A Little Leak

The Alberta Government has invested two billion into carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, hoping to sequester the province’s emissions deep within the earth. As one of the only provinces to rely heavily on coal-generated power (Alberta currently has nine coal-fired facilities), and one whose economy relies heavily on oil and gas, this sequestration is an essential part of the province’s overall energy strategy.

In the province, the University of Calgary, in particular, has made a name for itself in the field. Its research is coordinated by the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE). The ISEEE also provides a central online location for its own reports and others’, exploring the complex issue.

According to the university’s researchers, the Wabamun Area CO2 Sequestration Project (WASP) demonstrates that the costs of injecting CO2 and storing it in geologic formations are relatively low — about $3 per tonne of carbon dioxide. The cost to capture the CO2, pressurize it and transport it from the site where it was generated, however, would be about 10 times more than the cost of storage.

But beyond costs, one of the biggest questions about CCS technology is whether it can permanently sequester CO2. Obviously, if the CO2 leaks out, the entire point of the exercise is moot.

But just how much leakage is too much? That number, it turns out, is very small: one per cent.

According to research published in Nature Geoscience, unless CO2 leakage can be kept below one per cent of the reserve per year, CCS will not be able to mitigate the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and ocean acidification.

The severity of a one per cent leak decrease as the periods of time increase (from years to decades to centuries), but such a leak wouldn’t actually be problem-free until the thousand-year mark. It’s a huge span of time, but when it comes to waste disposal of any kind, we’re definitely talking about the long haul.

Polluters Pay To Promote Parallel Projects

No one’s figured out how to snatch money from thin air, but 30 Alberta companies recently cashed in by doing almost that: reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

From CO2 capturing in Exshaw to solar and wind power installations in 9,000 homes across the province, Alberta’s climate change fund is paying out for the first round of emission-reducing energy projects.

Launched in April 2008, the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund allows companies annually producing more than 100,000 tonnes of GHG emissions to pay $15 for every tonne over their allowed limit (companies must reduce the intensity of their emissions by 12 per cent). Companies can also buy carbon credits in the Alberta-based offset system, but the fund has proven to be a popular option: to date, it’s collected about $40 million.

Now, the province’s Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation is providing the first round of funding, designed to support projects that will ultimately reduce the same GHG emissions that fuel the fund.

The corporation selected 30 projects from 223 project submissions. These include $8.2 million for a Lethbridge biogas cogeneration plant (ECB Enviro North America Inc.), $3 million for a solar thermal power project (City of Medicine Hat) and $1.8 million to develop a pilot plant to produce biofuel and utilize carbon dioxide (Enerkem Inc.). But the province won’t just be seeing carbon-reducing projects that generate power.

The 30 projects run the gamut from renewable energy generation, like Calgary-based Enmax’s plan to install 9,000 wind- and solar-generation kits in Alberta homes over five years, to energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS), like a CO2 capture facility at a limestone production facility in Exshaw. It’s a slate of projects that shows the diversity of the province’s carbon mitigation efforts, and the growing interest in unconventional approaches to energy. And even if it’s not exactly magic, pulling project funding out of invisible gases still isn’t a bad trick.

Via CanWest

Earth Hour

It may look like a party, but it’s a very successful way to raise awareness about climate change issues on a global scale. On Saturday, March 27, at 8:30 pm, everyone will once again be able to show their support for Mother Earth by turning off the lights for one hour. Watch the event unfold on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, TwitterCanada, on the website to name a few.

In 2009, 4,159 cities and towns across 88 countries, including 73 national capitals and 9 of the world’s 10 most populated cities participated in the event. One billion people can’t be wrong.

turn off, tune in and step up is the new turn on, tune in and drop out.

Going boldly together where few have gone before

Canada and its 29 partners in the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) are being challenged by the Paris-based body to have the political moxy to put carbon taxes in place.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria threw down the gauntlet during a news conference he called to release the Economics of Climate Change Mitigation, an OECD study which is a key element of preparations for the COP15 in Copenhagen in early December.

Among other things, the report urges developed countries to at least double their targets for reducing greenhouse gases and Gurria said it provides the analytical support and economic rationale to help decision-makers at the Copenhagen summit to strike a practicable deal on climate change.

