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We're releasing this year's Annual Report next week, Tuesday Nov 3rd. Find out more ... -
The election is over - what's next?
Starting in August and ending just last week, Canadians have come through the longest federal campaign since 1872. Over the 11 weeks, much has been said about the economy, social issues, and Canada’s role on the international stage.
At the end of November, all eyes will turn to that stage in Paris, where negotiators meet to discuss climate change. Their goal is to reach an agreement to limit the global temperature increase to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The focus will properly be on the key role that national actors must play. However, one should not lose sight of the fact that many tools to address climate change lie in the hands of provincial governments.
As we pointed out in our 2015 Greenhouse Gas Progress Report, Ontario and other sub-national governments across North America have recently stepped up to the plate to set their own targets. And so, once the negotiators have closed their books and the lights have gone down in the City of Lights, the heavy lifting will continue closer to home.
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Live in Toronto and want some HELP making your home more energy efficient?
Then you may want to check out the City’s website to learn about its pilot project – the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP). HELP funds energy improvements such as insulation, air sealing, and high efficiency heating and cooling equipment by providing loans for 5 to 15 year terms at set rates. The loan is tied to the property, so it transfers across owners if there is a sale before the loan is repaid.
Don’t live in Toronto, but you still want some help improving your home’s energy efficiency? Contact your local municipality and let them know you want to see a program like this in your area! All municipalities across Ontario can offer this type of program, but it’s up to each municipality to implement its own program. For example, Guelph is exploring how it can use this type of program to significantly improve residential building energy efficiency.
Read our earlier blog and report to find out how and why Ontario municipalities are able to offer programs like this!
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What might the Volkswagen scandal mean for Ontario?
Will the recent Volkswagen diesel scandal provide a boost for clean vehicle purchases in Ontario? As the emissions scandal unfolds it will be interesting to see how environmentally conscious car buyers will respond.
Over the past several years, sales of diesel vehicles in North America have grown slowly but steadily. One of the reasons for this increase is because, from the perspective of fuel economy, they handily beat out gasoline engines. Performing 20-30 per cent more efficiently, diesel vehicles were promoted as a way to meet progressively more stringent fuel efficiency requirements. On the down side, however, they also produce more air pollutants that cause smog – such as nitrogen oxides.
Not only might this scandal drive down diesel sales on this side of the ocean, car buyers who are concerned about their vehicle’s emissions may also now give other types of green vehicles a second look. Particularly within Ontario, this would be a positive development. Since the province no longer uses coal to generate electricity, air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions have dropped dramatically from the electricity sector. As the ECO wrote in our 2012 Greenhouse Gas Progress Report, shifting transportation away from fossil fuel use and towards electrification provides a great opportunity to reduce emissions from that sector. New car buyers who are concerned about their impact on the environment would do well to keep this in mind!
Plugging in an electric vehicle -
What's a short-lived climate pollutant?
The California Air Resources Board recently released a Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. These pollutants – methane, fluorinated gases and black carbon – remain in the atmosphere for a shorter time period than carbon dioxide, but are more potent, hence are a key concern for climate change policymakers.
California is proposing to reduce emissions of the three key Short-Lived Climate Pollutants by 40-50 per cent below 2013 levels by 2030. The ECO wrote about the need for Ontario to reduce emissions of black carbon in its 2011 Climate Change Report. Black carbon has a global warming potential (a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere) of 1,600 greater than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
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Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England (former Governor of the Bank of Canada) recently gave a major speech on climate change, aimed at the investment community. He spoke about how climate change has the potential to destabilize financial markets. He called for increased disclosure by companies’ about their carbon footprints and climate change risk management, so that investors can assess the true risks associated with their investments.
The ECO wrote about the financial risks associated with climate change in our 2014 climate change report.
Mark Carney -
Toronto Hydro's energy conservation results
Toronto Hydro released a preview of its energy conservation results from 2011 to 2014. Over those four years, the utility says it cut energy demand by 1,583 gigawatt-hours (exceeding its 1,304 gigawatt-hours target) and reduced summer peak demand by 206 megawatts (falling short of its 286 megawatt target).
All electricity utilities in Ontario deliver energy conservation programs to their customers, so why are these results interesting? Official results against individual utility targets have yet to be released by the Ontario Energy Board. Therefore, Toronto Hydro’s news release provides a first official preview of how a utility has performed against its 2014 target. Also, this is a large utility and its performance could be an indicator of Ontario’s overall ability to achieve its conservation targets.
Based on Toronto Hydro’s numbers, it looks like the trend that we saw last year might hold true – Ontario might come close to achieving its energy demand target (6,000 gigawatt-hours) but fall short of achieving its peak demand reduction target (1,330 megawatts).
To find out if Toronto Hydro’s results are a reflection of overall provincial performance and other utility performance, you’ll have to stay tuned and check out our next Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report when it’s released sometime in the coming months! In the meantime, results for 2011, 2012, and 2013 energy savings for the province and each individual utility can be found in our useful reference table or from the Ontario Energy Board (.pdf).
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The Fight to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species Continues
Yet another invasive species story hit the news recently, with reports that border agents at Pearson International Airport found Khapra beetles in a passenger’s bag of dried beans. The Khapra beetle is a dangerous invasive species that feeds on a variety of grains. Originally from south Asia, in the 1950s and 1960s the U.S. government spent $15 million eradicating an infestation [source]. Today, there are no known infestations in Canada or the U.S.
As news media points out, Ontario is already dealing with three other invasive beetle infestations, including the Asian long-horned beetle and emerald ash borer, which both destroy trees. To read the ECO’s extensive reporting on invasive species, including the Asian long-horned beetle and the emerald ash borer, click here.
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The ECO team warmly welcomes our newly appointed Environmental Commissioner, Dr. Dianne Saxe, chosen with unanimous agreement of Ontario’s Legislative Assembly earlier this week. Her appointment takes effect December 1st, 2015.
More information ...
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Why do we need to know about future climate patterns?
If we want to ensure our communities and economy are resilient, we need to make sure Ontarians have access to quality, reliable climate data. To learn more, read our recently released Climate Data Roundtable report.
Let this short and simple animation show you why Ontarians need access to reliable future climate projections.
Help spread the word and share this video on Facebook and Twitter. Together we can kick-start the conversation on a critical and often overlooked topic.
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Do you Know a Community Group interested in Helping the Great Lakes?
The ECO has written extensively about threats to the Great Lakes, and efforts to protect and restore this vital watershed.
One way the Ontario government supports the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes is through the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund. This year, Ontario is awarding up to $1.5 million to community groups doing work to environmentally benefit the Great Lakes.
Selected groups, such as not-for-profit organizations, schools, and First Nation and Métis communities, can each get up to $25,000 to support their work. Past projects include restoring wetland habitat, controlling invasive species and naturalizing stream banks and shorelines.
For more information and to apply, you can visit the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s website. Applications will be accepted until October 23, 2015. -
10 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States on August 29, 2005.
It was one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, and has some important lessons for climate change policy makers in areas such as emergency management and resilience.
The ECO has written about the need to adapt infrastructure in Ontario for extreme weather, and will continue to track policy developments in this area.
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Have Your Say on Wetland Conservation
Wetlands are an important part of Ontario’s natural environment. They provide many ecological benefits, including flood control, improved water quality, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. Unfortunately, about 72 per cent of Ontario’s wetlands have been lost. To strengthen Ontario’s wetland policies and stop the net loss of wetlands, the Premier recently instructed the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to work with other ministers, municipalities and partners to review Ontario’s broader wetland strategy.
Working towards this objective, the MNRF recently posted a discussion paper, Wetland Conservation in Ontario (.pdf), on the Environmental Registry for public notice and comment. The ministry is seeking input on the challenges and opportunities associated with wetland conservation to inform the government’s actions over the next decade.
Do you have something to add to this conversation? You have until October 30, 2015 to provide your comments.
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BC’s windstorm wreaks havoc on electricity system & reminds us why the smart grid is important
The recent windstorm in BC that caused hundreds of thousands of customers to lose power over the weekend is an unfortunate reminder that nature can occasionally wreak havoc on our electricity system.
While no one controls the weather, electric utilities do control their electricity distribution systems and many utilities are investing in something called the “smart grid.” The smart grid is a term that refers to an electricity system with the two-way flow of electricity and information across various pieces of equipment. This information empowers electric utilities and consumers to adjust electricity production, delivery, and consumption based on real life situations.
Ultimately, the future smart grid can help minimize disruptions from power outages and improve system reliability. Our office released a report on the smart grid, which has an entire section devoted to how the smart grid can improve reliability when there is an extreme weather event (p. 32). You can access the report online or order a free copy for yourself by contacting the ECO.
