UBC Environmental Policy Association
6000 Iona Drive Vancouver, BC, Canada

The project which was previously approved by TC energy would see the 1930 kilometre pipeline transport up to 830,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to Nebraska, and was expected to cost US $8 billion.Hours after he was sworn into office, U.S. PresidentJoe Biden signed an executive order to revoke the permit that would allow the Keystone XL pipeline expansion project to continue. The expansion was green-lit by former U.S. president Donald Trump inJanuary 2020. Link in bio: https://www.nytimes.com//biden-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline

The Buffalo Plains Wind Project in Lomond, Alta., is in a new phase of planning and now awaits public consultation and approval by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC). ABO Wind says it’s the largest single-phase wind project proposed in Canada and would offset more than 1.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to removing more than 130,000 passenger vehicles. A number of people in the Lomond area have spoken up about concerns with the proposed project in the last year. If approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), the project would represent more than $500-million in investments. Over 300 jobs would be created during construction with around 15 long-term maintenance positions. Link in bio: https://globalnews.ca//76155/feedback-lomond-wind-project/

Send a letter to tell the UBC Board to deliver on its Climate Mandate!!!!

Renewable technologies like solar and wind have long been promoted as the future of clean energy. Nuclear energy is often pushed aside due to its high financial cost and the fear of nuclear disasters such as the Fukushima accident in 2011. While it is true that nuclear energy has its cons, is it too frequently dismissed? In this provocative talk, Time Magazine Hero of the Environment and energy expert Michael Shellenberger explains why he believes nuclear energy is an alter...native energy source to consider given the extensive land needed for installing and mining the materials for solar and wind. Shellenberger is the President of Environmental Progress, a research and policy organization and lifelong environmentalist. He changed his mind about nuclear energy after spending years opposed to it, and has since helped save enough nuclear power plants to prevent an increase in carbon emissions equivalent to adding more than 10 million cars to the road. Link in bio:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-yALPEpV4w See more

The Site C dam is a 1,100 megawatt hydro dam currently under construction on the Peace River in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. The dam has been proposed since the 1970s and, if completed, would be the third dam on the Peace River. With a price tag of $10.7 billion, theSite C damis the most expensive publicly funded infrastructure project inB.C.history. But the beautiful Peace River Valley is under threat. Several groups of concerned British Columbians call on the provincial government to stop construction on the Site C dam project until geotechnical issues are resolved. Read more about this at (Link in Bio): https://thenarwhal.ca/scrapping-bc-site-c-dam-save-116-mil/

New report from Stand.earth reveals that the BC government is giving away billions of dollars to corporate polluters. BC is now second in Canada only to Alberta in providing subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. The report also criticizes the B.C. government for policies to promote the province’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, a dirty fuel source that is both, an economic and climate disaster.. It echoes a previous report done by theInternational Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which has also criticized B.C.’s deep-well credits as a subsidy that surrenders too much government royalty revenue. Link in Bio: https://www.stand.earth//standearth_subsidizing_climate_ch

Meet our 2020/21 executive team! Rohan Anand Position: VP Finance... I am in my third year in the Bachelor of International Economics program, interested to pursue a career in Equity Research/ Investment Banking. I'm really passionate about sustainable energy and hope to contribute to make our world a better place to live in. In my free time, I can be found in the gym or shooting portraits :)

Ranchers and abattoir operators in British Columbia are contributing to improve rural food supply and food security in the province, as part of ongoing government efforts to increase livestock production and processing in rural communities. The proposed changes to BC slaughterhouse rules aim to ensure more local meat and less supply chain disruption. The Ministry of Agriculture has released an intentions paper with suggested policy changes to meat processing in rural areas of the province that prioritize food safety and animal welfare. The policy changes will also increase economic opportunities and strengthen B.C.’s provincial food system. Link in bio:https://www.nationalobserver.com//british-columbians-want- #eatlocal #sustainablefood #bcfarms

