Media
The David Suzuki Foundation is regularly consulted by media on issues relating to sustainability and conservation. Our scientific and policy experts welcome requests. To reach a Foundation staff member for comment, media are urged to contact a communications specialist (listed on the right side of this page). If you wish to use content from this website, read our copyright and permissions page. Please see the press releases below for our latest news, reports and events.
Canadian swordfish eco-certified despite deaths of endangered sea turtles and sharks
Conservationists warn consumers about hidden environmental costs
VANCOUVER - Despite strong opposition from conservation organizations, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has granted eco-certification to Nova Scotia's swordfish longline fishery which is responsible for killing 35,000 sharks and 200-500 endangered sea turtles each year as 'bycatch'.
According to yesterday's announcement by the MSC, the eco-certification—with a stylized blue fish and checkmark label—identifies "well-managed and sustainable fisheries." What MSC fails to include is that two sharks die for every swordfish landed, or that the fishery is the leading cause of endangered sea turtle deaths in Atlantic Canada.
Conservation organizations participated in a lengthy stakeholder consultation process led by a certification company hired by the fishery. When environmental concerns were ignored, three groups—the David Suzuki Foundation, the Ecology Action Centre and the Sea Turtle Conservancy—filed a formal objection to the company's conclusions. An adjudicator ultimately concluded that proper processes had been followed, but declined to evaluate the content of the report or the validity of its conclusions.
"This certification sets a low-bar precedent for pelagic longline fisheries and undermines other MSC certified fisheries that truly deserve recognition in the marketplace," said Scott Wallace, Sustainable Fisheries Analyst for the David Suzuki Foundation. He concluded that, "a fishery operating far below best practices and that has significant, ongoing impacts on endangered species should not be framed as an environmentally-friendly choice for consumers who truly care about the health of our oceans."
The proliferation of environmentally harmful but certified fisheries is an ongoing concern for sustainable seafood advocates, who worry that those fisheries that actually make meaningful efforts to improve can end up branded with the same label as those that have slipped through loopholes in certification systems.
"Unfortunately, the MSC is the best seafood certification standard there is," says Jordan Nikoloyuk, Sustainable Fisheries Coordinator of the Ecology Action Centre "If this longline swordfish certification is the kind of conclusion that even their process can reach, we have to ask whether any certification process is really worthwhile."
Retailers such as Loblaw, Whole Foods and Wegmans have all adopted sustainable seafood policies that include some reliance on MSC certification. Conservation organizations are recommending that retailers take a hard second look at certified products to ensure that they support the retailer's values and avoid misleading conscientious consumers.
The alternative to Atlantic Canadian longline swordfish is a fishery that catches the same swordfish using low-impact harpoon gear. Marydele Donnelly, Director of International Policy for the Sea Turtle Conservancy, notes that "some MSC-certified fisheries remain excellent choices and choosing harpoon-caught swordfish will ensure consumers aren't eating swordfish with huge sides of shark and turtle." She adds, "U.S. fishermen kill far fewer turtles and sharks than their Canadian counterparts because they have been required to change the way they fish. Since Canada and the MSC won't address bycatch, we call on U.S. consumers to boycott Canadian swordfish caught on longlines."
For more information, please contact:
Marydele Donnelly, Director of International Policy, Sea Turtle Conservancy
(410) 750-1561
Jordan Nikoloyuk, Sustainable Fisheries Coordinator, Ecology Action Centre
(902) 446-4840
Scott Wallace, Sustainable Fisheries Analyst, David Suzuki Foundation
(778) 558-3984
Report shows provinces taking the lead on climate change
Ranking of provinces shows Quebec, Ontario, B.C. at the top
VANCOUVER - Provinces are leading the way in the fight against climate change according to a report released today by the David Suzuki Foundation. This is in direct contrast to claims made by federal Environment Minister Peter Kent in his report on Canada's greenhouse gas emissions for 2010.
