Office (GIO), the Ontario International Trade Corporation (OIC), and the Canadian Consulate office in Dallas. Contact Tom Armstrong, Executive Director, CEIA Ontario, 23 Lesmill Road, Suite 102, Toronto, Ontario, M3B 3P5,� Tel. 416 447 2456, Fax 416 447 5828, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website at� <http://www.ceia.on.ca/>http://www.ceia.on.ca/ **************************************************************** ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK The North American Development Bank (NADBank) has up to $U.S. 3.0 billion to finance infrastructure and environmental projects on the U.S. and Mexican border. It was created May 18, 1994, along with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) by U.S. President Executive Order 12916. The bank provides the funding for projects that have been reviewed and approved by the BECC. For example, the NAD Bank provided U.S. $2.0 for the development of a collection and a proper landfilling system for the town of Agua Prieta, Sonora, M�xico. NAD Bank has provided US $ 14.5 million for the Construction of a wastewater collection system and connections to the treatment plant in McAllen, Texas. And, it has provided US $31.2 million to the Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, M�xico for the construction of two wastewater treatment plants (north and south), collectors, sewer lines and pumps to convey wastewater to the plants for treatment, and the rehabilitation and replacement of sanitary sewer lines in the city. Address,� Victor Miramontes, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, North American Development Bank, 203 South St. Mary�s, Suite 300, San Antonio, Texas 78205, Tel. (210) 231 8000, Fax (210) 231 6232, website� <http://www.nadbank.org/>http://www.nadbank.org/ ����� ********************************************** ************************************************************ ������������ $180.90 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO ����������� THE GALLON ENVIRONMENT LETTER Subscribe to "The Gallon Environment Letter". The 8 to 10 page newsletter is loaded with up to date business and policy information that your company, government agency, or organization can use immediately. It is provided twice a month. It is also accompanied by the �Green Jobs Available Report� that is sent to you once a month. Subscribe now. Send a cheque for $180.90 a year ($169.00+ $11.90 GST) and help finance the research that delivers inside information and breaking news on environment business in Canada and the world. Make your cheque out to, "Gallon Letter", 506 Victoria Ave., Montreal, Quebec, H3Y 2R5. ************************************************************* ���� ***************************************** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ���� Copyright (c) 1999 Canadian Institute for ����� Business and the Environment, Montreal ������������� All rights reserved. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