While we nervously await election results, it is important to consider the climate agenda President Trump plans to follow if re-elected. During Trump’s time in office, his administration has announced planned change to National Environmental Policy Act rules, which require federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of projects such as the construction of mines, highways, water infrastructure and gas pipelines.The proposal would set limits on environmental assessment...sand changes what impacts must be considered, two significant moves that could make it easier to approve projects. John Walke, an attorney and senior adviser to the NRDC Action Fund said The Trump administration is the first in the history of the agency to devote itself so relentlessly to a rollback agenda without even a pretense of meaningfully reducing environmental pollution, Link in bio: https://www.nytimes.com//cli/trump-environment-courts.html #uselection2020 #nrdc See more

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to create a world where people and the planet thrive. Working toward the Sustainable Development Goals requires action on all fronts; governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals all have a role to play. TheCOVID-19 pandemic has been a historic turning point that has forced us to transform the economy and society on an unprecedented scale, at the same ...time as we face another urgent crisis climate change. This has brought the economy to a cross-roads of post-pandemic reconstruction and the challenge of meeting Canada’s climate goals. Endorsed by Canada’s leading environmental groups, this paper sets out seven green strings recommendations to apply to government measures to ensure a green recovery from COVID-19. #greenrecovery #greengoals #greenpolicy

In preparation for the upcoming BC provincial election on October 24th, we are hosting an event with Vancouver-Fairview NDP MLA George Heyman. George Heyman was elected in 2013 and was appointed BC’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in 2017. Before moving into politics, George was the executive director of the Sierra Club BC from 2009 to 2012. George will weigh in on the NDP’s actions on climate since 2017 and their plans going forward. The discussion will ...include topics such as: -LNG and fuel subsidies -A net-zero emissions future and CleanBC -A Just Transition for British Columbians There will be opportunities to ask George some questions, so please stop by for what is sure to be a great discussion! The event will be online: click the link in bio to sign up for access to the Zoom event! https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSdjsHmAbBiOJzyQty/viewform We hope to see you there.

UBC Environmental Economics Professor Werner Antweiler will be speaking at our event this Monday, October 19th with Sonia Furstenau! Visit his blog to learn about Electric Vehicle subsidies in Canada (and more!): https://wernerantweiler.ca/blog.php?item=2020-07-29 Electric cars can save you money in the long run. ... The average Canadian driver, traveling 20,000 km per year, can save as much as $2,000 per year on fuel alone. Add in the federal purchase incentive of up to $5,000 for electric vehicle purchases, and additional incentives in provinces such as BC and Quebec, and the savings grow. In BC, a large share of electricity is generated from hydro, making the environmental benefits of driving electric even greater. #electricar #savetheplanet #drivebetterdeal See more

Landfills as Museums is an educational initiative from the Slow Factory Foundation aiming to give students and fashion designers an understanding of problems with waste management in the textile and design industries. The initiative highlights the need for a Circular Economy where waste can be properly recycled into usable products, increasing productivity and minimizing waste left to rest permanently in landfills. Here’s the link to read more about this initiative: https://slowfactory.foundation/landfills-as-museums #sustainablefashion #sustainability #landfillisnottheendofthestory

The COVID-19 lockdown, while in many ways stressful and depressing, had some unexpected results. As human activity waned, nature came to the fore. City dwellers were suddenly aware of the chirping of the birds. The sky was commendably blue, the air quality improved, and cities seemed greener than usual. People saw how quickly the world managed to mobilize in the face of an immediate threat like this pandemic. And indeed, the sweeping changes in human behaviour the grounded... planes, eliminated commutes, reduction in industrial production and power generation had an impact. By early April, daily global CO2 emissions had dropped by 17% compared with mean levels in 2019. However, this drop, albeit significant, is not sustainable as it came in response to a drastic shift in the way we live, and also came in tandem with negative impacts such as soaring unemployment from the crisis. The complexity of the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a coordinated response in which governments work together to avoid the rising numbers of cases we see each day. We still have a long way to go, but the solidarity in response to Covid-19 has given some hope that global powers may be able to mobilize and work together to combat climate change. (Link in bio) https://www.carbonbrief.org/coronavirus-tracking-how-the-wo #covid_19 #green #climatechange #climatechangeisreal