In the absence of significant national policies to combat climate change, some provinces are stepping in with their own plans and policies. But those plans vary widely, according to, "All Over the Map 2012: A Comparison of Provincial Climate Change Plans", by the David Suzuki Foundation.
The report doesn't rank any province as "Best" for its climate initiatives, but Quebec, Ontario and B.C. rank as "Very Good", while Alberta and Saskatchewan rank as "Worst".
"The report shows that stronger leadership from the provinces is crucial given the lack of effort from the federal government," said David Suzuki Foundation climate change and clean energy specialist Ian Bruce. "Applying the best policies and practices of the provinces on a national scale would benefit human health and the environment and would also provide a level playing field for businesses."
Ontario's has gone up since the 2008 DSF rankings, thanks to gains in reducing carbon pollution and creating thousands of clean-energy jobs. Ontario made progress by shutting down several polluting coal-fired power plants and prioritizing clean energy with incentives supported by the Green Energy and Economy Act. Quebec, in partnership with California, made strides by passing the first North American regulations to cap and reduce global warming emissions from industrial sources. Although B.C. still ranked among the top provinces, its rating went down, in part because of a failure to follow through on its ambitious climate change action plan and address emissions from oil and gas companies, including the proposed expansion and development of the shale gas industry.
With the country's highest emissions and relatively weak laws and incentives for clean energy, Alberta and Saskatchewan remain at the bottom of the list and are the main drivers of Canada's rising emissions because of continued reliance on polluting fossil fuel industries.
Other provinces that improved their rankings include Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories. Along with B.C. and Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nunavut also saw their rankings go down.
"Leading provinces are prioritizing clean-energy policies that Canadians recognize are vital in the transition from overuse of natural resources to a cleaner, more innovative economy," Bruce said. "These provinces show that Canada could make progress and become a world leader in solving global warming if the federal government joined forces."
The report looks at the climate change plans and actions of each province, providing details about strengths, weaknesses and missed opportunities, as well as recommendations for improvement.
In an October 2011 review by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, the Environment Commissioner reported that the federal government's strategy is "disjointed, confused and non transparent" and that, overall, the government's policies are now projected to be 90 per cent weaker than they were in 2007.
Interactive map available online at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/projects/race-to-the-top/map/
Full report available for download at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/reports/2012/all-over-the-map-2012/
Spring Breakup
Let's end those toxic relationships with our cleaners
VANCOUVER — Are you in an unhealthy relationship with your household cleaner? That's the question the David Suzuki Foundation's Queen of Green is asking Canadians this spring.
Starting April 10th, our month-long Spring Breakup challenge will educate Canadians about the products they use in their homes and around their children (despite their potential hazardous health and environmental side effects) and empower them to make better choices. Sharing and participating in this campaign will offer opportunities to save money and win prizes from green retailers, and to have a lot of fun along the way.
Why household cleaners?
There is increasing evidence that many brand name cleaning products— the products we use to keep ourselves and our children clean and healthy—contain toxic chemicals. These chemicals have suspected links to environmental and chronic health problems, such as cancer, reproductive disorders, asthma and severe allergies.
"The good news is that we don't need to choose between healthy and clean," says Lindsay Coulter, the David Suzuki Foundation's Queen of Green. "There are simpler, cheaper ways to clean our homes that are healthier for us and for the environment."
Each week of the challenge, the Queen of Green will help consumers examine their relationship with their household cleaners. Tackling some of the key barriers that keep us in loyal (even unhealthy) relationships with our favourite brands, the challenge will provide engaging and interactive content, and share-able moments, such as a Tips and Tricks wallet card, a video, and a customizable breakup letter aimed at popular brands. There will also be multiple opportunities to win prizes, and engage with other consumers throughout the month.
As part of the campaign, the Foundation is asking Canadians to complete a survey on household cleaners and advocate for legislative change to increase transparency in product labeling. Surprisingly, there are no requirements for manufacturers to disclose all ingredients or warn consumers about potential chronic health and environmental hazards associated with their products. The national survey will also help the Foundation learn more about the home cleaning products used by Canadians and the information that is, and is not, available on product labels.
