N.B. leads pack for greenhouse gas emission reductions

Canada is ahead of schedule in reducing its greenhouse gasemissions due, in part, to a dramatic drop in emissions in New Brunswick, a new report by the federal government shows.

The provinces greenhouse gas emissions fell 5.3 tonnes per person between 2005 and 2010, according to Canadas Emissions Trends Report, released Wednesday by Environment Canada.

Thats about 18 per centthe biggest reduction in the country and about double the national average, the 69-page document shows.

But the provinces huge decrease had little to do with environmental policy, says clean air activist Gordon Dalzell.

"Let's be frank, it's economic drivers that are behind it," he said.

More than 60 per cent of New Brunswick's emission reductions are due to NB Power shutting fossil fuel-fired generators that have become too expensive to operate.

The oil burning Coleson Cove generating station, for example, sits idle almost every day.

NB Power has tried to find other ways to fire Coleson more often, including mixing oil with cheap and even more polluting petroleum coke that it brings in by the truckload.

But for the most part, the plant has not reallybeen worth turning on for years now, making it and New Brunswick anunintentional leader in greenhouse gas reduction.

Still, Dalzell says any pollution reduction is "a plus," whether the motivation is environmental conscience or cost cutting.

Under the Copenhagen Accord, Canada has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 607 megatonnes, or17 per centbelow 2005 levels, by 2020.

But the government is alreadyalmost halfway there, said federal Environment Minister Peter Kent.

Despite the reductions in New Brunswick, the province continues to have the third highest per capita emissions in the country at about 24.5 tonnes in 2010, compared to the national average of 20.3 tonnes.

Only Saskatchewan and Alberta ranked higher at 69.8 and 63.4 respectively.

New Brunswicks per capita emissions are projected to drop to 21.8 tonnes by 2020.