Pollution Archives - Page 4 of 10 - Canada's Ecofiscal Commission

Feb 6 2018

Annual Report 2017: Letter from the Chair and Executive Director

When we first started putting the Ecofiscal Commission together in 2013, our goal was to spark discussion. Economists were already talking about using economic instruments to address environmental issues, but we wanted to add “ecofiscal solutions” to the vocabulary of everyday Canadians and the agendas of governments across the country. Today, more than halfway through […]

Dec 13 2017

Unpacking climate policy jargon

by Brendan Frank

Climate and Energy Pollution Carbon Pricing Climate Change Complementary Policies

Climate policy can be complicated—especially if you’re talking to economists. Carbon pricing? Complementary policies? Marginal abatement costs? Let’s unpack some of this jargon in the simplest ways possible. What’s the problem? Negative externalities occur when someone’s actions impose costs on others. For example, consuming energy creates pollution, which has costs. Health impacts from air pollution […]

Dec 5 2017

Saskatchewan remains an outlier on carbon pricing

by Brendan Frank

Climate and Energy Pollution Carbon tax Climate Change Saskatchewan

On Monday, the Saskatchewan government unveiled its Made-in-Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy. As expected, it does not feature a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system, but does include a form of carbon pricing. There are many details that remain undefined in the Strategy, but let’s unpack a few key elements. Missing piece Since refusing to sign […]

Air pollution caused by smog in Beijing China

Nov 29 2017

Air pollution is costing us dearly

by Annette Dubreuil

Pollution Air Pollution Economics for the Rest of Us

Pollution is costly. Two recent studies clearly show that air pollution damages our health, increases healthcare costs, and is a drag on economic growth. Given these high costs—costs that we all pay one way or another—reducing air pollution makes a lot of economic and environmental sense. This blog looks at how air pollution affects us […]

Nov 8 2017

Canada’s park paradox

by Brendan Frank

Pollution Sustainability User Fees Wonk Wednesday

Canada’s national parks host millions and millions of visitors every year, and entry was free in 2017 as part of Canada 150. As you might expect, people have flocked in record numbers. But national parks belong to the public. Should access always be free? And aren’t more visitors, rather than fewer, a good thing? In […]

Jul 19 2017

How can climate policy reduce our vulnerability to forest fires? It’s a complex equation

by Brendan Frank

Climate and Energy Pollution Air Pollution British Columbia Catastrophic Risk Climate Change Complementary Policies Wonk Wednesday

The B.C. wildfires continue to rage, displacing tens of thousands and bringing the incredible human costs into fresh focus. Forests cover almost 35% of Canada. They are both a tremendous asset and a source of disaster. In the face of climate change, scenes similar to those in Inland B.C. will increase in frequency. How do […]