•   Supports the provincial economy and the family farm;
•   Keeps N.B. money in N.B. communities by circulating our food dollars locally;
•   Protects the environment by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation;
•   Strengthens our communities by letting New Brunswickers get to know their local farmers and learn about where their food comes from; and
•   Proactively increases our public health by providing better access to healthy nutritious food

• Read Chapter 3 (on climate change) from Volume I of the 2017 Auditor General’s Report
  
  
• Read New Brunswick’s Climate Change Action Plan
  
  
• Watch CCNB video series: Green Energy: Making Informed Choices
  
  
• Check out CCNB’s Climate and Energy Solutions hub
  

La décennie des Nations Unies pour l’éducation en vue du développement durable (ÉDD) se terminera l’année prochaine. Qu’avons-nous accompli au Canada pour soutenir cette décennie? Quels défis avons-nous affrontés? Et vers quoi dirigeons-nous? Ce sont les questions qui ont encadré les discussions de l’atelier national sur l’ÉDD à laquelle j’ai participé récemment à la réunion annuelle de la commission canadienne de l’UNESCO. En général, l’atelier a permis des discussions intéressantes bien qu’à mon avis ce fut un peu trop d’écoutes de nos propres propos et pas assez d’actions concrètes.

Peut-être parmi les commentaires des plus aptes à susciter la réflexion que j’ai entendue concernaient les meilleures définitions de l’ÉDD, souvent appelée éducation à la viabilité ici au NB. La voici : l’ÉDD consiste à trouver le type d’avenir que nous souhaitons et puis à préparer les gens avec les compétences, les connaissances et les valeurs dont ils auront besoin pour faire de ce futur une réalité.

L’atelier m’a aidé à réfléchir aux diverses initiatives en ÉDD au Nouveau-Brunswick par rapport aux priorités internationales et celles des autres provinces. L’UNESCO a préparé trois priorités pour ÉDD internationale; celles-ci ont été adoptées au Manitoba. Devrions-nous au Nouveau-Brunswick nous concentrer aussi sur ces mêmes priorités? Ces priorités sont les suivantes :

• Dans toutes les écoles un plan en ÉDD ou sur la viabilité d’ici 2015;
• Les facultés d’éducation incorporent l’ÉDD dans leurs programmes d’éducations des enseignants; et
• La formation professionnelle (p. e. dans les collèges communautaires) réoriente sa programmation pour nous aider à transformer notre « économie brune » en « économie verte ».

Des recherches entreprises dans plusieurs pays pourraient aider notre cause dans la province. Nous, « les convaincus » savons que l’ÉDD améliore la qualité de l’éducation. Toutefois, des recherches sont nécessaires pour convaincre les « non-croyants ». Ces recherchent sont entreprises par un certain nombre de pays qui travaillent en collaboration pour explorer les liens entre l’ÉDD et la qualité de l’éducation et pour trouver des données qualitatives et quantitatives pour démontrer cette relations.

Vingt-neuf représentants d’organisations canadiennes ont participé à cet atelier. Le rapport officiel se trouve ici.

Come see why this property is so important.

http://forestsinternational.org/projects/conservation-of-working-lands/

Since early 2009, CFI has been working with organic farmers and sustainable woodlot owners Clark Philips and Susan Tyler, as well as the New Brunswick Community Land Trust (NBCLT), in order to develop a succession plan for a unique 650 acre farm and Acadian Forest woodlot called Whaelghinbran Farm. Clark (74) and Susan (72), have been farming organically and practicing ecological forestry on their woodlot for over 40 years. By carefully harvesting and marketing timber they have begun a process of restoration, working to achieve the health and diversity found within the Acadian Forest Eco-region prior to European settlement. In order to continue this legacy, Clark, Susan, CFI and the NBCLT are working to uphold the principles and techniques employed at Whaelghinbran Farm through a working lands conservation agreement. CFI intends to steward the farm and woodlot under the conservation easement with a community of interested organizations and individuals, and is striving to establish a rural training centre on site.This training centre will provide students from the region with the knowledge, skills, and network necessary to become involved in a movement rooted in ecologically-based working lands in the Acadian Forest Eco-region. The multi-stakeholder community-based ecological forestry practiced at Whaelghinbran will also provide a strong example of alternative approaches to woodland management in the region.

OUR 2019 CROWDFUND CAMPAIGN IS NOW LIVE!

As we get ready for our 2nd season on the farm and the new-and-improved Regenerative Farming Certificate program, we need YOUR help to continue doing this work.

