News from Groups
- Publié par : Jon MacNeill
- Affichages : 1019
Traditional Land of Wabanaki People/Fredericton – New Brunswick’s leading conservation groups are calling for new laws and regulations to protect wetlands in the wake of the tragic draining of the wetland at Ferris Street Forest and Wetland Nature Preserve in Fredericton.
In a letter sent to Ministers Mike Holland, Jill Green and Gary Crossman, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-NB Chapter, and Nature NB say the current regulatory regime fails to protect wetlands.
On Thursday, May 27, the groups launched a campaign inviting New Brunswickers to sign on to their letter for stronger wetland protections.
New Brunswick’s outdated approach was developed by policy-makers who lacked the evidence of how important wetlands are for protecting nature and our communities. It leaves wetlands at risk from business as usual practices—such as poorly planned subdivisions and industry activity, especially by forestry companies in the Crown forest—and the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss in New Brunswick.
The groups say it is time for a wetland protection law—not a wetland alteration permit system.
The letter outlines several recommendations to modernize wetland protection in the province, including:
- DTI review all of its current WAWA permits with respect to impact on all wetlands larger than two hectares and release the results of that review;
- All PSWs (Provincially Significant Wetlands) on Crown Land be designated as part of the areas protected under the 2020 Nature Legacy program and commit now to develop a plan to protect 25 per cent of N.B.’s nature over the next five years;
- The Clean Water Act be reviewed, specifically for modernizing coastal areas protection by updating the 2002 provincial Coastal Areas Protection Policy and providing it weight, in law, a regulation promised in the 2018 NB Water Strategy;
- The 2014 Crown Forest Agreements be revised as soon as possible this year to adequately protect wetlands, streams and rivers on public land by increasing buffer zones and identifying no cut/no road construction in wetland areas and all sensitive areas, including the habitat for N.B. endangered species such as Atlantic salmon, the Canada warbler, wood turtles and others;
Read the full letter and recommendations here.
Who we are:
The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is a charitable land conservation organization established in 1987 dedicated to preserving the province’s ecologically significant landscapes. To date, the Nature Trust has conserved over 9,000 acres in 67 beautiful and diverse nature preserves in New Brunswick. Our mission is to conserve areas in New Brunswick that are ecologically significant, to establish nature preserves that remain protected forever, to steward the preserves through a network of volunteers and supporters, and to engage with the public on the importance of land conservation, New Brunswick’s natural heritage, biodiversity, and species at risk. Visit website.
Conservation Council of New Brunswick established in 1969 and remains the province’s leading public advocate for environmental protection. A member of the UN’s Global 500 Roll of Honour, we work to find practical solutions to help families and citizens, educators, governments and businesses protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, the precious marine ecosystem and the land, including the forest, that support us. Visit website.
Nature NB is a provincial conservation organization comprised of a dozen naturalist clubs from across the province and hundreds of members. Our mission is to celebrate, conserve and protect New Brunswick’s natural heritage through education, networking and collaboration. Visit website.
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – NB Chapter is part of the nation-wide charity CPAWS, with a mission to work with governments, Indigenous peoples and communities to protect more of Canada’s publicly managed lands and water – for the benefit of both wildlife and people. We work cooperatively with all parts of society to find solutions to nature conservation challenges and to connect people to the nature that supports us all. CPAWS-NB has led public campaigns that have resulted in over 150,000 hectares of new protected areas in New Brunswick. Visit website.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Renata Woodward, CEO, Nature Trust of New Brunswick: renata.woodward@ntnb.org; 506-261-1260
Lois Corbett, Executive Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick: lois.corbett@conservationcouncil.ca; 506-238-5292
Roberta Clowater, Executive Director, Canadian Parks and WIlderness Society – NB Chapter: rclowater@cpaws.org; 506-452-9902
Vanessa Roy-McDougall, Executive Director, Nature NB: executive.director@naturenb.ca; 506-459-4209
- Publié par : Green Light Feu Vert
- Affichages : 1246
- Publié par : Fundy Biosphere Reserve
- Affichages : 1654
- Affichages : 1357
- Publié par : Jim Emberger
- Affichages : 1808
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NBASGA Applauds Supreme Court Decision on Carbon Pricing, with Conditions
Fredericton, (March 25, 2021) – Today the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the right of the federal government to employ a carbon pricing mechanism across the entire nation. The New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance (NBASGA) intervened on the side of the federal government, and we applaud this 6 to 3 decision, which allows Canada to address the global climate emergency in a uniform manner.
The court reaffirmed for good that “Global climate change is real, and it is clear that human activities are the primary cause.” NBASGA Spokesperson, Jim Emberger, said that, “while noting that all levels of government have parts to play in solving a global climate crisis, the court recognized that many necessary actions can only be achieved through national and international actions.”
“We are disappointed that the court decided the case without addressing our argument that the government’s carbon pricing program was justified by its responsibility to guarantee life, liberty and the security of the person under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, we are gratified that they point out that Canada’s North and Indigenous people endure inordinate climate change suffering.”
Emberger added, ”This is a powerful tool, which we hope governments employ wisely. Yet, it is only one tool. If governments use other financial tools to subsidize and increase the supply of fossil fuels, it will negate the reductions in demand that it achieves through carbon pricing.”
The federal government used taxpayer money to buy the Transmountain Pipeline, increasing the expansion of the tarsands. It is now considering the financing of the Goldboro, Nova Scotia LNG export project with up to a billion dollars. This will build a network of hundreds of new gas wells, fracking, pipelines and an LNG export plant, and stretch from Alberta through Quebec to Atlantic Canada.
The increased methane and CO2 emissions resulting from these projects alone will prevent provinces and the nation from hitting their already inadequate greenhouse gas emission targets, directly offsetting decreased emissions from carbon pricing.
The contradictions between our economic policies and scientific fact are painfully obvious. Do governments really grasp the meaning of ‘existential threat,’ as the courts describe the climate crisis, and do governments recognize the scientific fact that producing any additional fossil fuels will undo any other climate progress?
Emberger said, “We hope that they do. It would be disappointing to celebrate with the government on this historic climate victory, only to have to oppose them in other courtrooms. Holding up one’s hand and swearing to take serious climate action, while crossing one’s fingers and funnelling money to fossil fuel interests behind one’s back, will bring us to ruin. The laws of physics don’t care about such political games and strategies. Like the Supreme Court, they don’t vote, but they do have the final say.”
- Publié par : Sam McWilliams
- Affichages : 1464
- Pour commencer notre conférence, Tracey Wade a parlé du changement climatique dans un contexte mondial, puis Antoine Zboralski a fait une présentation sur le changement climatique au Nouveau-Brunswick.
- San Lin et Becca Hamilton ont ensuite fait une présentation sur la justice climatique, suivie de la présentation de Catherine Gauthier sur EnJeu, qui a une cause active contre le gouvernement en matière de changement climatique.
- La Société de biologie de l'Université Crandall, EOS Éco-Énergie, le Groupe d'action climatique de l'école secondaire de Hampton et la Fédération des jeunes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick ont participé à notre feu rapide en donnant des présentations de trois minutes sur leurs initiatives liées au climat.
- Dans les salles de réunion, Cory Herc de #JeunesEnAction a organisé un atelier sur la construction d'idées, Natacha Vautour a discuté des projets écologiques menés par Brilliant Labs, Fossil Free Lakehead et Fossil Free UNB ont eu une discussion sur le désinvestissement, et Laura Myers et Chris Rendell ont présenté les multiples projets écologiques sur lesquels ils ont travaillé à Hampton (forêt alimentaire, groupe d'action climatique, et plus encore !).
Nous vous encourageons à contacter le Réseau environnemental des jeunes si vous avez des idées d'événements, de projets ou d'autres initiatives liées au changement climatique et à l'environnement ! Vous pouvez nous joindre à l'adresse nben@nben.ca ou sur nos comptes de médias sociaux.