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RPP – 2004-2005 – Section 1-1

NRTEE - 2004-2005 Estimates: Part III - Report on Plans and Priorities

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Message from the Acting Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) was created in 1994 to provide analysis and advice that would advance the cause of sustainable development. Ten years on, its mission is more relevant than ever, as Canada and governments around the world increasingly accept the need for development that serves both economic and environmental ends. The NRTEE views the environment through the lens of the economy. It articulates the impact of environmental problems on the Canadian economy, and it assesses how economic policy tools can be used to benefit the environment. By combining a multi-stakeholder approach with robust research and analysis, the agency can produce practical recommendations that promote economic prosperity while preserving the environment for current and future generations. The NRTEE's chief role is to assist federal departments, ministers and parliamentarians in their decision making. Two key tools in this regard are its State of the Debate reports and its annual Greening of the Budget submissions. The former reports provide analysis and recommendations from major NRTEE research and consultation programs. The budget submissions, on the other hand, offer information tailored for the use of the Minister of Finance and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. These submissions are the result of intensive analysis and stakeholder consultations throughout the year. Informed and assertive leadership is vital to achieving environmental and economic goals simultaneously. Accordingly, the agency places a priority on raising awareness and understanding among opinion leaders and decision makers across the country. The NRTEE's awareness-raising efforts focus on developing regional and national constituencies of support around key issues, support that is essential to generating momentum for change. The NRTEE takes a strategic approach to its work, selecting three to four issues for examination over a two-year period. The issues must be central to addressing the environmental/economic challenges we face in Canada. They must also be in areas where solutions are best developed through consultation with multiple stakeholders. This approach enables the NRTEE to distill advice and recommendations that government and industry can implement with confidence. In 2004-2005, the NRTEE will focus on the following four issue areas:

• how fiscal policy can promote the decarbonization of Canadian energy systems, while maintaining options and opportunities for existing energy sources and uses;
• how Canada's capital markets can better support and stimulate environmentally responsible activities;
• how regulatory and fiscal reforms can enhance natural capital in Canada's boreal forest; and
• how long-term energy planning for Canada can enhance competitiveness while achieving climate change and other environmental objectives.

The NRTEE will also continue its work in a fifth area in support of its annual Greening of the Budget submission. This work focuses on:

• how the federal government can incorporate significant environmental initiatives into its annual budget.

We are proud in this 10th anniversary year to receive the 2004 Arthur Kroeger College Award for Policy Leadership. This award is given to an individual or organization that serves as a model to others on how to define an issue and successfully advance the policy process through the use of innovative leadership. In the NRTEE's case, the awards jury noted our efforts in "pursuing policy consensus in the midst of contending economic and environmental perspectives and interests." We intend to build on our strengths and to continue to provide a valuable service to this country. ___________________________ Eugene Nyberg Acting Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer « Previous — Contents — Next »