"The results will help us push for safer products and better labelling of ingredients found in home cleaning products," says Lisa Gue, environmental health policy analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation. "We clean to keep our homes healthy but some of the ingredients in these products are a threat to our health and the environment."
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For more information, visit www.springbreakup.ca or contact the David Suzuki Foundation's Queen of Green.
Lindsay Coulter, Queen of Green, David Suzuki Foundation
Phone: 604-732-4228 ext. 1264
Concern for grizzly bears grows as hunting season re-opens and new industrial projects approved in B.C.
VANCOUVER - British Columbia's grizzly bears are coming out of their dens this spring to face growing threats to their existence.
The David Suzuki Foundation has released new official government records that show that a total of 381 grizzly bears were killed in B.C. last year, the majority of which were shot by hunters in the annual legal trophy hunt across the province. A smaller number of bears were killed by animal control officers and in collisions with cars, trains and other vehicles.
British Columbia is one of the last vestiges of fragile grizzly bear territory left in North America and the start of the spring bear hunt this Sunday, as well ongoing industrial development within their sensitive habitat, has the group concerned.
"The continued legal killing of grizzlies for sport here in B.C. is happening at a time when the 'great bear' has perhaps never been more at risk from mega-projects that threaten to degrade and destroy its sensitive habitat," said Dr. Faisal Moola, Director of Terrestrial Conservation at the David Suzuki Foundation.
"Projects such as the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline that will penetrate into the Great Bear Rainforest, and the recently approved Jumbo Glacier Resort in southeastern B.C. will further threaten the survival of grizzlies," Moola adds. "These populations are already under enormous pressure from trophy hunting, increasing conflicts with humans as towns, resorts, and other recreation areas expand into bear habitat, and climate change."
Scientists, such as wildlife expert, Dr. Paul Paquet, with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, worry that further development of grizzly habitat will put grizzlies at greater risk of conflict with humans as well as provide trophy hunters direct access to vulnerable populations, with further roads and other infrastructure.
"Research has shown that more roads, pipelines, and other human activity inevitably results in more dead bears," said Dr, Paquet. "We need to ensure that large areas are put off limits to trophy hunting and grizzly habitat is protected to ensure a future for this vulnerable species."
Released by the David Suzuki Foundation, official government records indicate that there was a twenty per cent increase in grizzly bear deaths in 2011 from 2010. Eighty-seven per cent of these deaths were attributed to the legal trophy hunting of grizzly bears. Three per cent of recorded grizzly deaths were the result of poaching; yet, research conducted by provincial government biologists indicates that in reality this number could be twice as high.
The David Suzuki Foundation is calling on the provincial government to work with First Nations and others to implement a network of Grizzly Bear Management Areas (GBMAs), bear parks, where the species can roam, feed and breed without the threat of trophy hunting and further degradation of their sensitive habitat from development activities, such as mining, oil and gas production and transport and new resorts.
Though a central plank in the government's official Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy since 1995, only one GBMA, has been established in the province to date by a previous NDP government—the Khutzeymateen/K'tzim-a-Deen Bear Sanctuary in the Great Bear Rainforest. Three additional no-hunting zones were later created by a subsequent Liberal government in the Great Bear Rainforest, but these zones are temporary and do not fully protect the animal's habitat.
The David Suzuki Foundation continues to encourage the government to meet its commitment to establish a province-wide network of grizzly bear reserves (GBMAs) that will protect both bear habitat and the bears themselves from being killed.
Download the full technical analysis
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Faisal Moola, Director, Terrestrial Conservation, David Suzuki Foundation and University of Toronto
(647) 993-5788
Jodi Garwood, Communications Specialist, David Suzuki Foundation
(604) 732-4228 ext 1281
Dr. Paul Paquet, Senior Scientist, Raincoast Conservation Foundation and University of Calgary.
(306) 376-2015
