Emissions billow from the Lakeview Generating Station near Toronto as smog
obscures the skyline.
The Kyoto Accord is dominating
the news and is facing
fierce opposition in many parts
of Canada, especially Alberta and
to some degree in Ontario.
The cover photo - with power lines cutting
across the smoke stacks - illustrates the
dilemma facing Canadians who have a voracious
appetite for electrical energy yet have
had several smog alerts in the past hot summer.
Ironically they now are facing huge increases
in their hydro bills.
Many major polluting countries have refused
to sign the Kyoto agreement and there
are complex loopholes - such as emissions
trading - none of which favour Canadians.
The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
has issued a statement supporting the
Kyoto Agreement. It reads: A majority of
Ontario’s professional engineers believe that
implementing the Kyoto Accord is worth the
potential short-term economic costs, according
to independent research conducted by
Ipsos-Reid on behalf of the Ontario Society
of Professional Engineers.
“As the original environmentalists, engineers
have always played a key role in ensuring public health. Historically, we enjoy longer life spans and lower rates of
infant mortality because the work of engineers with water
and sanitation systems has complemented public health initiatives,”
said Society CEO Randall Pearce. “As a profession,
engineers want to use their expertise to find economically
viable solutions to environmental challenges like
Kyoto.”
The research was part of a comprehensive survey of the
province’s engineers that was presented at the Society’s General
Assembly in Kingston, Ontario, on November 2, 2002.
The survey elicited responses from nearly 5,000 engineers,
producing a margin of error of +/- 1.4%. Fully 58 percent
of respondents agreed that “concerns over global warming
and climate change outweigh potential costs of implementing
the Kyoto Accord.”
The survey also found that engineers think that power
generation companies should consider investing in new nuclear
power plants to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Two-thirds of respondents (67%) favoured this option.
The survey was a first step for the Society in defining its
position on such environmental issues as the Kyoto Accord.
“Ontario engineers are part of the solution,” said CEO
Pearce. “Our members are ready to work with industry and
government to keep Canada at the forefront of innovative,
environmentally-responsible technology.”
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