In its report, the OECD says carbon taxes must be part of a broader strategy for Copenhagen. The current average OECD commitment is for a reduction of 8-14 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020, well short of the 25-40 per cent cut the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says is necessary to keep global average temperatures from rising by more than two degrees Celsius.

Calling on OECD member governments to coordinate support for taxes as well as a cap-and-trade approach which would effectively put a price on carbon, the OECD says complaints about costs of carbon taxation are unjustified.

It concedes that a global carbon market would have a four per cent negative effect on global gross domestic product by 2050, but Gurrie pointed out that over the same period, GDP growth is projected to grow by more than 250 per cent.

Gurria said “action to mitigate climate change must be taken at a cost that countries can afford.” That was possible only with “a cost-effective set of policy instruments, with a focus on carbon pricing” applied as broadly as possible to all emission sources. He admitted the unlikelihood of getting a global carbon market overnight but said some countries may need to take the lead despite understandable concerns about their international competitiveness.

He said these first movers also worry about carbon leakage, the risk that emissions reductions in some countries would offset by increases elsewhere. ”Developed countries need to take the lead in reducing emissions, but the most cost-effective way to tackle carbon leakage would be for the largest emitting emerging economies to join them and, later, all developing countries.”

Suncor chief calls for national energy strategy

Speaking to a Toronto audience earlier this month, Suncor CEO Rick George said that Canada needs a national energy strategy in order to take full advantage of its vast resources and its proximity to the United States. George told the business audience that Canada cannot wait much longer for a national energy strategy in light of events around the world, and especially south of the border.

“The Canadian energy sector is simply too important to manage passively or leave to chance,” said George. “The Obama administration is moving forcefully on both energy security and climate change issues. If Canada is to be a policy maker rather than a policy taker, we need to get our own energy house in order — and quickly.”

Such a strategy, in George’s view, could have many characteristics. For example, Canada should do a thorough, long-term energy assessment for its businesses and residents then match that assessment with policies and infrastructure. As well, energy efficiency should be a hallmark of a national energy strategy, said George, and policy makers should look beyond basic energy production to consider the full life cycle of energy sources. “After all, up to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions from a barrel of oil are generated through the tailpipe.”

“Many of the countries where conventional oil reserves are still abundant are plagued by political and economic instability. For Canadians and for our neighbours to the south, Canada is and should be seen as a pillar of reliable and responsible resource development.”

International Day of Climate Action

350.org has organized this day of action to rase awareness of climate change issues. The organization’s name comes from the idea that 350 parts per million is the number some scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Organizers hope that the thousands of events today will change the negotiating environment in Copenhagen and help governments realize that the climate treaty they agree on in December pays attention to science and citizens around the world.