We need your help to create a new generation of community-led farms, one person at a time. Help us train people to feed their communities as part of a new food and climate paradigm.

As a community-based farm, we are changing our focus from maximizing profit to maximizing production for greater community impact. With reduced revenue and public funding in 2019, we are asking for the crowd’s continued help in funding our current shortfall, so that this next cohort of farm learners (15 participants for the 2019 season!!) can get a meaningful education in feeding our (their) communities without taking on an undue burden.

Join us for our annual local food celebration at the Conservation Council Southeast Chapter’s 100-Mile Dinner Fundraiser.

NB Groups Want The Provincial Government To Heed Their Message
For Immediate Release
September 16, 2011

Moncton -- On Saturday, September 17, the anti-shale gas network of citizens have planned
another march for New Brunswickers to say “NO!” to shale gas in the downtown core of
Moncton.

More than 2 dozen groups from around the province, from places like Cornhill, Sackville,
Taymouth and Hampton, recently announced the network they’ve formed to stop shale gas
development in New Brunswick, and their next step is to hold another rally to continue sending
their message to the provincial government that the shale gas industry is not welcome here.

This grassroots movement has committed itself to informing their fellow New Brunswickers of
the dangers of shale gas. “It’s shameful that our government has not honestly engaged and
informed its citizens of the dangers of this industry,” says Debra Hopper, a spokesperson for Our
Environment, Our Choice, Notre Environnement, Notre Choix. “We have an intelligent group
here. We have done our homework; now the government needs to do the same. It has been
reading off of cheat sheets provided by industry. The same tired lines that we’re all sick of
hearing. The people of New Brunswick have a right to know what we are really facing.”

“We ask that our government do its job in protecting our life sustaining resources against an
industry that is advancing at an accelerated rate and that threatens our quality of life for
generations to come. Once the damages are done, there is no return,” says Patricia Léger,
spokesperson for Memramcook Action. “We cannot expect industry to warn us of the dangers of
this toxic method of extracting natural gas and our government seems to only be listening to
industry.”

In our ongoing effort to get the facts about the dangers of shale gas drilling out into the open, a
second march is being held this time in Moncton.  It will begin at 12:00 noon at the Hal Betts
Ball Fields – Moncton SportPlex, located at 250 Assomption Blvd at the corner of Vaughn
Harvey. Protesters will march along Vaughn Harvey Blvd, and down Main Street before
congregating at Moncton City Hall, next to SWN Offices.  We invite all water drinkers and air
breathers to join us in our PEACEFUL display of democracy in action. 

At City Hall, there will be speakers from various groups and communities from across the
province, including the Youth Environmental Action Network, Elsipogtog First Nation, Friends
of Mount Carleton, the Maliseet Grand Council, and Ban Fracking NB. 

Media Contacts:
Our Environment, Our Choice, Notre Envrionnement, Notre Choix, Denise Melanson: 523-9467
Quality of Life Initiative, Otty Forgrave: 839-2326
CCNB Action, Stephanie Merrill: 261-8317
Ban Fracking NB, Terri Telasco: 866-7658
New Brunswickers Against Fracking, Mary de La Valette: 369-1995
Council of Canadians, St. John Chapter, Carol Ring: 847-0953
Grand Lake Watershed Guardians, Amy Sullivan: 339-1980 or 339-5324
Sierra Club Atlantic, Hazel Richardson: 452-8915

Traditional territory of the Wabanaki Peoples/Fredericton — New Brunswick’s greenhouse gas emissions increased 700,000 tonnes from 2020 to 2021, a six per cent increase, due to increased emissions in the electricity sector, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 2023 National Inventory Report 1990 – 2021: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada.

New Brunswick’s planet-warming greenhouse gases increased from 11.2 million tonnes in 2020 to 11.9 million tonnes in 2021, the latest year for which data is available. A detailed break out of emissions across all economic sectors in the province shows that the entire increase in emissions is from the electricity sector. 

“Burning fossil fuels to generate electricity must end,” says Louise Comeau, co-executive director at the Conservation Council. “Making money off planet-warming energy sources is unethical. It increases our carbon tax liability and puts our future at risk. The time is now to switch off the fossil plants in favour of renewable energy, storage, interties and efficiency.”

