Industry
Throughout the world there are various types of pollution that interfere with the quality of life for all living creatures and with the natural functioning of the earth's ecological systems. Although some environmental pollution is a result of natural causes (such as methane emissions from cattle and toxic materials expelled from volcanoes), most pollution is caused by human activities.
Human Industrial Activities
In the United States, as is the case in most industrialized nations, the greatest source of pollution is the industrial community. According to the 2000 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 2.95 million metric tons (6.5 billion pounds) of toxic chemicals from about 2,000 industrial facilities are annually released into the environment, including nearly 45,360 metric tons (100 million pounds) of recognized carcinogens.
Twenty-nine corporations, including five major oil companies, are starting to account for coming carbon limits in their business plans, according to a new report by CDP. These companies recognize the era of unlimited pollution will soon end, and it’s time to rein in their share of global warming emissions.
Right now, companies are free to release as much carbon as they want. This fuels climate change and contributes to the deadly storms, costly droughts, and destructive floods like the ones that have swept through our communities.
We all pay a steep price for unchecked climate change—even if our families haven’t lost a home to a storm surge yet or gone out of business after a prolonged drought. It touches us no matter where we live. The government spent nearly $100 billion to respond to extreme weather events in 2012. That’s more than $1,100 per average US taxpayer.
We can help protect our communities by limiting how much carbon pollution companies release. America has already set limits for arsenic, lead, and mercury, and other pollutants that endanger our health and well-being. Now we must do the same for carbon.
According to the new CDP report, more and more companies know that time has come, and many have already demonstrated what’s possible by reducing their own carbon pollution. Microsoft, for instance, has committed to becoming carbon neutral across all its data centers, labs, offices, and travel. Even fossil fuel giants like ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, BP, and Shell told CDP researchers they are planning for a carbon-constrained world, because the nation will soon take firm climate action.
President Obama has already begun. In June he released a robust Climate Action Plan and directed the Environmental Protection Agency to establish carbon limits for new and existing power plants. His plan will also target other potent global warming pollutants, including methane from oil and gas production and HFCs. And last year, the president raised fuel economy standards to 54.5 miles per gallon, which will cut carbon pollution from new cars in half and save consumers $1.7 trillion at the pump by 2025.
The clean car standards have unleashed a wave of innovation in the auto sector, contributed to Detroit’s recovery, and helped spur the boom in car sales. The power plants standards will likewise inspire advances in clean energy technologies. They will also level the playing field and allow all sources of energy to compete for low-carbon markets.
The CDP report confirms that many of our smartest and biggest companies are already planning for the low-carbon future. We can usher that future in today by setting strong limits on carbon. We can hold polluters accountable and leave our children with cleaner air and a more stable climate.
http://theenergycollective.com/francesbeinecke/314056/biggest-and-smartest-corporations-already-accounting-carbon-pollution-busines
Levels of Government Involved
Managing air quality is a partnership between multiple government jurisdictions and stakeholders. This is partly due to the fact that different players have different degrees and kinds of air-quality management powers and roles. Also, air pollution often stretches across more than one political boundary, and has more than one source. Addressing air pollution requires a joint effort by those affected by the pollution and those involved in causing it.
The main governments involved in air quality management are the federal, provincial, regional and municipal governments, along with international joint organizations. They are responsible for making and enforcing laws, issuing permits and codes of practice, and setting standards, objectives, guidelines and criteria. In addition, they work with other government agencies and stakeholders to in airshed management. (See Airshed Management in B.C.).
Federal Legislation
The federal government’s role in addressing air quality issues is largely defined through the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). Many emission sources that lie beyond provincial authority are subject to federal regulation, standards and guidelines. These include motor vehicles and fuels, marine vessels, railways and off-road engines. The federal government also provides research support and advice to provincial and municipal agencies in the development of strategies and plans.
Provincial Legislation
In general, the provinces are responsible for controlling pollution from industry and business activities. B.C.'sEnvironmental Management Act and the Waste Discharge Regulation are the principal pieces of legislation for air quality and other environmental issues in British Columbia. Flowing from them are regulations that address specific air-quality issues. The province has the authority to develop air quality standards and guidelines, regulate point and area sources, and require the preparation of airshed management plans For more information, see the Legislative Framework, Summary of Air Quality Legislation and Air Quality Regulations.
British Columbia is also a member of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), composed of Canada's federal, provincial and territorial environment ministers. The CCME has developed Canada-wide standards for particulate matter and ground-level ozone, which are an important step towards the long-term goal of minimizing the risk PM and ozone pose to human health and the environment.
Regional and Municipal Legislation
Regional and municipal governments can pass bylaws to control emissions such as backyard burning, wood stoves and vehicle idling. These governments can also address air pollution through land-use and transportation planning, regional growth strategies and sustainability plans. For more information, see the 2011 Inventory of Air Quality Bylaws in British Columbia.
Under the Environmental Management Act, the Metro Vancouver (the Greater Vancouver Regional District) has been delegated authority to manage air quality within its boundaries — an important responsibility in B.C., given the size of its population. It administers laws that regulate emissions from industrial, commercial and industrial sources, through permits, compliance promotion and enforcement. A key role is establishing ambient air quality criteria that may be different but no less stringent (or more stringent) than requirements established by the province.
International Actions and Agreements
International actions and agreements include the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, theKyoto Protocol and the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement. Closer to home is the Georgia Basin/Puget Sound International Airshed Strategy, a multi-agency, international effort to address shared air quality management concerns.
http://www.bcairquality.ca/regulatory/levels-of-government.html