Organizers have confirmed that there are more than 4,000 events registered in about 170 countries. Canada was second to the United States in terms of the number of events planned, including 350 Group Photo Brownvale, Salt Spring Island, 2100 Salt Spring Island, Yasodhara Ashram, 10 Divine Light Invocations Hornby Island, B.C., 1-hour Awareness Walk through the Downtown Streets Summerside, PEI, 10 min de luz de Velas-10 min on candle lights Montreal, 10in10Diet.com Sharbot Lake, 2009 Cape Breton Eco Expo Sydney, 350 – take the bus and ride with us Peace River, 350 @ 3:50 with 350 St. Catharines, 350 Action Walk North Bay, 350 acts of green Mississauga, 350 Art Collage by Markham Arts Council Markham, 350 Awareness in Burlington! Burlington,350 Banff Day of Climate Banff, 350 Bell Ring for Climate Action Mill Bay, 350 Bell Ringings for climate change Cayuga, 350 Bells For Change Napanee, 350 Campaign-Kingston Kingston, 350 cars Napanee, 350 Climate Action Uxbridge, Ontario, 350 Climate Action Festivities Calgary AB, 350 Climate Action Gathering London, 350 Climate Action Rally Winnipeg, 350 Climate Change Awareness Walk Saskatoon, 350 Community Tree Planting with Ground Breakers Oakville,350 Concordia Student Bike to Mount Royal Montreal, 350 Day Gabriola, 350 Divine Light Invocations Kootenay Bay, 350 Event Revelstoke, 350 Film & Visual Arts community day Vancouver, 350 Flash mob Halifax, 350 Gathering Commanda, 350 Homeroom Challenge Orillia, 350 International Movement letter campaign Milford, 350 Letters to Stephen Harper Duncan, 350 Local Connections–Community Gathering Prince Rupert, 350 Mass Bike Ride Abbotsford, 350 minute of Kayaking Dunnville, 350 or bust! Red Lake, 350 Orangeville Orangeville, 350 Port Colborne Port Colborne, 350 Rally Huntsville, 350 Tree Planting Fredericton New Brunswick, 350/Kairos Climate Action event St. Stephen, 350: Cartoons against Climate Change Toronto, 3:50 p.m. Email to elected representatives. Toronto, A Bell Ring for International Day of Climate Action Lake Cowichan, A Choir of 350 for the Island Nations Ottawa, A Sea Change documentary film screening and panel discussion Victoria, A step in the right direction Flin Flon, ACER Climate Change and Forest Biodiverstiy Toronto, Action Edmonton! Edmonton, Action King’s 350 March Halifax, Alerte Rouge! Changements Climatiques Sherbrooke, Annapolis Valley & Wolfville Climate Action Wolfville, Arctic Voice. Fortrose Academy Arctic Exchange Gjoa Haven, Awareness Mill Bay, Awareness: Transport merchandise by train Sudbury, Babies for Action on Climate Change Kimberley, Balade en vélo Parti montarvillois Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Help Stop Climate Change! Burlington, Banbury Crossroads students support 350! Calgary, banner over highway lions bay, Bell Ringing Milford, Bell Ringing for Climate Action Peterborough, Bike Rally Kelowna, Bike to the Market Stratford, Bike-a-thon Charlottetown, BIKE-YES WALK-YES CAR-NO FOR 350 STONEY CREEK, Bridge to a Cool Planet www.bridgecoolplanet.Ca Vancouver, Bullfrog Power is coming to town! Halifax, Burlington’s Environmental Youth Conference Burlington, C- Day! | FREE BUS IN LONDON | 100,000 on the Hill! London, C-Day: Fill The Hill Ottawa, Calgary’s Nightmare Before Copenhagen – 350 Parade for Climate Action Calgary, Calgary: Call for action on climate change from Canada’s oil capital! Calgary, Campus Action Peterborough, Canadians for 350 Stratford, Canmore climate crusaders Canmore, Carrot Mob – Victoria organized by Small Feet Inc. Victoria, Cercle de tamtam pour la guérison de la terre cowansville, Change Shorts – [4290] 350 Climate Action Festival Rossland, Church Bell Ringing at Christ Church Cathedral – KAIROS Victoria, Church Bell Ringing at First Metropolitan United Church- KAIROS Victoria, Church Bell Ringing at St. John the Divine – KAIROS Victoria, Church Bellringing Grafton, Church bells for climate Porters