Sweetgrass and CFWE news - May 26, 2016

Calgary Named Member of 100 Resilient Cities Network

May 25, 2016. The City of Calgary is now among the global cities classified as the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities. The achievement brings funding and resources to support and unify current projects and initiatives focused on preparing for and recovering from future environmental, social and economic disruptions. "As we’ve seen over the past few years, Calgary is a resilient city,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi in a statement. “Whether we are responding to the floods of 2013, adapting to the economic downturn, or taking in refugees and evacuees, we have shown the very best of ourselves. We applied to be a member of this network because we know we can become even better.” Membership into the 100RC Network of cities includes a two-year grant to fund a chief resilience officer and technical support and access to about 60 private and public sector tools and services to develop and implement a resiliency strategy. The 100 Resilient Cities Network was launched in 2013 to enable 100 cities world-wide to better address the increasing incidents of acute shocks and chronic stresses  faced in the 21st century.  “What we learn through our participation in this network will translate into an even more resilient city for our citizens,” said Nenshi.

Lack of transparency with climate change monitoring concerns Swann

May 25, 2016. Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann says the Climate Leadership Implementation Act introduced in the Legislature Monday, while commendable, lacks specifics and accountability. “I’m concerned about how the government is choosing to do this. The environment ministry has consolidated control of all monitoring and regulatory aspects of this bill, including the creation of a new agency which answers only to the minister,” said Swann in a news release. The bill does not give Albertans incentive to conserve as 60 per cent of families will receive the full rebate; no targets or guidelines for renewable energy development have been set; and the measurement of environmental progress “is now firmly in the hands of the environment ministry. What methods are they using to determine the effectiveness of the Climate Leadership Plan? Will this process be transparent? How is the monitoring going to be independently checked?” said Swann.

Timeline extended for work of joint review panel for Frontier Oil Sands mine project

May 24, 2016. A three-member joint panel has been formed to review Teck Resources Limited’s proposed Frontier Oil Sands mine project located approximately 110 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. Alex Bolton has been appointed as the chair of the joint review panel and is joined by Robert McManus and Bill Klassen. Because of the wildfires that have affected the residents and Indigenous groups in the Fort McMurray area, federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna has extended the timeline by three months for the panel to submit its report. This extension will allow the panel to begin its preparatory work while postponing the start of Indigenous and public engagement activities until the situation in the region improves. Under the agreement developed by McKenna and Jim Ellis, president and CEO of the Alberta Energy Regulator, the panel will conduct a review of the environmental effects of the project, consider mitigation measures, determine whether the project is likely to cause significant adverse effects, and identify any follow-up programs required. The panel will also consider comments from the public and Indigenous groups that are received during the assessment. The Frontier Oil Sands mine project includes the construction, operation and reclamation of an oil sands surface mine with a production capacity of about 260,000 barrels per day of bitumen. The estimated project area is over 24,000 hectares. If approved, the proposed project would operate for 41 years.