Following the pandemic is like watching the climate crisis with your finger jammed on the fast-forward button. The issues of neither the virus nor greenhouse gases are limited to borders, making them both a global concern now more than ever. Both are putting the poor and vulnerable at greater risk than the wealthy and this demands government action on a higher scale. With America’s leadership as scornful of the World Health Organization as it is of the Paris Climate Agreemen...t, neither calamity is getting the co-ordinated international response it deserves. The need for Green Revolution as at its peak, and now is the time to act. #FlattenTheClimateCurve #ClimateAwareness #sustainability #cleanerfuture On Global Climate Strike day, add your voice by joining the Campaign at the bottom of this link: https://nouvelle.news//the-time-is-now-for-canadas-green-/

SEPTEMBER 25th, 2020 GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION DAY We may be experiencing a pandemic, but we are also facing another global crisis that only continues to become more threatening every day: climate change. ... On the 25th, join millions of individuals in global climate strikes. Among many actions you can take, there is also an 24 hour zoom strike! To learn more on other ways you can demand action, donate and to see where the strike is taking place around the globe, visit: https://fridaysforfuture.org #FightClimateInjustice #FridaysForFuture @shell @exxonmobil @chevron

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The World Economy is moving towards an uneasy transition. The oil industry has encountered its third collapse in 12 years. However, the current context is an unprecedented one. It combines a supply shock, with a huge demand drop and a global humanitarian crisis. Along with this, the oil sector’s financial health is the worst out of all the previous crises. This advent of excessive supply and poor financial markets that overlooked the limited capital discipline have all contributed to deficient returns. With the prices touching an all time lows, the oil industries are sensing an inevitable change. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition of the most transformative industry. Link: https://www.sierraclub.org//2020-5-se/feature/end-oil-near

Hi UBC! Please check out Ruipeng Su’s summary of Mark Jaccard’s new book: The Citizen’s Guide To Climate Success. Dr. Jaccard is a professor of sustainable energy at Simon Fraser University and has a PhD in economics from the University of Grenoble. The summary can be found here: https://climatesuccess.wordpress.com/ Youtube video of talk by Dr. Jaccard:... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7YIKJwM-gM&t=1332s A message from Ruipeng: My name is Ruipeng Su and I study Environment and Sustainability at UBC. Back in March, I went to a talk Dr. Jaccard gave at UBC about the state of our fight against climate change and was immediately very moved by what he had to say. I came to realize that his points are exactly what the modern climate movement needs to know and that I needed to share what I had learned. Upon realizing that a summary of his book didn’t yet exist, I decided to write one myself in order to make the book’s important message more accessible to climate concerned citizens who may not have the time to read a near 275-page book from start to finish. I am very grateful to my friends David Serpa and Pilar Rodriguez (both recent UBC grads) who took time out of their busy schedules to help along the way. -Ruipeng

Hi UBC, we are looking for a group of enthusiastic, motivated students to join the UBC EPA Executive Team for the upcoming 2020-2021 year! The UBC EPA is committed to analyzing economic and political responses to climate change. We run numerous events dedicated to engaging students of all backgrounds in local, federal, and global environmental policy through educational presentations and discussions. Please find more details about the 8 available positions in our hiring pack...age, and be sure to fill out the Google Form application by 11:59 pm on July 10th. We look forward to seeing your responses! Hiring Package: https://www.canva.com//DAD9B8/3gbiSqWJ0QlRz8AleTJcrQ/view Google Form: https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLScj4zQlfB6qffRn3k/viewform

Today is the last virtual dialogue on partnerships! Participate in the climate emergency virtual dialogue at 1PM today to identify collaborative climate solutions UBC can take with non-profits, government, indigenous groups, private sector, and local/international community organizations! UBC wants to hear from you! Join us today~ RSVP link here to get the zoom link: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7aGUiv92Ift6vvD