Alberta Premier Rachel Notley announced a transformative three-pronged climate protection plan on November 22 that will cap greenhouse gas emissions from oil sands development, add a carbon tax, and phase-out coal power plants.
At a meeting where "the premiers and territorial leaders jointly met with the prime minister for the first time in nearly seven years, "Notley gave a brief summary of the plan she revealed Sunday which includes a phased-in $30/tonne carbon tax, a hard cap on oil sands emissions starting in 2017, and the ending of coal powered electricity generation by 2030," writes Josh Dehaas of CTV News.
Alberta is where Canada's vast oil wealth is located in the form of oil sands, which is said by many to be the most carbon-emitting type of oil. Despite the local economy suffering due to the plunge in oil prices, "the plans won plaudits from powerful oil executives along with environmental groups," write Justin Giovannetti and Jeffrey Jones for The Globe and Mail via Business News Networks.
New measures include (a) 100-megatonne cap on carbon emissions from the oil sands, Canada’s fastest-growing source of emissions, once new rules are adopted. It currently emits 70 megatonnes annually.
Nutley referred to the recent rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline:
“We got a major wake-up call a few weeks ago in the form of a kick in the teeth from the government of the United States,” Ms. Notley said. “Unfairly in my view, the President of the United States claimed that our production is some of the dirtiest oil in the world. That is the reputation that mistaken government policy in the past has earned for us.”
"British Columbia Premier Christy Clark later told reporters she was 'really pleased' with Alberta’s choice of a wide-ranging carbon tax regime similar to the one B.C. implemented in 2008." The Alberta webpage refers to the scheme as "carbon pricing."
Ontario and Quebec have committed to a cap-and-trade plan to reduce emissions. Ontario also managed to fully eliminate coal powered electricity generation by 2014, although not without complaints about growing electricity bills.
Arguably the most difficult part of the plan will be the phase-out of coal power plants which supply 55 percent of the province's electricity. According to CBC News:
Two-thirds of coal-generated electricity will be replaced by renewables — primarily wind power — while natural gas generation will continue to provide firm base-load reliability.
Read more on the plan on the provincial website.
Hat tip to Paul Gipe via Ed Mainland
Read the full story: Alberta's climate plan lauded by premiers, PM at historic meeting
Advocates for Oregon's Carbon Pricing Plan Proceed Cautiously
With the re-election of Gov. Kate Brown and Democrats increasing their majorities in both legislative chambers, Oregon appears poised next year to pass the Clean Energy Jobs bill which caps carbon emissions, but opponents could put it on the ballot.
Op-Ed: Carbon Pricing on Track in North America
Despite continued dispute over their effectiveness, carbon taxes and cap-and-trade programs in the United States and Canada have raised billions of dollars. And China has now followed suit.
No Papal Blessing for Cap-And-Trade
Governments must take correction actions to address climate change, warned Pope Francis in his June 18 encyclical, but cap-and-trade, which places a price on carbon emissions but can lead to speculation, is not one of them.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Malls are becoming the midtowns of the future
Mall and office park redevelopments are a generational opportunity to create new nodes of urbanity.
NYC breaks ground on anti-flooding infrastructure project
New York City's new system will reduce stormwater flows to local sewers by 90%.
One Kentucky town’s secret to affordable housing
The Smoketown Community Land Trust has already built seven affordable homes for community members.
Houston gains petal-shaped cooling infrastructure to make streets more ‘delightful’
The city has installed the pavilions along 15 blocks in Houston.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority