Climate and Energy

In recent months there has been a sharp drop in public faith in climate science.  The collapse is not, as is sometimes suggested, in the scientific consensus that human-caused climate change is occurring.  As West Coast has previously pointed out, despite embarrassing errors and some arguably unprofessional e-mails, the science itself is as clear now as it has ever been: human caused global warming is occurring.  The damage caused by the e-mails and errors is a sharp decline in the public’s per

The beginning of the year is a good time for planning, setting goals.  And with 2014 shaping up to be an important year for environmentally minded Canadians, here, briefly, are our top 3 resolutions for the coming year. 

It’s amazing how invisible climate change can be – how we feel immune from the consequences of what seems like a vague, global challenge.  We think that climate change only occurs in far off climate-vulnerable nations. Which is why some may be surprised that Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer predicts that extreme weather events will cost Canadians $4.92 billion each year between now and 2020, much of that due to climate change.

This Earth Day we’d like to celebrate the remarkable work of Divest Victoria and their campaign – with help from our Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF) – to allow communities across BC to divest from fossil fuels. As a result of their work, this September BC’s local governments will be considering a resolution calling for fossil fuel-free investment options for their own investment portfolios.

An agreement has been reached in Paris, and myself and West Coast’s Community and Engagement Specialist, Anjali Appadurai, were present, and saw the back and forth of negotiations (or at least that part of it that occurred in public) first hand.

Kinder Morgan AGM

Photo credit: Reuben George (via Facebook)

West Coast Environmental Law staff counsel Gavin Smith reflects on his meetings with Ministers to talk about the Pacific north coast oil tanker ban

Another lesson from the Gulf oil spill for Canada – think twice about subsidizing industries that deal in dangerous substances by limiting their liability for catastrophic accidents. Let me explain.

On May 29th, 2010 the Haisla and Gitga’at First Nations held the Solidarity of Nations Gathering in Kitamaat Village to reaffirm their opposition of the Coastal First Nations to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.  West Coast Environmental Law was formally invited to witness and to participate in the event in recognition of our work to support Coastal First Nations in their efforts to stop oil tankers in their waters.  West

Public participation in the BC government’s recent public consultations on cosmetic pesticides exceeded all expectations, with an all-time record 8,700 people telling the Legislative Committee what they thought (not counting specific organizations, such as West Coast Environmental Law, who were formally invited to testify).  Tha