2006 October 11

Greenhouse Gas Emitters Exposed
Canadians can rank greenhouse gas-emitting facilities by province, company, facility and postal code

Toronto – As the federal government rolls out its clean air and climate change package, Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association have released the most comprehensive publicly accessible online ranking and tracking of large industrial greenhouse gas emitters across Canada . Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, contribute to global climate change.

The database, available on the PollutionWatch web site ( www.PollutionWatch.org ), shows that 321 facilities across Canada emitted 278,890,313 tonnes (CO 2 equivalent) of greenhouse gases, more than one-third (37%) of the country's total emissions. That's more than the total greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, planes and trains combined. The PollutionWatch web site uses greenhouse gas emissions data provided by industry to the federal government. The data, which cover emissions for 2004, were reported by individual facilities in June 2005.

“For the first time, Canadians now have a comprehensive picture of which facilities are the biggest greenhouse gas polluters in the country,” said Aaron Freeman, Policy and Campaigns Director, Environmental Defence. “It is these companies that will have to reduce the largest quantity of greenhouse gas emissions to ensure Canada meets our international obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.”

The PollutionWatch analysis found that Alberta leads the provinces in total greenhouse gas emissions reported by facilities with 109,503,697 tonnes CO 2 equivalent, followed by Ontario (77,273,825 tonnes CO 2 equivalent), and Quebec (22,904,613 tonnes CO 2 equivalent).

Provincial Rankings: Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (reported by large industrial facilities in 2004)

PollutionWatch also ranks reported emissions by sector and company. The fossil fuel electric power generation sector reported the highest total greenhouse gas emissions with 119,124,339 tonnes CO 2 equivalent, followed by the non-conventional oil extraction sector (31,675,983 tonnes CO 2 equivalent), and petroleum refineries

(20,599,519 tonnes CO 2 equivalent). The Top 10 Greenhouse Gas Emitters include fossil fuel power generation companies and oil and gas companies:

Top 10 Greenhouse Gas Emitters in 2004 (total all gases) (tonnes CO 2 equivalent)

“These numbers reinforce the need for the federal government to set mandatory, immediate greenhouse gas reduction targets,” said Hugh Benevides, counsel for the Canadian Environmental Law Association. “The federal government has the power to do this under existing legislation.”

Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association call on the federal government to:

• Ensure Canada recommits to its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol and takes immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels.

• Establish regulated targets and timelines for greenhouse gases emitted by Canada 's large final emitters such that the targets can apply beginning on January 1, 2008 . These targets should be proportionate to this sector's contribution to Canada 's total emissions.

• Require mandatory pollution prevention plans from all facilities reporting greenhouse gases, as well as those facilities reporting under the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI).

• Significantly reduce subsidies to fossil fuel energy sources.

• Recommit to initiatives and programs that support and promote alternative energy technology and energy saving devices.

• Require the public release of verified greenhouse gas emissions data within six months after the deadline for reporting.

 Additional rankings are available in the PollutionWatch Fact Sheet “National Greenhouse Gas Pollution Highlights” available on the PollutionWatch web site (www.PollutionWatch.org).

About PollutionWatch (www.PollutionWatch.org) is a collaborative project of Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association. The web site tracks releases and transfers of pollutants across Canada based on data collected by Environment Canada through the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) and emissions of greenhouse gases based on the federal government's Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting program. NPRI and the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting program do not include data from all pollutants or sources.

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Jennifer Foulds, Environmental Defence, (416) 323-9521 ext. 232; (647) 280-9521 (cell)

Hugh Benevides, Canadian Environmental Law Association, (416) 960-2284 ext. 218