An ad-hoc alliance of over 700 firms, labor unions, industry associations, civil society groups and governments is demanding Canada’s provincial premiers to join forces for designing a Canadian energy strategy, which will help the country to become a leader in clean energy.
The unprecedented alliance that represents the collective interest of all Canadians comes under a new program dubbed Clean Energy Canada. Participants have a framework and endorsed principles to devise a Canadian energy strategy that will provide energy security, prosperity, jobs and environmental protection and address climate change.
Participants also have the same opinion that any such program must help the country advance towards energy waste elimination, sustainable transportation, green energy supply, and financing needed investments. Canada's provincial premiers are anticipated to be involved in a discussion on energy strategy during their annual Council of the Federation summit later this month. Participants in the alliance consider that such a strategy is a national economic opportunity in addition to a Canadian leadership responsibility.
Tides Canada’s Director of the Energy Initiative, Merran Smith stated that faith groups, First Nations leaders, venture capitalists, environmentalists, and oil sands workers have all agreed that the country must develop a 21st century energy model that will gradually decrease pollution, slow global warming, while generating clean energy and jobs for future generations. It is important to devise a plan to transform the country as a low-carbon, clean energy economy. The estimated value of the worldwide market for clean technology and renewable energy is $2 trillion, which is expected to achieve $3 trillion in 2020. An audacious new Canadian energy strategy will help the country to capture a significant share of this market.
Source: http://tidescanada.org