The 700,000-tonne increase from New Brunswick’s electricity sector represents an annual rise of 26 per cent, from 2.7 million tonnes in 2020 to 3.4 million tonnes in 2021. The increase was driven by increases in emissions at the Coleson Cove Generating Station (up 47 per cent, or 730,000 tonnes in 2020 to 1,070,000 in 2021), the Belledune Generating Station (up 22 per cent, or 1,140,000 tonnes to 1,390,000 tonnes), and the Bayside Generating Station (up 11 per cent, or 830,000 tonnes to 920,000 tonnes).

The Point Lepreau Generating station was largely operational in 2021, with three short-term outages in February, April and November, leading to a 7 per cent decline in megawatt hours of power production.  Wind power production was down 21 per cent due to base cracks at Kent Hills. These outages increase reliance on New Brunswick’s fossil plants or on imports from Quebec or New England.  According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, in 2021 electricity production at Belledune was up 23 per cent (1440 GWh in 2021, compared to 1140 GWh in 2020), up 15 per cent at Bayside (1580 GWh in 2021, compared to 1380 GWh in 2020), and up 34 per cent at Coleson Cove (940 GWh in 2021, compared to 700 GWh in 2020). Greenhouse gas intensity increased to 290 grams/carbon dioxide/kWh from 230 grams/carbon dioxide/kWh in 2020.

In 2021, NB Power also increased export sales which can contribute to increased use of the utility’s fossil fuel plants. NB Power’s 2021-2022 annual report shows a 52 per cent increase in export sales ($558 million in 2021-2022 from $369 million in 2020-2021), and a 35 per cent increase in gigawatt hours of production (6,175 GWh  in 2021-2022 from 4,576 GWh in 2020-2021). 

Emissions increases year-over-year are a concern even if long-term trends are still downward. New Brunswick’s greenhouse gas emissions are down 39 per cent from 2005 and 7 per cent from 2019.  Similar trends to 2021 are expected for 2022, signalling the importance of controlling electricity sector emissions through actions like a federal clean electricity regulation. 

As Earth Day (April 22) approaches, the Conservation Council calls for a clean electricity strategy that ensures New Brunswick has a reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity system with the right balance of in-province efficiency, wind, solar, hydro and storage, along with regional transmission interties like the Atlantic Loop.

To arrange an interview, contact:

 Jon MacNeill, communications director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, 506-238-3539 |jon.macneill@conservationcouncil.ca

The New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance (NBASGA) has sent its comments on climate policy to the legislative committee working on the climate plan. They are available on our website to read or to download (12 pages of text, 4 of references).
https://www.noshalegasnb.ca/nbasga-comments-to-new-brunswick-climate-change-committee/

We remind everyone that the deadline for submission to the committee is midnight on Feb 24th. 
You may write your own comments, and email them to: climatechangeNBchangementsclimatiques@gnb.ca

You may also register comments by answering climate survey questions from the Committee. To do so, go to:
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/elg/environment/content/climate_change/content/action-plan-renewal.html

At the bottom of the page click on the 'Share Your Thoughts' button to get the survey, and when you complete the survey, just click Submit.

Please feel free to use any ideas or references from NBASGA's comments.

Jim Emberger, Spokesperson

NBCC Woodstock will be the site of the 2^nd Richard Olmstead Sustainable Living Expo (ROSLE) on Saturday, October 13, 2012, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.The Expo will feature speakers, workshops, displays and booths to showcase goods and services that relate to living locally in a sustainable lifestyle. (See Attached)

The Expo is an opportunity for those who produce or provide goods and services that make the Woodstock Region more self-reliant and energy efficient to share their resources, knowledge, and expertise with the wider community. Exhibitors include individuals, businesses, and organizations that provide goods and services, including arts, recreational, and educational services, in the greater Woodstock region.

From crafts people to passive solar homebuilding, from local food to energy efficiency experts, from healthy eating to products for sustainable living, the Expo showcases the many ways businesses and community organizations are working to build a stronger, more resilient region.

Dr.Wayne Groszko (Ph.D.in Chemical Oceanography, Dalhousie University) is the Key note speaker. His topic is"Solar Energy: AWorldTour – Learn about exciting new developments in solar energy around the world, with connections to how you can use solarenergy here at home in New Brunswick."

Speakers and work shops include:

10:00 am  Dr. Donald Wood - Geothermalenergy

11:00 am  Peter Steeves - Heatpumpsoptions

12:00 pm  SimplyforLife-..Cookingdemonstration

1:00 pm    Dr.Wayne Groszko - Keynote address

2:00 pm    Sara Mudg - Efficiency New Brunswick Opportunities

3:00 pm    Garth Hood – Passive solar Houses Web: thoughtfuldwellings.ca

Breakfast with healthy local foods is being provided by Simply for Life for $7

from8:00 to 9:30 am

The local sponsor the Sustainable Energy Group will release its free new booklet at the Expo called ‘From Oil Dependency to Renewable Energy – An Energy Transition Guidebook, Assessment, Planning, and Resources’.

