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Priority recommendations addressing tax subsidies could save well over $800 million annually.
Ottawa - The Green Budget Coalition's (GBC) document highlights the priority recommendations for a conservation plan for Canada, energy efficiency, and freshwater resources, plus a suite of subsidy reform measures.
By addressing tax subsidies for oil; mining; nuclear power; and chrysotile asbestos; the federal government could save well over $800 million annually and fund most of the preceding three recommendations.
Further recommendations address air quality, renewable energy, transportation, global climate finance, carbon pricing, natural capital indicators, and ecogifts.
The GBC has also emphasized to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty that, in order to protect Canadians’ prosperity, it is crucial that the federal government preserves its existing capacity to protect the environment, nature and Canadians’ health from pollution. The oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico has highlighted the extensive costs that can occur when environmental protection is sacrificed for short-term financial savings.
The Green Budget Coalition brings together the collective expertise of 21 leading Canadian environmental and conservation groups to assist the federal government in developing and adopting the strategic budgetary and fiscal measures critical to achieving long-term environmental sustainability, interwoven with economic prosperity for Canadians, and has made annual federal budget recommendations since 1999.
GBC members, representing over 600,000 Canadians, include Bird Studies Canada, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, David Suzuki Foundation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, Équiterre, Friends of the Earth, 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.
More Information:
Recommendations for Budget 2011 - download pdf
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