Lake, Church Bells Ring for Climate Change Aurora, Church Bells ringing 350 times Cobourg, Climate (of) Change: Rally for people and the planet (Council of Canadians AGM) Saint John, Climate Action Festival Edmonton, Climate Action Rally Waterloo, Climate Awareness Project (CAP) for Youth Cornwall, Climate Change 350 Wake-Up Haliburton, Climate Change Day of Action Collingwood, Climate Change Education Burin, Climate change rally in support of 350.org Kamloops, Climate Change-International Day of Action Halifax, Climate on the Line Kingston, CO2 Toaster Widget Toronto, Community Climate Campaign Prince George, Community Tree Planting Toronto, Create a New Green Blog and Spread the Word Cobourg, Day of Climate Action Thunder Bay, Dying for Climate Leadership Edmonton, Divine Light Invocation Victoria, Divine Light Invocation Kootenay Bay, Divine Light Invocation Nanaimo, Drama – Saltfleet Action Plan -SAP Stoney Creek, Drawing the Line Hornby Island, Drumming in International Day of Climate Action Collingwood, Earth 350 Peace River, Earth Beat! Drum Jams and Discussions for Climate Change St. Catharines, Eco-music concert Joggins, Edmonton Thrill the World for 350 Edmonton, Enhance the awareness of climate change Ottawa, Enjoying beautiful Kamaniskeg Lake Barry’s Bay, Envoi de délégués de Symbiose à Powershift Ottawa, 350 Climate Action Festival Toronto ,Marcha de Acção Climática 350 Toronto ,Family festival and collective action Halifax ,farmers and Crafters Market SOKS 350 Interactive activities and booth Kelowna ,Farmers market Information Kiosk St. George, Farmers’ Market, Lethbridge Exhibition Park Lethbridge ,FILM & PANEL Edmonton, Flash Mob Alert Toronto, ON, For Whom the Bell Tolls Uxbridge, FutureFest Victoria Victoria, Gathering to Raise Awareness About Climate Change Placentia, Giant School 350 photo Kingston, Gibsons CAREs Gibsons, Giving-Back-To-The-Grid Belfountain, Global Bell-Ring Belleville, Go Green at Saugeen Saugeen Shores, Grandparents & Grandchildren take action Toronto, Green Building Workshop Port Moody, Green Campus Day of Action Ottawa, Green Finger Windsor, Greenhouse Picture! Edmonton, Hamilton 350 Challenge Dundas, Hamilton 350 Climate Action Day Hamilton, Handbell Ringing Port Hope, Here Comes the Sun |350 Solar Installations London, History Under Water? 350 or under by 2080. Shelburne, Hopscotch Cobourg, Hot Salsa, Cool Planet: the 350 Dance Party Vancouver, Hug the Legislature for Action on Climate Change Whitehorse, HUGS HALT CHANGE Movement Surrey, HUGS HALT CHANGE Movement New Westminster, I don’t know Burnaby, Indian Arm Paddle and Pedal Squamish, Inter-Faith Pot Luck Supper of Local Food Halifax, International Climate Action Rally Truro, International Climate Change Day Event Lethbridge, International Day of Climate Action Charlottetown, International Day of Climate Action – Islanders Speak Out Charlottetown, International Rally – A Better Climat Please! Moncton, Intl. Climate Action Rally / Tintamarre intl. pour le climat Dieppe, Islanders Behind 350 Now Quadra Island, B.C., Jai Ho Sudbury Science North – LU-LTSPP and Green Sudbury Sudbury, Jamdown 350 Montreal Montreal, Join the 350.org Movement! Participate! London, Jump for the future Montreal, Kenyada for 350 Winnipeg, KES 350 Event Windsor, La grande cacophonie de Harper Saguenay, La grande cacophonie de Harper sur le climat ! Quebec, LA GRANDE CACOPHONIE DE STEPHEN HARPER SUR LE CLIMAT Montreal, LA GRANDE CACOPHONIE DE STEPHEN HARPER SUR LE CLIMAT Québec, Laughing Buddha Party Sudbury, Let the Business Community Know How You Want Them To Help Montreal, Let’s do this Brandon, Let’s make a difference Toronto, Low Carbon Potluck Halifax’ Lunch and march to Commons Halifax, Macro Photography Event at Camosun College Victoria, March / Rally / Letter Writing / Film Screening Yellowknife, Markham Sustainability Fair Markham, Mason’s Landing 350 Climate Action Festival Manson’s