[GreenYes] Fw: Nova Scotia leads the way...again

[Gary Liss <gary@no.address>]

FYI

>Subject: Fw: Nova Scotia leads the way...again
>Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:04:53 -0400
>From: "Friesen, Barry" <barry.friesen@no.address>
>To: <Gary@no.address>
>
>You may have received this already, but just in 
>case - Nova Scotia's interested in more..the following release on Thursday.
>
>"An Act Respecting Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity"
>
>
>For those interested in waste, see Clause 4 (3) 
>(d) " The Governor in Council may make 
>regulations...imposing environmental levies and 
>disposable products for the purpose of reducing 
>waste and managing costs of environmental management."
>
>
>
>I can think of three areas they might be 
>thinking about...disposal tax, plastic bags and coffee cups...hmmmm....
>
>
>
>There is so much more opportunity in this Act 
>for air quality, Greenhouse Gas reductions, etc.  We need it here!
>
>
>
>Media:
>
>
>
>
>http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2007/03/22/environment.html#skip300x250
>
>
>
>Speaking Notes
>
>for
>
>An Act Respecting Environmental Goals
>
>and Sustainable Prosperity
>
>Honourable Mark Parent
>
>Minister of Environment and Labour
>
>Province House
>
>March 22, 2007
>
>Check against delivery
>
>Thank you.
>
>Today we are introducing an Act Respecting 
>Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity.
>
>The growing recognition that human activity is a 
>significant cause of climate change will have 
>dramatic effects on the worldâ??s economy and everyoneâ??s lifestyles.
>
>This bill is our provinceâ??s response to that change.
>
>It builds on some of the best work government 
>and the private sector have done on the 
>environment and the economy in the past few 
>years. The Green Plan and the Opportunities for 
>Sustainable Prosperity are two examples. So is 
>the NovaKnowledge report on the environmental economy.
>
>As the Premier said today, the health of the 
>environment, the economy and the people of Nova Scotia are interconnected.
>
>We enjoy a sophisticated economy, but it not 
>does not operate independently of the environment.
>
>Our economy needs countless commodities that we 
>take from the ground, extract from the air, or 
>draw from our waterways. Our people need safe 
>food, healthy water, and clean air.
>
>The fact is, our quality of life flows directly 
>from the environment. Environment is really another word for our common wealth.
>
>So it follows that the healthier our environment is, the wealthier we will be.
>
>This bill, therefore, is about our environment and our economy.
>
>In April 2006, a report from the Premier's 
>Advisory Council on Innovation proposed that 
>Nova Scotia aim to have the cleanest and most 
>sustainable environment in the world by the year 2025.
>
>Our response is this: it is our goal to be 
>internationally recognized ­ by 2020 ­ as as 
>having one of the cleanest and most sustainable environments in the world.
>
>Itâ??s an ambitious goal, but big ideas inspire big achievements.
>
>We have established more than 20 objectives 
>along the way to our goal, and this bill holds 
>government accountable for progress.
>
>Some are new commitments, some we have announced 
>earlier and are now putting into law.
>
>Each year the Minister of Environment and 
>Labour, with advice from the Nova Scotia Round 
>Table on Environmental Sustainability, will 
>report to the House of Assembly on our progress toward these objectives.
>
>Perhaps the most ambitious objective is for greenhouse gases
>
>As outlined in the New England Governors and 
>Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action 
>Plan, we want to bring our greenhouse gas 
>emissions down by 10 per cent from 1990 levels.
>
>This is a reduction of 35 per cent from our current levels.
>
>That may seem challenging, but other 
>jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, are 
>already ahead of us today and setting equally 
>ambitious reduction targets on top of what 
>they've already done. British Columbia has set a target of 33 per cent by 2020.
>
>Here are some other goals:
>
>Following the lead of California, the province 
>will adopt emission standards for new motor vehicles by 2010.
>
>This bill incorporates goals for nitrogen oxides 
>and sulphur dioxide established in the Green Plan.
>
>By 2013, a minimum of 18.5 per cent of our 
>electricity needs will come from renewable sources.
>
>Our commitment to protecting at least 12 per 
>cent of Nova Scotiaâ??s land mass will be fulfilled by 2015.
>
>By 2017, wastewater treatment discharges in Nova 
>Scotia will have at least primary treatment.
>
>New, state-of the-art drinking water standards will be in place by 2008.
>
>We will also address water-resource management, 
>particulates, septage, and wetlands.
>
>In all, there are 21 clear goals for which government can be held accountable.
>
>Itâ??s fair to ask how all this will be 
>achieved. There will be some more announcements 
>coming in the short term, but for some of these 
>objectives, the "how" is still to come.
>
>We will develop these solutions by tapping into 
>the ingenuity of all sectors of our community.
>
>I said earlier that this government believes 
>that the economy and the environment are 
>inextricably linked. If you want a healthy 
>economy, you have to have a healthy environment.
>
>This bill is unique because it sets out a course 
>of action that recognizes this relationship.
>
>Section 5 commits the government to raising our 
>provinceâ??s economic performance to the 
>Canadian average or better by 2020. And it says 
>we will do this under the guidance of a 
>remarkable document called Opportunities for Sustainable Prosperity.
>
>Copies are available here today and I recommend it to you.
>
>If youâ??re wondering whether youâ??re really 
>hearing something different today, ask yourself 
>when it was you last saw an environment minister 
>include a major economic development commitment 
>in a bill setting tough goals for cleaning up our land, air, and water.
>
>The responsibility for making it all happen will 
>fall to the "Green Forum" of nine deputy 
>ministers. It is co-chaired by the deputy 
>ministers for Environment and Labour and 
>Economic Development, and includes the deputies 
>of Finance and Treasury and Policy Board.
>
>The economy and the environment must and will 
>prosper together. As the world responds to the 
>reality of climate change, the truth of that 
>statement will become more and more evident.
>
>The question for Nova Scotia is, how will we 
>respond? Will we import the solutions we need or 
>will we continue to develop knowledge and 
>technology the rest of the world will want?
>
>Fundamental changes are coming to the way people 
>live all over the globe. Will we allow ourselves 
>to be victims of this change, or will we understand that it is an opportunity?
>
>I fervently believe this province has the 
>brains, creativity, and determination to turn 
>this challenge into an opportunity.
>
>Thanks in large part to the spark provided by 
>our world-leading solid waste management system, 
>we already have an environmental industries 
>sector that employs 5,000 people and is worth $360 million to our economy.
>
>We will build on that.
>
>I believe we can make our environment the 
>cleanest and most sustainable in the world, and 
>we can have prosperity in the best sense of the word.
>
>We can have it all.
>
>Government will provide leadership, commitment, 
>accountability and transparency.
>
>Nova Scotians will do the rest.
>
>Now Iâ??ll be happy to take some questions.
>
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>

Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485
www.garyliss.com 
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