© Conservation Council of New Brunswick 2024
In this edition of EcoNews, we detail what caused the rise in New Brunswick’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 and list the province’s heaviest climate polluters. Additionally, we invite you to participate in a federal survey to help protect the Bay of Fundy and share why we joined forces with over 70 organizations to challenge the Global Seafood Alliance’s greenwashing of industrial salmon farming. Also, we invite you to celebrate the ongoing restoration of alewife habitat at the Schoodic River Alewife Run on May 25!
Fossil fuel plants behind increase in N.B.'s planet-warming emissions
New Brunswick’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions increased by 500,000 tonnes in 2022. The rise, detailed in the federal government’s 2024 National Inventory Report, saw emissions increase to 12.5 million tonnes in 2022, up from 12 million the previous year. This increase comes from the province’s fossil fuel-powered electricity sector, which experienced a 21 per cent increase in emissions, reaching 3.4 million tonnes in 2022.
The report also lists the province’s heaviest climate polluters, and we don’t think you’ll be too surprised to see number one.
Check out the links below to read our press release detailing how New Brunswick can clean up its electricity generation and see who made the list of biggest greenhouse gas emitters in 2022.
Have your say in the future of the Bay of Fundy!
The Bay of Fundy is a precious ecological and cultural resource that needs protection.
Our marine program director, Matt Abbott, wants New Brunswickers to participate in an important federal government survey aimed at preserving the Bay of Fundy. Your input will play a crucial role in shaping a marine conservation plan that designates parts of the Bay of Fundy as marine protected areas.
The survey results will be included as part of a final marine conservation plan.
Make your voice heard! Click below to participate:
Challenging Global Seafood Alliance's greenwashing of industrial salmon farming
The Conservation Council of New Brunswick has joined more than 70 environmental and community organizations to call out Global Seafood Alliance for its continued greenwashing of industrial salmon farming with its latest version of the Best Aquaculture Practices certification.
In the statement below, our marine program director, Matt Abbott, points out that this certification is a form of greenwashing that prioritizes protecting the salmon farming industry over wild fish and marine life. The standard really just confirms an operation’s legal compliance and status quo farming practices, with numerous BAP-certified facilities found to be environmentally negligent.
Help protect Rockwood Park in Saint John
Rockwood Park in Saint John is one of the largest urban parks in Canada and is home to hundreds of diverse species like fish, freshwater mussels, amphibians, loons and beavers. In February, Saint John council voted to declare a portion of the park at 1671 Sandy Point Rd. surplus land and potentially open it for development. The Friends of Rockwood Park is rallying against this decision, and we’ve joined them and a network of organizations opposing the sale and development of the park.
You can help by telling the city of Saint John you oppose this decision. Click below to read more about the issue, and send your letter opposing development in Rockwood Park.
Panic in the cold
Paige Morgan was expecting a baby boy when a winter storm hit New Brunswick last year, knocking out power and leaving her and her husband shivering in the cold. Fearing another cold winter, Paige and her husband looked into what home energy efficiency programs they could take advantage of. Check out Paige’s story below, and see if you can take advantage of any of these programs!
Let's get serious about renewable energy
It’s time to think bigger, go beyond party lines and take renewable energy seriously in New Brunswick.
Our social media co-ordinator, Zoey McNamara, wrote this op-ed advocating for investment in renewable energy like wind and solar instead of expanding shale gas operations. Despite the potential for renewables to lower costs and help meet climate targets, the province’s energy plan prioritizes potentially expensive nuclear projects and keeps the door open for shale gas, Zoey points out.
Celebrating the alewife's journey
Join us on Saturday, May 25 for the Schoodic River Alewife Run! Celebrate the removal of the Milltown dam and the incredible journey of alewives, an important species for the aquatic ecosystem. All runners and walkers are welcome to participate as we look forward to a brighter future for the Schoodic River and its ecosystem.
The run starts at 6 a.m. at Split Rocky, Sipayik and finishes around 4 p.m. at Forest City.
If you want more information about the event, feel free to contact Matt Abbott by clicking below:
Earth Day fun!
What a fantastic time we had celebrating Earth Day at Conserver House in Fredericton on April 22! A big thank you to everyone who showed up and shared their thoughts, concerns and hopes for the environment in New Brunswick. We look forward to using this information as part of our strategic planning in the days ahead.
We work hard to ensure a strong environmental voice is heard in New Brunswick’s print, radio and television media. Here are the latest stories Conservation Council staff have been called upon for expertise, analysis and commentary:
CCNB in the News
May 15 | Our marine program director, Matt Abbott, sat down with CHCO TV’s Jay Reimer to talk about the success of restoring fish passage after removing the decommissioned power station and dam in Milltown. Watch here.
May 7 | It’s time to move on from burning dirty fossil fuels to generate electricity. New Brunswick has made strides in reducing its emissions since the early 2000s. But with electricity generation entirely responsible for a four per cent year-over-year increase in New Brunswick’s planet-warming emissions in 2022, our director of climate solutions, Dr. Moe Qureshi, explains that we need to invest in clean energy and move on from these dirty fuels. Read the story in Acadie Nouvelle.
April 18 | Last year, the New Brunswick government collected $18 million in industrial carbon tax revenue from the province’s major greenhouse gas emitters. However, the provincial government plans to funnel this money back to these big emitters through subsidies.
Dr. Moe Qureshi tells the CBC’s Jacques Poitras that this move effectively shields these polluters from the necessary incentives to reduce emissions. Instead of bolstering profitable industries, Dr. Qureshi proposes redirecting these funds towards upgrades in electricity transmission. Read the story.
April 18 | Premier Blaine Higgs says he wants people to consider “the big picture” in the ongoing debate over the federal carbon tax. However, his proposed solution of selling fracked gas to Europe to replace coal plants is a flawed one. Dr. Moe Qureshi tells the CBC that Higgs’s perspective is short-sighted, emphasizing the need for a shift away from fossil fuels towards sustainable alternatives.