FREDERICTON (CP) - An environmental group has released a plan it says governments must act on if they hope to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets for eastern Canada and the U.S. northeast.Environment Northeast, in its 275-page Climate Change Roadmap, makes 10 recommendations that range from investing in energy efficiency to cutting industry and vehicle emissions."The public is increasingly concerned that global warming pollutants are changing our climate and this roadmap offers remedies that can be implemented today," Daniel Sosland, executive director of the non-profit advocacy group, said Monday.David Coon, policy director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said governments need to make deep cuts in emissions."Certainly in our region, New Brunswick and Newfoundland would be the two jurisdictions that have the most to do," Coon said."Many of the others have credible plans in place, some have legislation, and in fact in New England they're part of a regional regulatory system that in law will require power plants to cut their emissions."Many of the report's recommendations deal with emphasizing and investing in energy efficiency."The upshot on the energy efficiency side is that we have to do absolutely everything (including) actually putting in place building codes that set strict standards for new houses and commercial buildings in terms of their energy use," said Coon."We also need strong measures that require utilities like NB Power to look at purchasing energy efficiency resources in the same way as they would purchase new sources of electricity."If fully implemented, Sosland claims the recommendations would cut greenhouse gas pollutants by almost 40 million tonnes from current levels by 2020.He says that would be on track with commitments made by the New England governors and eastern Canadian premiers.Environmentalists have been critical that the province and states are at risk of not meeting their short-term targets.At their meeting in Rhode Island in May, the premiers and governors asked their energy ministers to focus on energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy such as wind, hydro, solar and ethanol.The ministers have been
asked to report before the premiers and governors next meet in June 2007 in Brudenell, P.E.I.
by KEVIN BISSETT; www.canadaeast.com Published 2006-12-18