Here’s a cool diagram:
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Have Your Say on Conservation Authorities
Conservation authorities are non-profit organizations that are empowered by law to ensure the conservation, restoration and responsible management of Ontario’s water, land and natural habitat. In spite of this important responsibility, the Conservation Authorities Act hasn’t been fully updated in nearly 70 years!
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry recently posted the Conservation Authorities Act Review Discussion Paper on the Environmental Registry for public notice and comment. The ministry is seeking input on ways to improve the existing legislative, regulatory and policy framework that governs conservation authorities and the programs and services they deliver. Feedback is being sought on conservation authorities’ governance, funding mechanisms and roles and responsibilities.
Do you have something to add to this conversation? You have until October 19, 2015 to provide your comments. -
How do Ontario’s greenhouse gas reduction targets compare?
Our Annual Greenhouse Gas Progress reports track the provincial government’s progress towards meeting its GHG reduction targets:- 2014: 6% below 1990 levels
- 2020: 15% below 1990 levels
- 2030: 37% below 1990 levels (announced earlier this year)
- 2050: 80% below 1990 levels
To learn more about why GHG reduction targets matter, check out our latest blog. But how do Ontario’s targets (and the actions taken to meet them) stack up against those set by other governments? The website Carbon Action Tracker tracks the emissions commitments and action by countries around the world.
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Wetlands filter the water we drink, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, provide habitat for wildlife, fish and many rare and at-risk species, and protect our homes and businesses from flooding by storing or slowing the flow rate of water during snowmelt and rainstorms. Find out how the province protects them - and how you can have your say.
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Climate Summit of the Americas: the ECO’s Afterthoughts
Leading up to the Pan Am Games, top government officials and climate experts from across the Americas met in Toronto for the Climate Summit of the Americas. To read our (acting) Commissioner Ellen Schwartzel’s afterthoughts on the Summit, check out her blog post.
This Summit was an important example of how subnational jurisdictions can collaborate on transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Such collaboration is necessary as there is still a long way to go for most jurisdictions to meet their upcoming GHG reduction targets. For example, to review Ontario’s progress in reducing its GHG emissions, check out our 2015 GHG Progress Report. -
Help the Government Improve Bus Service between Ontario Cities
The Ministry of Transportation wants to make travelling by bus between Ontario cities a more popular and enjoyable option.
To help improve intercity (between-city) bus service, the ministry wants to hear about your views and experiences. If you already ride by bus between Ontario cities, what do you like and dislike about it, and what would you like changed?
If you don’t travel on intercity buses, what is stopping you, and what would encourage you to take the bus?
As we discussed in our recent Greenhouse Gas Progress Report, getting people out of their cars and onto buses can help reduce traffic congestion and the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
What would encourage you to travel by bus between cities more? You have until September 25, 2015 to provide your feedback!
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Curious about how cap-and-trade actually works?
We wrote a blog not too long ago highlighting our office’s past comments on carbon pricing in Ontario. The province recently announced it plans to introduce a cap-and-trade system. Now that the initial fanfare has worn off, you might have started wondering: “how does cap-and-trade actually work?” If so, we suggest you browse through all the great resources on the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) website.
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One Ontario environmental group is speaking out about a recent positive experience using one of the tools provided in the Environmental Bill of Rights. - See more at: http://www.eco.on.ca/blog/2015/08/06/the-environmental-bill-of-rights-in-the-news/#sthash.oVdcX8CM.dpuf
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Asian carp in Lake Ontario - Why do we care about invasive species?On July 29th, 2015, the discovery of two Asian carp in Lake Ontario was widely reported. This incident was noteworthy because Asian carp are not native to North America, and, in recent years, considerable efforts have been made to ensure they stay out of the Great Lakes. Asian carp have already become commonplace throughout many U.S. waterways, where they have devastated native ecosystems.
Photo credit: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry http://www.ontario.ca/document/asian-carpAlthough experts say that there is no reason to believe the two Asian carp found in Tommy Thompson Park are the start of a full-fledged invasion, their discovery serves as a reminder of just how close we are to such a possibility and the need to remain vigilant in our efforts to prevent and manage invasive species effectively. For more on this topic, you can read the ECO's past reporting on invasive species, including Asian carp, here. -
The Ministry of Education must consider the environment when making certain decisionsFor years the ECO has been pushing for the Ministry of Education to be prescribed under the Environmental Bill of Rights (see articles in our 2011/2012 Annual Report and 2000/2001 Annual Report). While still not prescribed for applications for review, the ministry finally has a Statement of Environmental Values, which it must consider when making any decision that may have a significant effect on the environment. Read the ECO's thoughts on the ministry's recently prepared Statement of Environmental Values in Section 1.2.1 of the Supplement to our 2013/2014 Annual Report.