landing, Minister for Climate Action Richmond, MM high school action day Dieppe, MMR 350 Movement Burlington, Moving Collaboratively Towards 350 Kentville, Napanee Greenlights 350 Candlelight Gathering Napanee, NDSS 350 Napanee, NeighbourWoods Kelowna, Nelson Youth’s 350 March For Climate Action Nelson, NetZero Sustainable Residential Project Dawson Creek, NOTL’s 350 Shout ! Niagara on the Lake, Ocean’s 350 Vancouver, Paddlers for climate change action Greenfield, Paint Abe’s Hill! Steinbach, Paperless Church Service St. Catharines, Pender Island Climate Change Learn-In Pender Island, Penticton 350 Penticton, Petition Signing Oil Springs, Pioneer Memorial United Church Hamilton, Plant trees for the climate Qualicum Beach, Pledge for 350 Edmonton, Pollution Free North Pole Montreal, Port Alberni 350 Action on Climate Change Port Alberni, BC, Post for Climate Action Nelson, BC, Power off St. Catharines, Practical Hope Beaver -Brook, Project Karyne Ottawa, Provincial Park Cleanup Port Burwell, PSP Captain at local Walmart Strathmore, Public 350 display Gibsons, Public Transportation for 350 Fredericton, Pumpkin March and Rally Berwick, Pumpkin Party Westerose, Quest Adventure Club for 350! Tofino, Quest Students for 350! Squamish, Quit idling your stinky veichle Grande Prairie, Reception and Art Installation – 350 Time Capsule Toronto, Regina is Acting! Regina, Renewable Energy Home Tour Barrie, Ring your bell for climate justice Yarmouth, N.S., Ringing the bells for climate action Georgetown, Sackville Climate Action Day Sackville, Schoolwide launch Canmore, Show of Hands for 350 Cornwall, SOHIP Club Trip to Amish Community Mississauga, South Shore 350 Bridgewater, Squamish 350 Climate Action Festival Squamish, St George’s Chimes in OSHAWA, St. John’s Biggest Action on the World’s Biggest Issue St. John’s, St. Stephens’ Grade 6 “350″ Ambassadors Valleyview, Stop aux changements climatiques! 350 Amos, Sunshine Kayak Water babies for a 350 world! Gibsons, Support Global Climate Change at Commensal Toronto, ON, Sustainability Awareness Week Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, SWC STRINGS for 350 St Catharines, Take a Bite Out of Climate Change Caledon, Take a Chalk around the Common Halifax, Taking a bus to Parliament (‘Fill the Hill’ event in Ottawa) Cobourg, Taking a bus to Parliament (‘Fill the Hill’ event in Ottawa) Brighton, TCS Bells for 350 Port Hope, Temple Kitchen 98.6 toronto, Testing the Waters: A Water Quality Workshop Musquodoboit Harbour, The Carbon Dioxide Story Halifax, The Climate Project Canada Presentation Kelowna, The great Harper climate cacophony Montreal, The JMSB Mt. Royal Walk and Picnic Lunch for Climate Change Montreal, Tofino 350 Climate Action photo Tofino, Toronto Climate Campaign Rally on October 24th! Toronto, Transition Barrie – Steering Through Uncertain Times Barrie, Tree Planting Ceremony Niagara Falls, Tree planting event at the Purvis property Uxbridge, Vernon 350 Pledge Vernon, Vigil for the Earth Nanaimo, Whole Foods Market Oakville 350 Climate Action Day Oakville, Workshop focus on Climate Change Salt Spring Island, BC, YEA: Calgary High Schools Unite Calgary, Yellow Cedar Project Nanaimo, 350 Climate Action Festival Nanaimo, GEO350 Climate Action Event ’09 Toronto, 350 Climate Action Festival vancouver, 350 Gateway Freeway Action Vancouver, Carolinian Canada Costume Parade Windsor, 350 Climate Action Festival Ottawa, 350 Climate Action Festival Sudbury, For the Love of Trees Bethany, 350-Guelph Climate Festival Guelph, ACTup! Missisauga, 350 Climate Action Festival Richmond, 350 Climate Action Festival Wolfville RR2, 350 Climate Action Festival Kingston, 350 Climate Action Conversations and PartyWaterloo, 350 Climate Action Festival London, Word Power for 350 Stratford, 350 Climate Action Festival Victoria, 350 Climate Action Festival Toronto, 1,000,000 Acts of Green Victoria, BC, 350 Climate Action Festival Ottawa.

