Climate and Energy

Vancouver.  West Coast Environmental Law, a non-profit environmental law organization, today released a report – Professionals and Climate Change: How professional associations can get serious about global warming.  This report is perhaps the first in the world to examine the implications of climate change for professional associations regulating the qualifications and activities of resource and planning professionals, such as engineers,

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – More than 50 community groups from across BC  have signed onto an open letter arguing that fossil fuel companies owe BC communities for their fair share of the impacts of climate change. The letter was delivered to all 190 municipalities and regional districts in BC, asking them to demand accountability from the fossil fuel industry, up to and including considering lawsuits against Chevron and other big fossil fuel companies. 

Groups Petition Auditor General’s Office for Answers

Victoria, B.C. — Just days before the federal election, new polling results indicate 78.9 per cent of British Columbians support a ban on oil tanker traffic in B.C.’s inside coastal waters.

Furthermore, 38 per cent of those surveyed indicated that the oil tanker issue will influence how they vote in the current federal election.

“Our lands and waters are not for sale, not at any price.”

Nadleh Whut’en, Dakelh territories (BC) – The Yinka Dene Alliance, a group of five First Nations with territories along and near the proposed route of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, have rejected Enbridge's offer of an equity stake in the project, and instead a legal Declaration is being delivered to Enbridge's headquarters in Calgary stating that the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines are not allowed through their territories, according to ancestral laws.

VANCOUVER, Coast Salish Territories –Today’s decision by the federal government to reject the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and tankers proposal is an important and hard-fought victory says West Coast Environmental Law – one that paves the way for communities to put a stop to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain project.

Vancouver, BC--New B.C. guidelines for forest carbon offsets are “fake climate change action” and will fail to reduce carbon emissions quickly or protect vulnerable ecosystems,eight environmental groups said today.

The guidelines released by the Pacific Carbon Trust (PCT) promote forest carbon credits for activities like fertilization that are not being considered credible in other jurisdictions, like California.

PARIS – Legal researchers from Vanuatu and Canada today released a report, Taking Climate Justice into our own Hands, which explains the legal basis for climate-impacted countries to set the rules for climate damages lawsuits and how those rules can be enforced against international fossil fuel polluters. In addition, Taking Climate Justice proposes language for a new law, the Climate Compensation Act, which could form the basis for legislation adopted in any country in the world.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – A report released today by the Ministerial Panel that conducted recent public meetings on the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker proposal must lead to a rejection by Federal Cabinet, say environmental lawyers.

VANCOUVER, BC – Opinion leaders and decision-makers from across BC will come together the evening of Tuesday, February 26^th to engage in a high level public dialogue about the challenge of managing the cumulative impacts of past, present and future human activities on BC’s ecosystems and communities, including the ever-increasing impact of climate change. Hosted by West Coast Environmental Law, the event will be attended by a sold-out live audience and will also be broadcast live via video webcast.