Whittling Away the Health and Climate Benefits from a Canada-Wide Coal Plant Phase-0ut?

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change to ensure the 2030 coal-fired power plant phase-out is not undermined by a reliance on natural gas. CAPE recommends amending regulations to shorten the 'useful life' of coal generators to 40 years, enforcing stricter emission rates for gas plants, and requiring that at least two-thirds of generation be replaced with renewable energy. The organization highlights that a successful phase-out could prevent 1,000 premature deaths and 900 hospital visits while reducing greenhouse gases by up to 325 Mt between 2015 and 2035.

• A 2030 coal phase-out based on Pembina report estimates could result in $5 billion in health benefits and a reduction of greenhouse gases by up to 325 Mt over the 20-year period from 2015 to 2035.
• CAPE expresses concern that the coal phase-out may be achieved primarily through natural gas plants, which they argue is irresponsible due to methane's high Global Warming Potential (86 times more powerful than CO2 over 20 years) and fugitive emissions from extraction.
• To maximize benefits, CAPE recommends amending the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations (SOR/2012-167) to redefine the 'useful life' of coal generators as 40 years instead of 50, and to require new natural gas plants to meet a 350 tCO2e/GWh emission standard.
• The organization asserts that an correctly implemented accelerated closure of coal plants could prevent 1,000 premature deaths and 900 hospital visits through improved air quality, while also protecting children's mental capacity by reducing mercury levels.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2017). Whittling Away the Health and Climate Benefits from a Canada-Wide Coal Plant Phase-0ut? https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4.Letter-to-Minister-McKenna-re-Strengthening-national-coal-phase-out-legislation-July-2017.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Whittling Away the Health and Climate Benefits from a Canada-Wide Coal Plant Phase-0ut? 2017. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4.Letter-to-Minister-McKenna-re-Strengthening-national-coal-phase-out-legislation-July-2017.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Whittling Away the Health and Climate Benefits from a Canada-Wide Coal Plant Phase-0ut? |date=11 July 2017 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4.Letter-to-Minister-McKenna-re-Strengthening-national-coal-phase-out-legislation-July-2017.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2017whittling, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Whittling Away the Health and Climate Benefits from a Canada-Wide Coal Plant Phase-0ut?}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2017}, month = jul, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4.Letter-to-Minister-McKenna-re-Strengthening-national-coal-phase-out-legislation-July-2017.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }