Tag Archives: Natasha Bulowski

Forests

Greenwashing complaint filed against Canada’s biggest certifier of sustainable forestry

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canadian environmental groups have levelled another greenwashing complaint — this time at the largest certification scheme for sustainable forestry in North America.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certifies 115 million hectares of forest within Canada’s borders for companies.

In a complaint filed to Competition Bureau Canada, environmental groups allege the SFI’s claims of sustainability are “false and misleading” because it has “no rules requiring that logging meet prescribed sustainability criteria nor any on-the-ground assessment to confirm sustainability.”

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Forests

Canada signs onto global forest restoration challenge at COP15

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada promises to restore 19 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030 as international negotiations to save the world’s rapidly dwindling biodiversity carry on in Montreal.

The Dec. 12 announcement makes Canada the 62nd country to sign onto the Bonn Challenge, an initiative launched in 2011 by Germany and the International Union for Conservation of Nature that aims to restore 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes by 2030 to tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

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Forests

Leaked letter puts focus on Canada’s forestry trade priorities ahead of COP15

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada supports the goals of the European Union’s forestry trade rules, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says, after a leaked letter recently revealed the country’s efforts to water down proposed EU regulations right before the United Nations’ global biodiversity conference kicks off in Montreal.

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Cost of Climate Change

Canada’s new climate adaptation plan puts up $1.6 billion to tackle wildfires, heatwaves, flood risk and more

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s much-anticipated roadmap to weather the impacts of climate change is out, and it includes $1.6 billion in new spending to fortify infrastructure, protect human health and predict future risks.

The country’s first National Adaptation Strategy lays out specific targets for its five focus areas: disaster resilience, health and well-being, nature and biodiversity, economy and workers and infrastructure.

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Politics

Can co-leadership help get the Green Party back on its feet?

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Low voter turnout in its leadership race reflects the multiple challenges the federal Green Party has faced in recent years, political scientists say.

The tumultuous tenure of former leader Annamie Paul, who resigned last November, coupled with further internal strife and financial woes, likely factored into the poor turnout, Cara Camcastle, a political science professor at Simon Fraser University, told Canada’s National Observer in an emailed statement.

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