US Data Backs Fracking Moratorium

Date: March 10, 2021
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Research & Scientific Studies, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

Edited versions of this Commentary by Jim Emberger were printed in the 10 March 2021 editions of The Daily Gleaner, The Times Transcript, and in the Telegraph Journal.

In mid-March New Brunswick shale gas leases held by US corporation, ‘SWN’, will expire, and there is no word if SWN will seek a renewal or extension.

Ten years ago SWN showed up in our communities; igniting a nearly 5 year, hard-fought, citizen opposition campaign that defeated the Alward government, and brought a moratorium on hydrofracking.

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Reliance on fossil fuels is dangerously short-sighted

Date: December 16, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Clean Energy, climate change

Commentary by Jim Emberger, Telegraph Journal, Dec. 16, 2020

“Distant hypothetical targets are being set, and big speeches are being given. Yet, when it comes to the immediate action we need, we are still in a state of complete denial.”

These are the recent words of young climate activist, Greta Thunberg, concerning progress toward dealing with the climate emergency. Unfortunately, she could be talking about NB Power’s recent release of its 20-year Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). While claiming to pay attention to the climate crisis, the utility’s plans belie those claims.

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NBASGA Comments on Civilian Review Report on 2013 Kent County RCMP raid

Date: November 13, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Most Asked Questions, Press Releases

PRESS STATEMENT

Fredericton (Nov. 15, 2020) – After seven years, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP has issued its Final Report on the RCMP raid on indigenous people and shale gas protestors in Rexton, Kent County, in 2013.

It’s appropriate to immediately state that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’. Except for those who were there, few may remember much about the event beyond pictures of burning cars.  Many who testified as eyewitnesses may read this report and marvel that some of its conclusions directly contradict their testimony, more often than not simply because there was no video evidence.

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International Coalition warns against investing in Goldboro LNG

Date: September 29, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: LNG

“For Immediate Release”
INTERNATIONAL COALITION ADVISES GERMAN GOVERNMENT TO NOT INVEST IN CANADIAN LNG EXPORT SCHEME

[Le français suit]

Calgary, September 29, 2020 : Yesterday more than 100 environmental, indigenous and social justice groups from Canada, Germany, United States, Spain, Portugal, France, UK, and Ireland (“the Coalition”) sent the German Government (“Germany”) a letter and briefing report outlining the many risks associated with Germany providing Calgary based Pieridae Energy with a $US 4.5 billion loan guarantee to underwrite the construction of its Goldboro, Nova Scotia, LNG plant and for upstream development of natural gas supplies. Pieridae needs the German loan guarantee to advance the project.

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Small nuclear reactors not the solution to the climate crisis

Date: August 31, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Clean Energy, climate change

Commentary by Sam Arnold, Fredericton Gleaner 31 August 2020

Mr. Kevin Vickers has joined Blaine Higgs in singing their praise of unproven small modular nuclear reactors even though they are at least fifteen years away from going into service. More likely, they never will go into service.

For the sake of present and future generations, already proven means to curb the climate crisis must be launched quickly. Fifteen years is much too long to wait for so-called small modular reactors to come online. They will cost untold millions of dollars to produce and will create additional costs from the radioactive waste that future generations will inherit from us.

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Leaders must say how they’ll combat climate change

Date: August 31, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: climate change

Commentary by Jim Emberger, Fredericton Gleaner, 31 August 2020

The immediacy of COVID-19 and its economic aftermath make it only natural for the media’s attention to be focused on the here and now.  But we cannot lose track of where we were prior to the virus, nor lose sight of the future.  If fact, the pandemic illustrates just how unprepared we are for crises, even those we knew were coming.

In 2019, overwhelming climate science and climate-related disasters brought millions of people into the streets to demand immediate action on the climate emergency.

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Alberta must diversify, not return to the past

Date: April 14, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Clean Energy, climate change

Commentary by Sam Arnold, Times & Transcript, 14 April 2020

In the April 6th Daily Gleaner (A6) Mr. Srebrnik asked why Alberta seems to stagger from one disaster to another. He included COVID-19 to the list of thieves who are out to destroy the oil and gas industry and the province.

Mr. Srebrnik’s arguments fail to evoke the sympathy he is seeking for Alberta’s current economic plight for a number of reasons. Among them, Canada’s transfer payment system has been very successful in distributing Canada’s wealth to all provinces, as intended. As well, it must be noted, Alberta did not continue to build up its rainy-day fund that former Premier Lougheed started, and that subsequent premiers have dipped into when they shouldn’t have. How was it that Alberta’s Heritage Savings Trust Fund amassed $17-Billion in assets by 2014, but now has replaced it with a $15-Billion deficit? Is not the provincial government responsible for the decisions that it makes?

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Doctors release new report calling for moratorium on fracking in Canada

Date: January 30, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: climate change, Fracking & Health

Report by Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment highlights serious health and environmental dangers associated with fracked natural gas, including links to birth defects, cancer, air pollution, and global warming

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) recently released a new report calling for a moratorium on all new fracking development across Canada, along with the phase-out of existing fracking operations.

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Ditching fossil fuels is like a ‘monkey trap’

Date: January 28, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: climate change

By Jim Emberger – The Daily Gleaner, Tuesday, January 28, 2020

A recent Brunswick News Commentary wondered how bad must things get before the concept of ‘climate emergency’ gets traction. One depressing answer may be found in the title of a widely circulated NYTimes editorial: “Australia Is Committing Climate Suicide.” The continuing unimaginable conflagration of Australian bushfires has already burned an area much larger than New Brunswick, destroyed thousands of homes, and killed over a billion animals.

Decades will pass before knowing how many human lives will be lost or shortened by exposure to the world’s worst air pollution.  An air quality index (AQI) above 200 is defined as hazardous. The AQI in Canberra has hit 4,650. Climate scientists have long predicted such events, as the conditions that created them are well-studied climate topics.

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On Declaring a Climate Emergency

Date: January 28, 2020
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Most Asked Questions

By Margo Sheppard – The Daily Gleaner, January 24,2020

Fredericton is under pressure to join the many hundreds of Canadian municipalities and federal government that have declared a climate emergency. A Climate Emergency declaration is “a piece of legislation or directive putting a government or organization on record in support of emergency action to restore a safe climate.” (Climate Mobilization 2020)

With few indications of leadership at the provincial level in this province, local governments are being pushed to take the strongest possible action towards mobilization. So far Bathurst, Saint John, Moncton and Edmundston have done this. Are the declarations of climate emergency symbolic, without teeth? That depends on how much people hold Council members to account to living up to their words.

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