March 2: Five Things Happening in the Green Economy This Week

Every two weeks, Mike Moffatt, Senior Director at SPI, explores five things to watch in the green economy in a segment for Smart Prosperity: The Podcast. Click here to listen to this week's episode.

On top of all the additional news, research, and analysis covered in the podcast, here are five (other) things happening in the green economy this week:

1) This week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its 6th-ever report on the world’s ability to adapt to climate change. The 3,500-page report finds that 40% of the world’s population is already “highly vulnerable” to climate impacts and the number of people suffering from water scarcity could double to 3 billion.

2) The cost of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion just jumped up another 70% to $21 billion dollars. The cost overruns are in part attributed to last year’s extreme flooding in BC.  Meanwhile, the Trudeau government says no more public funds will go into the pipeline.

3) Here’s another 70% figure! According to the International Energy Agency, methane emissions from the energy sector worldwide are 70% higher than officially reported. The IEA says that’s largely due to uncontrolled methane leaks from coal energy plants. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, over 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over the short term.

4) Airlines and innovators in Canada have come together to form the Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels. The council says low-carbon fuel innovation is the best way to reduce the airline industry’s greenhouse gas pollution, while also making Canada a leader in this fast-growing space.

5) 75% of people worldwide want single-use plastics to be banned as soon as possible, according to a new poll by IPSOS, which conducted a 28-country survey. Advocates say the results send a clear message to governments meeting in Nairobi this month to establish an ambitious international treaty to tackle plastic waste.

Listen to the full segment, and plenty of other great content, in today's new episode of Smart Prosperity: The Podcast. Our podcast provides fresh takes on the current affairs, politics, research and business of the clean economy. New episodes posted every two weeks.