Biofuels Key to Effective Climate Change Policy: Gord Miller

OTTAWA, ON--(Marketwired - November 28, 2016) - Ecologist, environmental policy analyst and former Ontario Environment Commissioner Gord Miller has delivered a thorough review of Canada's Ecofiscal Commission's anti-biofuels report titled Course Correction.

Mr. Miller's report, Staying the Course, rejects Ecofiscal's data, methodology and conclusions. Applying over fifteen years of experience analyzing energy and environment policy, Mr. Miller concludes that when properly assessed, the economic and environmental case for Canadian biofuel policies and mandates is "quite different" from the negative assessment Ecofiscal presents.

"Biofuel mandates are key to any effective climate policy and should be increased by Canadian governments contrary to Ecofiscal's recommendations," said Mr. Miller. "Ecofiscal's recommendation would result in more emissions; poorer air quality; increased consumer costs; and shut down clean technology research and development being conducted by the biofuels industry."

Renewable fuels mandates are critical for transportation emission reductions in the near and longer term. "There is no good argument that this course needs correction," said Mr. Miller. "Now is the time to keep a firm grip on the tiller and continue staying the course. Canada must not abandon renewable fuel mandates, the single largest guaranteed source of transportation fuel emission reductions."

Renewable Industries Canada supports Mr. Miller's objectivity and expert review of Ecofiscal's Course Correction. "Ecofiscal would have us believe the cost of GHG reductions from biofuels is too expensive," said RICanada President Andrea Kent. "Mr. Miller's Staying the Course disproves this, showing how Ecofiscal uses bad economics to inflate the costs of biofuels by not accounting for their unique properties, like higher octane."

Course Correction shows how little Ecofiscal appreciates how the fuel market functions and what it takes to lower transportation emissions. It required a thorough review from a broader perspective. Mr. Miller answered that call."

Staying the Course is available at http://ricanada.org/resources/

About Renewable Industries Canada

Founded in 1984, Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada) is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the use of value-added products made from renewable resources through consumer awareness and government liaison activities.