With Provincial Government support of $10,000, bike riders departed
from St. John�s today as part of Pedal for the Planet � a nation-wide
effort to educate Canadians about the significance of global warming and
the importance of the upcoming climate change meetings in Copenhagen in
December. On the other end of the country, the Pedal for the Planet
initiative was also launched in Victoria, British Columbia. Both teams
have a goal of reaching Ottawa on September 14.
In St. John�s, a number of environmental and development
organizations � Oxfam, NL Environment Network, Sierra Club of
Canada-Atlantic Chapter, Canadian Parks and Wilderness
Society-Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter, World Wildlife
Federation-Newfoundland and Labrador, the Canadian Federation of
Students, Memorial University Students Union, OceanNet and BikeShare �
together form the Newfoundland and Labrador KyotoPlus Coalition and are
participating in the 12-day event to bike across the island portion of
the province.
"We are delighted to help support this worthwhile endeavour to help
focus attention on the seriousness of climate change impacts on our
province and the country as a whole," said the Honourable Charlene
Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. "For a province with
such a coastal-based population, climate change impacts will include
more storm surges, flooding and coastal erosion, and we need to continue
to build awareness around this important issue and work toward finding
viable solutions."
The Pedal for the Planet tour includes stops in Clarenville, Gander,
Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, Stephenville, Codroy Valley and Port
aux Basques. Each of these communities will host a public event to
highlight key concerns about climate change, including local impacts and
how residents can realize positive change through their actions.
"We are most appreciative of the support provided by the Provincial
Government to help educate more people about our collective need to
control global warming," said Bill Hynd, Newfoundland and Labrador
KyotoPlus Coalition and Campaigns Co-ordinator for Oxfam Canada. "We
also need the Government of Canada to show real leadership in the
upcoming climate change meetings in Copenhagen."
In 2012, the Kyoto Protocol to prevent climate change and global
warming will expire. The parties of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meet for the last time on a
government level in Copenhagen in December 2009 before the climate
agreement needs to be renewed. It is anticipated that the Copenhagen
conference will result in a new, international climate change agreement
for the post-2012 period.
Budget 2009: Building on Our Strong Foundation allocated $1.3
million towards the development of the necessary tools, policies and
strategies to help communities in Newfoundland and Labrador assess and
adapt to climate change impacts, in recognition of the necessity to not
only reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but also prepare for the
eventual impacts of climate change.
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