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Why is the Ministry of Finance still not prescribed under the Environmental Bill of Rights?Many decisions made by the Ministry of Finance have the potential to affect Ontario's environment. For example, the ministry: develops the provincial budget and allocates funds to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry; is involved in population growth modelling and projections; and oversees and distributes economic incentives to reduce pollution and improve habitat protection.Despite its environmental significance, the Ministry of Finance is not prescribed under the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 (EBR). Prescribing it would allow the public to ask the ministry to develop new laws and policies that would advance environmental goals, including, green taxes and economic incentives to conserve energy and resources.The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) has repeatedly argued that the Ministry of Finance should be prescribed under the EBR. To learn more, see Section 2.1.14 of the Supplement to the ECO's 2011/2012 Annual Report, page 29 of the ECO's 2009/2010 Annual Report, and pages 201-202 of the Supplement to the ECO's 2003/2004 Annual Report.
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Ontario launches Air Quality IndexIn late June, Ontario replaced its long standing Air Quality Index with a new Air Quality Health Index in partnership with Environment Canada.The province describes the new Air Quality Health Index as "a new approach to communicating about air quality that offers more protective health information." The Air Quality Health Index assesses the combined effects of certain pollutant concentrations to categorize the immediate level of health risk as low, moderate, high or very high.In our 2007/2008 Annual Report, the ECO considered the adequacy of Ontario's air quality monitoring and reporting regime in providing reliable information that Ontarians could use to make decisions about protecting their health.
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What is climate data and why does it matter? Check out our
short animated video and find out more in our new report released today! -
It looks like Ontario is finally “feeling the heat” on climate change policyThe ECO just released our 2015 Greenhouse Gas Progress Report. To find out more, please check out our blog.
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Ontario regulations cut use of neonicotinoidsIn last year's Annual Report, the ECO called for action on neonicotinoids - a class of pesticides that are considered toxic to bees and other pollinators. On July 1, 2015, after extended public consultation on the Environmental Registry, new regulations controlling the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds will come into effect.
For more information on the science of neonicotinoids and their environmental effects, check out this ECO blog post.
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We'll be releasing this year's climate change report next Tuesday, July 7th. More information ...
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Remember the last time you looked at a newspaper that didn't forecast doom and gloom about the economy? Neither do we, but we did notice Section 1.7 of Ontario's 2014 Provincial Policy Statement says that long-term economic prosperity should be supported by 11 different initiatives, including the promotion of energy conservation and opportunities for developing renewable and alternative energy systems (e.g., district energy).
District energy systems can heat or cool multiple buildings by using a network of pipes to transport hot or chilled fluid between connected structures. It's even possible to capture heat that would have otherwise been vented to the atmosphere and use this to warm buildings. To find out more about district energy systems, see Chapter 2 of our 2012 Energy Report. -
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Great Lakes in the newsThe Great Lakes have been in the news this week, following Premier Wynne's meeting with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and the governors of eight US states at the meeting of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. As one outcome of the meeting, Ontario, Michigan and Ohio agreed to reduce the phosphorus entering Lake Erie's western basin by 40 per cent over the next 10 years.The ECO has written extensively about the Great Lakes and you can access these articles here. You can read about phosphorus pollution here.
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As of January 2015, Ontario's Electricity Distributers are planning to conserve more power. That's encouraging news, because Ontario has an ambitious target for 2020. This chart from our recent report shows that the target looks to be doable. Check out our report to find out more.
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Don't pass the salt: Safely reducing the impacts of dust on unpaved roadsAs the days get hotter, unpaved roads get dustier, sometimes causing air pollution, impairing driving, hurting crops and affecting peoples' breathing. Certain dust suppressants used to reduce these impacts can have negative environmental effects of their own, including contaminating ground and surface water, affecting soils, and harming crops and other vegetation.In summer 2013, two Ontarians used the Environmental Bill of Rights to ask the government to address the use of certain salts (brines produced during oil and gas extraction) as dust suppressants. Read the ECO's review of how the government responded to this request in our 2013/2014 Annual Report.
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Guidelines for an increasingly noisy worldAs the weather gets nicer, many Ontarians are starting to spend more time outdoors, possibly noticing the noise created by neighbouring properties. Did you know the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has noise guidelines to help manage noise restrictions in approvals, and to guide responses to noise complaints? In fact, the guideline was recently updated - click here to read the ECO's review.
