Issues

Search

FINDING SUSTAINABLE PATHWAYS

OUR PROCESS

Our process helps Canada achieve sustainable development solutions that integrate environmental and economic considerations to ensure the lasting prosperity and well-being of our nation.

RESEARCH

We rigorously research and conduct high quality analysis on issues of sustainable development. Our thinking is original and thought provoking.

CONVENE

We convene opinion leaders and experts from across Canada around our table to share their knowledge and diverse perspectives. We stimulate debate and integrate polarities. We create a context for possibilities to emerge.

ADVISE

We generate ideas and provide realistic solutions to advise governments, Parliament and Canadians. We proceed with resolve and optimism to bring Canada’s economy and environment closer together.

Wedge Advisory Note – Section 7

 

Advice on a Long-term Strategy on Energy and Climate Change

Previous - Content - Next

Section VII: Next Steps for the NRTEE

As noted at the start of this document, this work constitutes one of the first examinations of Canada's long-term approach to energy and climate change policies. As such, the NRTEE sees this work as a first step towards helping Canadian develop effective approaches as to how the climate change challenge can be faced. To further thinking on a long-term strategy for energy and climate change, the NRTEE is planning two separate but related activities: Going from the "What" to the "How" (Program to be initiated in Summer 2006) Wedge diagrams such as the one featured in this study provide a good visual representation of which technologies and actions can be combined to achieve a particular greenhouse gas reduction target. They do not, however, describe how these changes can be achieved. The NRTEE freely admits that implementing the levels of change represented by the wedges will be a huge challenge and success will be contingent on the development of significant policies. For this reason, the NRTEE plans further analysis to supplement the Canadian "wedge analysis". This analysis will examine:
  • The costs and benefits associated with technologies associated with key wedges;
  • Policies to encourage the dissemination and adoption of these technologies at the levels suggested in the current analysis; and,
  • Practical, realistic, feasible ways to provide long-term policy signals with respect to GHG reduction.
Outreach strategy (To begin in Fall 2006) The NRTEE wishes to initiate a national discussion on Canada's long-term response to energy and climate change. For this reason it is planning a series of half-day seminars for relatively small but influential groups of key players in the business, provincial, municipal and non-governmental organization (NGO) sectors. These sessions will use the wedge analysis described in this document as a starting point to discuss Canada's long-term approach to energy and climate change, and to discuss the potential roles of government and non-governmental players. In particular, this process will be designed to engage key players in a constructive dialogue on how the wedges in which they have an interest might become a reality. The input gained through these sessions will greatly assist in the NRTEE's policy work on deploying GHG reduction technologies as described above. This input and any subsequent analysis will be forwarded to the Minister of the Environment. These sessions will take place in eight to 10 major cities across Canada between September 2006 and April 2007.