| For Immediate Release- April 22, 2022 |
| WINNIPEG- Manitoba’s Climate Action Team has launched a bombshell report ahead of Earth Day that provides the first real accounting of Manitoba’s energy transition. Manitoba’s Road to Resilience: Energy Solutions shows that Manitoba can produce enough sustainable energy to heat all buildings and run all transportation without fossil fuels, a key step in the fight against climate change. “Seventy percent of Manitoba’s energy use comes from fossil fuels via the gasoline in our cars and the natural gas that heats our buildings. Transitioning these two sectors will take a lot of work, but we’ve shown here that it is absolutely possible. In fact, the transition will be profitable for Manitoba’s economy.” Said Curt Hull, lead author. The report puts forward 5 action areas that could make the transition work— for Manitobans and the climate:Stop exporting electricity – Return exported electricity to use in Manitoba as contracts expireDeep retrofits – Perform deep retrofits on existing buildingsSolar power – Increase solar generationWind power – Increase commercial wind powerEnergy storage – Establish new Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) capacity The report represents the kind ofscience-based climate solutions that have been missing from the climate conversation in Manitoba and around the world. The Climate Action Team hopes that this pathway can be a blueprint for other jurisdictions to solve their own energy problems. “Manitoba’s Climate Action Team is doing what the government itself can and should do – they are thoughtfully and creatively mapping out how the province can meet its energy needs while decarbonizing and electrifying the entire energy system. Kudos!” Said Seth Klein, author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency. “The Climate Action Team’s Road to Resilience: Energy Solutions is a thoughtful and methodical exploration of practical ways to transition away from fossil fuels in Manitoba, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the resilience of our infrastructure.” said Dr. Peter Denton, sustainability activist and author of The End of Technology. The report also found that the energy transition will help Manitobans save money and lower future collective costs from climate disruptions. “Not only can these solutions lower emissions and give us resilience in the face of climate change, they can help us end energy poverty in Manitoba.” Said Hull. “Manitobans could avoid the constant ups and downs that come from being reliant on fossil fuels, relying instead on a stable supply of local and sustainable electricity.” Resources:Full technical report Data overview Quick fact sheet-30- |
| For more information, please contact: |
| Curt Hull (Lead Author) Climate Change Connection curt@climatemb.ca, Landline: (204) 233-0545 Cellphone: (204) 803-5436 |
Manitoba’s Climate Action Team (CAT) is a coalition of Manitoba community environmental and social organizations working to create a road to resilience in our province. Our vision is to build a collaborative and resilient zero-carbon society that operates within the constraints of nature. CAT members include the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba, Climate Change Connection, Green Action Centre, Wilderness Committee and the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition |
