Ottawa approves two pipelines, rejects one
鈥淧rime Minister Justin Trudeau announced approvals for two major export pipelines Tuesday, while dismissing a third pipeline and imposing a ban on oil tanker traffic on the northern section of B.C.鈥檚 coast.鈥� ()
"At his press conference, Prime Minister Trudeau justified the decision to approve the Kinder Morgan pipeline by saying that it was based on facts and science. However,聽聽suggest that maintaining the global temperature below 2oC might require leaving one third of the existing oil reserves in the soil. Canada still has work to do to live up to its expectations by joining the High Ambition Coalition in 2015.鈥�
鈥斅�,聽Dept. of Biology, 平特五不中
She鈥檚 the force beyond a network of scholars from across Canada,聽,聽that drafted a climate action plan for the country released in March 2015. The scholars have argued that immediately beginning the transition to a low-carbon society this will bring opportunities for stimulating businesses and social innovations while improving livelihoods.听聽They called for a聽.听
catherine.potvin [at] mcgill.ca聽(English, French)
鈥淭his is exactly what the Liberals did on climate change issues in the 1990s. They say all the right things at international conferences. But their actual policies support the status quo in the exploitation of fossil fuels. The approval of these pipelines delays and undermines, rather than supports, the transition to a clean energy system that is required for Canada to fulfil its international obligations to combat climate change. It also reflects a broken system for energy governance that continues to favour short-term economic development over the interests and rights of citizens and communities and the long-term future of the planet.鈥�
鈥斅�S茅bastien Jodoin, Faculty of Law, 平特五不中
He鈥檚 an expert in environmental law and sustainable development. His research seeks to understand law and public policy in the context of the manifold forces associated with globalization, processes of social change, new and evolving forms of public and private governance, and the pursuit of sustainability at various levels.
sebastien.jodoin-pilon [at] mcgill.ca, (English, French)
鈥淲ith the approval of these pipeline projects, the Canadian government has signaled its willingness to place short-term considerations ahead of the long-term sustainability of the Canadian economy. The opportunity to establish Canada as a credible, global leader in responding progressively to climate change is slipping away.鈥�
鈥斅�, Communication Studies, 平特五不中
He鈥檚 the Grierson Chair in Communication Studies, member of the Petrocultures Research Group and the After Oil聽 partnership. Prof. Barney is beginning a project on pipelines as media of political action.
darin.barney [at] mcgill.ca听(贰苍驳濒颈蝉丑)
鈥淭he Northern Gateway was turned down, seemingly on the basis of risks presumed intolerable to Douglas Sound聽 and the Great Bear Rainforest and possibly, other purely environmental issues, but not on the basis of social non-acceptance or native objections. On the other hand, the Trans Mountain project was approved despite natives, community, municipal and provincial opposition. Should we conclude that only purely environmental, but not social, native, municipal and provincial opposition, are sufficient reasons not to approve pipelines ? Should we project such a reasoning for the eventual discussions on approval of Enbridge "脡nergie-Est" despite Montreal urban community and Qu茅bec government possible opposition?鈥�
鈥斅�, 平特五不中-UNEP Center for Environmental Assessment
He is an international expert in Environmental Management and Assessment and Environmental Policies. He has started his career as an Environmental Research Scientist and over the last 20 years, has been associated with the Environmental Assessment of Mega projects first in Canada in 1988 and since then in over thirty other countries.
michel.a.bouchard [at] cogeos.com, (English, French)