The guide book demonstrates many practical ways how people can reduce their own environmental footprint while living healthier lives, with numerous examples of local

people already doing this.

Richard Olmstead (1954 - 2010), one of the founding members of SEG in 2004, was passionate about educating people to consume less and to be mindful of our impact on the environment. The Expo was Richard's idea, and is in his memory.

Falls Brook Centre – Activities for all ages. Admission to the Expo is only $2, children under 12 free.

(Submitted on behalf of the Sustainable Energy Group)

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release        November 17, 2011

Shale Gas Protest March and Rallies in Fredericton November 19th and 23rd

FREDERICTON NB ---- A march and two rallies at the Provincial Legislature will take place on November 19th and November 23rd to protest unconventional shale gas development in New Brunswick.
Citizens and community groups from throughout New Brunswick will converge on Fredericton on Saturday, November 19th and at the opening session of the New Brunswick Legislature on Wednesday, November 23rd with their message to the Alward Government that the exploration and extraction of natural gas from shale using horizontal drilling in combination with slick water hydraulic fracturing will not be tolerated.

New Brunswickers from all over the province denounce the development of an unconventional shale gas industry. The process used to extract unconventional shale gas is less than 20 years old. It is the undisputed cause of ecological damage and long-term economic net debt, earthquakes, air and noise pollution, infrastructure degradation and the profligate use and irreversible poisoning of trillions of litres of fresh water. It leaves deleterious impacts on the lives and health of humans and other animals in its wake.

“The civic duty of New Brunswick residents does not require that they be guinea pigs in anyone's science experiments”, states Jim Emberger, spokesperson for the Taymouth Community Association.

The promise of large-scale job creation appears over-exaggerated. In a recent presentation at the University of New Brunswick on October 22, 2011, Mr. Calvin Tillman, former mayor of Dish, Texas mentioned that since this industry requires highly skilled workers, most will be imported from outside the province to enable the industry to be more competitive at a time when stock market prices for natural gas are low.

Events on Saturday, November 19th will begin at 7:00 am with a Sunrise Ceremony at the Old Burial Grounds at 51 Woodstock Road. At 10:00 am there will be a benefit concert at the Old Burial Grounds for the people of Penobsquis. A march to the Provincial Legislature will begin after the concert, starting at 11:00 am.

Sixty residents in Penobsquis have lost their well water and have experienced ground subsidence allegedly from the industrialization of their rural community. Some who want to move away have been unable to sell their homes. We ask, where is justice for the people of Penobsquis? Will regulations serve anyone when more things go wrong? A point made clear in the recent documentary by Rob Turgeon, ‘Be... Without Water’. (www.youtube.com/user/robfturgeon#p/a/u/1/aK0NMTMXHSw)

Events on Wednesday, November 23rd are scheduled to begin at the Provincial Legislature at 12:00 noon. A program with music and speakers will begin at 1:00 pm.

Media Contacts:

Jean Louis Deveau 506 442 1413 jlpdev@nbnet.nb.ca     

Julia Linke 506 367 0987 linkejul@gmail.com

Terry Wishart 506 238 4001 t.wishart@banfrackingnb.ca

_________________________________________________

COMMUNIQUÉ

Pour publication immédiate                              17 novembre 2011

Marche et rassemblements contre les gaz de schiste à Fredericton les 19 et 23 novembre

FREDERICTON NB — Une marche et deux rassemblements devant l’Assemblée législative auront lieu les 19 et 23 novembre pour protester contre l’exploitation non traditionnelle des gaz de schiste au Nouveau-Brunswick.

Des citoyens et des groupes communautaires de toutes les régions du Nouveau-Brunswick se réuniront à Fredericton le samedi 19 novembre et lors de la séance d’ouverture de l’Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick le mercredi 23 novembre pour livrer leur message à l’administration Alward que l’exploration et l’exploitation du gaz naturel des schistes en utilisant le forage horizontal avec des fluides de fracturation ne seront pas tolérées. Les Néobrunswickois de toute la province dénoncent l’exploitation non conventionnelle des gaz de schiste par l’industrie. Le processus utilisé pour extraire les gaz a moins de 20 ans. Et il est la cause non contestée de dégâts écologiques, de dettes économiques nettes à long terme, de tremblements de terre, de pollution atmosphérique et sonore, de dégradation des infrastructures et de l’utilisation immodérée d’eau et de l’empoisonnement irréversible de trillions de litres d’eau douce. Par ailleurs, cette industrie laisse dans son sillage des impacts nuisibles sur la vie et la santé des humains et des autres animaux.

« Le devoir civique des résidents du Nouveau-Brunswick n’exige pas qu’ils servent de cobaye pour les expériences scientifiques, » affirme Jim Emberger, porte-parole de l’Association communautaire de Taymouth.

Les promesses de créations d’emplois à grande échelle semblent très exagérées. Dans sa récente présentation à l’université du Nouveau-Brunswick le 22 octobre dernier, monsieur Calvin Tillman, ancien maire de Dish au Texas a mentionné qu’étant donné que cette industrie a besoin de travailleurs hautement qualifiés, la plupart d’entre eux proviendront de l’extérieur de la province afin de permettre aux opérations d’être plus compétitives au moment où les prix sur le marché du gaz naturel sont bas.

Les évènements de samedi 19 novembre vont commencer à 7 heures avec une cérémonie du lever du soleil au vieux cimetière situé au 51 Woodstock Road. À 10 heures, il y aura un concert au bénéfice des citoyens de Penobsquis. La marche vers l’Assemblée législative commencera après le concert à 11 heures au même endroit.

En effet, soixante résidents de Penobsquis ont perdu l’eau de leur puits et ont subi des affaissements de terrain après l’industrialisation de leur collectivité rurale. Certains qui ont voulu déménager ailleurs n’ont pas été capables de vendre leur maison. Nous demandons, où se trouve la justice pour les habitants de Penobsquis? Est-ce que des règlementations vont servir à qui que ce soit lorsque d’autres choses tourneront mal? Un récent documentaire par Rob Turgeon donne une réponse très claire :

« Vivez...sans eau » (www.youtube.com/user/robfturgeon#p/a/u/1/aK0NMTMXHSw)

Les évènements de mercredi 23 novembre débuteront à l’Assemblée législative à midi. Un
ensemble d’évènements avec musique et conférenciers débutera à 13 heures.

Personnes-ressources pour les médias :

Jean Louis Deveau 506 442 1413 jlpdev@nbnet.nb.ca

Julia Linke 506 367 0987 linkejul@gmail.com

Terry Wishart 506 238 4001 t.wishart@banfrackingnb.ca

The UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) comes to an end next year. What have we accomplished in Canada to support the Decade? What challenges did we face? And where do we go from here? It was these questions that shaped the discussion at a national ESD workshop I attended at the Canadian Commission for UNESCO annual meeting recently. In general, the workshop provided an interesting discussion, although it was a bit too much of listening to ourselves talk and not quite enough of concrete action items for my liking.

Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking comments included the best definition of ESD – more often called sustainability education here in NB! – that I have ever heard. Here it is: ESD is about figuring out the kind of future we want and then preparing people with the skills, knowledge, and values they need to make that future a reality.

The workshop helped me think about our various ESD initiatives in New Brunswick in terms of international priorities and those in other provinces. UNESCO has developed three priorities for ESD internationally; these have been adopted provincially in Manitoba. Should we in NB be focusing on these priorities also? The priorities are:

• All schools have an ESD or sustainability plan by 2015,
• Faculties of Education incorporate ESD into their teachers’ education programs, and
• Vocational education (e.g., community collges) re-orient their programming to help us move from a “brown economy” to a “green economy.”

There is research underway internationally that may help our cause here in the province. We, as “believers” know that ESD improves the quality of education. However, research is needed to demonstrate this to non-believers. This research is being undertaken by a number of countries working together to explore the links between ESD and quality education and to find qualitative and quantitative data to support these links.

This workshop was attended by 29 representatives from organizations across the country. The official minutes can be found here.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE TOUR: Red Dot Poll Results Summary for Fredericton South, April 30, 2014

1) Moratorium on shale gas

2) Public health

3) New Brunswick needs diverse set of solutions for jobs / economy
 - clean energy
 - Local value aded products
 - local agriculture and forestry

4) Sustainable jobs. Clean jobs.

5) Forest management agreement with JD Irving must be stopped

6) First Nations should be consulted before entering into resource agreements

7) No 'gag' orders and non-disclosure agreements should be allowed in NB

8) Radioactive waste water

9) Solar power

10) Clean energy