Canada - Environmental Company Calls for Federally Regulated Carbon Credit Trading System
Published:January 25, 2005
Source :Manitoba Pork Council
The President and CEO of Clear-Green Environmental says a federally regulated carbon credit trading system is needed to push the adoption of technologies that offer improved agricultural production and environmental benefits.
Saskatoon based Clear-Green Environmental provides environmentally friendly alternatives for dealing with organic wastes such as swine manure.
President and CEO Ben Voss says a greenhouse gas emissions trading system implemented by the European Union and aggressive environmental regulations to support it have accelerated the adoption of new technologies in Europe.
"Everyone has their own reasons for implementing new technology. In Canada there's been a lot of examination of these new technologies primarily because of the efficiency improvements in barn production so you can actually improve the economics and profitability of a barn.
The side benefits of improving the environment are often not accounted for and sometimes you may not implement a technology unless you can get an economic value for it I.E., the greenhouse gas angle.
If someone implements a new technology in their production system that has multiple benefits in improving efficiency and profitability but it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, the economics are not at a stage, because of the economies of scale, of many facilities being implemented .
Manure treatment technologies and biogas facilities are a great example of that. There's a lot of hesitation in terms of putting them on every hog farm.
If the greenhouse gas credits were considered a part of the economic equation you would see a lot more people looking at it as a very lucrative opportunity because of the credits that could be sold."
Voss says, until the federal government adopts a carbon credit trading system and the necessary regulations to go with it, there will be no incentive for potential buyers to acquire those credits.