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Time to celebrate soil!To make people aware of how important healthy soil is for food security and ecosystem functions, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2015 the International Year of Soils.The ECO has long been a cheerleader for improving the health of Ontario's soils. We've reported on the importance of soil several times, including in our 2008/2009 Annual Report, our 2010/2011 Annual Report, and our 2013/2014 Annual Report. And in 2013, the ECO held a stakeholder roundtable about the issue of soil carbon. These resources will help you learn more about what needs to be done to improve and protect this important resource.
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Ontario's Green Button StandardSmart meters provide local utilities with a wealth of information about household electricity use. In turn, many utilities have developed online portals that allow you to see your electricity consumption.
Over 60% of Ontario's consumers can download their smart meter data through the "Green Button Standard". As the initiative progresses, the province hopes that Ontarians will be able to share this data with third party apps to find ways to make energy conservation easier and eliminate the need for consumers to do their own data mining.Check out our latest energy conservation report to learn about how Ontario is embedding its consumers in conservation. -
Did you know? Ireland's electricity grid operator estimates its carbon dioxide emissions in real time and posts it to their website. This information allows enthusiastic companies or individuals to estimate their carbon footprints from their electricity bills.
In 2012, our office recommended that similar information be made available by Ontario's Independent Electricity Operator. In theory, this can encourage people to use electricity when demand is low, reduce the need to run fossil-fueled peak power plants, and even avoid the need to build new fossil-fuel power plants - that's powerful stuff! Check out our report for more details. -
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario (34% of the total)
How can we bring transportation emissions down? The answer addresses how we design our cities, where we live and work, how we power our vehicles and many other challenges. See what we had to say about this issue in our 2014 Greenhouse Gas Report. -
Did you know the way you pay for poles and wires that bring electricity to your home is going to change?Check out our latest ECO blog for more information: www.eco.on.ca/blog/2015/04/30/consciously-uncoupling-a-short-term-solution-to-a-long-term-problem/
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Science behind human-caused climate change beyond debate in Ontario politics!Did you know that on March 12th, 2015 a unanimous motion was passed in Ontario's Legislative Assembly recognizing that climate change is caused by man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and poses a serious threat to Ontarians?The text of the motion reads:That, in the opinion of this House, the Legislative Assembly recognizes that scientists agree that climate change is caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions and poses a serious threat to Ontario's environment, businesses, communities and economy, that scientists and leaders of G8 countries - including Canada - have recognized the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a goal of avoiding more than two degrees of warming, and affirm that this House must take necessary action to reduce emissions, transition to a low carbon economy and combat the effects of climate change.We hope this means our future reports to the legislature, which track and assess Ontario's activities in reducing its GHG emissions, will be full of good news about advancements in climate change policy! (See our previous GHG Progress reports)
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Did you know: 881 Instrument Proposal Notices were posted on the Environmental Registry in 2014?"Instrument" is a general term for all the different types of permits and approvals that companies often need to undertake activities that affect the environment. This includes, for example, Permits to take water, permits to damage the habitat of endangered species, and environmental compliance approvals to release pollutants or waste into air, land or water. Instrument Proposal Notices tell the public that the government is considering issuing an instrument, and provide details about the work involved, the location, and the terms and conditions proposed. Members of the public are then entitled to tell the government what they think about the proposal, including if they think different or additional conditions should be applied.Click here to learn more about your right to comment on instrument proposals posted on the Environmental Registry.
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Canada's most recent GHG inventory now availableCanada submitted its annual greenhouse gas inventory report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) on April 17th. Canada's submission is available here and provides a sector by sector breakdown of federal and provincial greenhouse gas emissions from 1990-2013. This inventory is an important resource used in our annual Greenhouse Gas Progress Reports where we assess the Ontario government's progress in meeting its GHG reduction targets.
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The Ecosystem impacts of habitat fragmentation run deepA new study on the environmental consequences of habitat fragmentation concludes that there is "an urgent need for conservation and restoration measures to improve landscape connectivity."This is an issue the ECO has reported on extensively - habitat fragmentation affects many of our province's species at risk, protected areas planning, biodiversity and invasive species, among other issues. The ECO's articles Ecosystem Fragmentation and Roads - Pathways for Humans, Barriers for Functioning Ecosystems offer great summaries of the many ecological concerns about habitat fragmentation and discussion of possible solutions.