And of course there is an iPhone app for this.

New carbon offset guide

The Suzuki Foundation and Pembina Institute want you to remember that not all Carbon Offset Programs are created equal. After being bombarded with questions from customers about who has the “best” carbon offset credits, the two organizations decided to make the answers a little easier. By looking at a series of criteria, they ranked 20 notable carbon offset vendors from best to worst.

The resulting Purchasing Carbon Offsets Guide is meant to help customers decide where to put their carbon offset dollars. According to the Suzuki Foundation, the most important thing to consider is whether the offset will really help the climate.

The key criterion is what they call “addtionality.” Because there’s no extra benefit by paying for something that would have happened anyway, “additionality” ensures things like air travel are offset. Higher marks were awarded to vendors with strong “additionality.”Naturally, some vendors are upset by the results. Some of the criteria for the ranking had little to do with the quality of their carbon credits. This includes criteria such as accounting, and transparency. Those who objected said these in particular were judged unfairly.

One of the vendors most upset is the one selected as the official carbon-offset supplier of the Olympics, Vancouver-based Offsetters. They placed 11^th on the list, but the Pacific Carbon Trust recently compiled a similar list, and ranked them first.

The moral of the story? There are no easy answers. A guide may exist, but consumers are still encouraged to do their own research.

Even with carbon credits, the old maxim holds: caveat emptor.

Youngsters influence families in climate change challenge

A climate change challenge on the B.C. coast has changed how kids view their impact on the environment.

Now, they can turn it around and change how their families’ perception too. The B.C. Sustainable Energy Association Climate Change Challenge was like an eco-marathon, where students had to complete 34 environmental tasks in 30 days.

Of the 550 students participating, two won first place by accomplishing all the given tasks. The prize was a new bicycle and helmet, awarded to two first prize winners: Alexander Mayrhofer from Nanaimo; and Lindsay Richards from Gabriola Island.

One of the tasks was abstaining from meat at least once a week, a task both winners found particularly challenging. Despite this, both students claim the month of living with the environment uppermost in mind has changed their daily lives for good.

This school year, teachers in B.C. can book a Climate Change Workshop in their classrooms. The B.C. Sustainable Energy Association uses a climate change game to illustrate how even the smallest everyday decisions can have a major impact.

The workshop may even inspire their students to have a 30 day challenge of their own. This year’s participants showed how much of a difference only a month can make: both in their own lives, and the lives of their friends and families.

The take-home lesson is what some parents may not necessarily have learned while they were in school. Namely, that doing your part for the environment can become an easy part of everyday life.

If that’s not a good lesson for kids, what is?

Athletes and Students Issue Challenge to Olympics

The Olympic motto may just be adding a fourth line: Faster, Higher, Stronger…Cleaner? 

Canadians are being invited to summon their Olympian ideals and join Project Blue Sky. The goal? One billion human-powered kilometers logged before the closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in March 2010.

It’s essentially an online carbon offset project. In conjunction with the Vancouver games, ordinary people alike are encouraged to join Canadian athletes in using Blue Sky’s widget. It logs distance walking, cycling, transit riding, hurdling – basically any travel that’s not driving or flying. 

The project was masterminded by Canadian Olympic Committee’s Athlete Council and Masters students at the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver. After consulting Offsetters Clean Technology Inc. – official Carbon Offset Supplier of the Olympics for the website’s CO2 calculations – the company joined as a sponsor.

The website is billed as a “meeting place” for athletes and participants. Like other networking sites, registration is necessary but free. You can track your favourite participating athletes, share photos, and compete in the CO2 footprint event. Like golf, smaller numbers win. 

That said, you don’t have to visit the site every time you want to add a km or two. You don’t need to register in order to submit your own man-powered kilometers, and the widget can be moved to other social networking pages.

Membership does have its privileges, though. Athlete profile pages list their favourite movies, artists, and most importantly, why they were motivated to join the Blue Sky Project.

UN focus: revive economies and protect the planet

To paraphrase Kipling: “environmentalists are environmentalists, and economists are economists; never the twain shall meet.”

There is a widespread assumption that “green” policies are, by definition, expensive. That there is a choice to be made between ecologically sound practices and profit – or at least a trade-off.  Whether that’s accurate is beside the point – perception becomes reality.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) sees the current financial crisis as an opportunity to change that equation. With climate change accelerating, droughts lengthening, forests, wetlands and species disappearing, this may be both our last and best chance to change that course.

What the world needs now, says UNEP, is a Global Green New Deal. Given the tremendous resources being channeled into propping up tottering institutions, why we aren’t using some to also trigger an overarching energy efficiency program – providing an immediate economic stimulus?

These goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive. UNEP asks, where are the jobs of tomorrow going to come from?  The same industries being rescued from bankruptcy? Consider the steel and car industries, which provide around five million jobs each. That’s not likely to increase.

So, you may ask? Consider that the world’s population is projected to increase by up to 3 billion by 2050. Those people will need jobs, too. The possibilities for income generation from green technologies needs to be further explored.

UNEP proposes heavy investment in the recycling industry and in managing natural resources and ecosystems. In turn, these eco-industries will provide services which will be integrated into the economy.

To quote another classic: the Chinese use the same symbol for “crisis” and “opportunity.” UNEP asks us to take the former and see the latter.

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