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Green Budget Coalition Prioritizes 3 Budget Actions: for Biodiversity, Water & Energy BACKGROUNDER February 4, 2010 The Green Budget Coalition (GBC) brings together the collective knowledge of 21 of Canada's leading environmental and conservation groups to assist the federal government to adopt strategic budgetary and fiscal measures critical to achieving long-term environmental sustainability and to transforming the Canadian economy to be environmentally-restorative. Since the GBC's inception in 1999, over $15 billion in new federal funding has been allocated to environmental sustainability and key ecological fiscal reforms have been adopted. The Green Budget Coalition's 3 priority recommendations for the 2010 federal budget are: 1) Protecting Ecosystems and Biodiversity: In the face of dangerous climate change, and with Canada due to report this year on its progress under the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, fund a national ecosystem based adaptation strategy to improve Canada’s biodiversity protection on lands and oceans. 2) Investing in Canada's Freshwater Future: Deliver Canada's promised federal water strategy, building upon recent federal actions, by investing in water and wastewater infrastructure, the cleanup of contaminated sediment, and protecting freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Basin. 3) Re-investing in Renewable Energy: Create at least eight thousand jobs by renewing Canada's incentives for renewable power, establishing green energy bonds and mapping Canada's geothermal potential. In light of the Copenhagen meetings in December, the GBC is now recommending that the budget allocate $320-$420 million per year in new funding, additional to current Overseas Development Assistance commitments, to cover Canada's fair share (3-4%) of the US$30 billion committed in Copenhagen, from 2010 to 2012, in "new and additional resources" to assist developing countries in mitigating and adapting to climate change. The GBC's Recommendations for Budget 2010 document also highlights these strategic recommendations: The GBC's full detailed recommendations are available in The Green Budget Coalition's members are Bird Studies Canada, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Centre for Integral Economics, David Suzuki Foundation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ecojustice Canada, Environmental Defence, Équiterre, Friends of the Earth Canada, Greenpeace Canada, International Institute for Sustainable Development, MiningWatch Canada, Nature Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Pembina Institute, Pollution Probe, Sierra Club Canada, Social Investment Organization, Wildlife Habitat Canada, and WWF-Canada. CONTACTS: For specific recommendations: -30- |