NOVA Chemicals given award for decreasing greenhouse gases
Calgary, Alberta - NOVA Chemicals was awarded a Leadership Award by Canada’s climate change Voluntary Challenge and Registry (VCR Inc.) for displaying “extraordinary commitment, action, best practices and leadership toward the voluntary reduction of greenhouse gas emissions”.
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are those generated during everyday economic activity by various sectors of our economy and include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. These gases are widely believed to contribute to global warming and climatic changes.
NOVA Chemicals received the Leadership Award last night at VCR Inc.’s 4th annual Leadership Awards Ceremony in Ottawa. NOVA Chemicals received the award for its exceptional GHG-reduction Action Plan, its senior management commitment to reduce current GHG emissions significantly, its future reduction targets, its investment in offsets, its startup of the Joffre, Alberta cogeneration facilities and its investment in internal and external education plans.
Accepting the award, Paul D. Clark, vice president of Research and Technology for NOVA Chemicals, said, “Through our concerted efforts, we have made a direct, tangible link between sound business practices, sound safety and environmental practices. We are honoured to receive this recognition of the work we have accomplished.”
From 1998 to 1999, NOVA Chemicals’ net greenhouse gas emissions decreased from 4,637 kilotonnes (kt) carbon dioxide equivalent to 4,483 kt – a more than three percent reduction.
The majority of its emissions are direct emissions that decreased from 3,837 kt to 3,665 kt CO2 equivalent. As a result of the construction of new plants, the start-up of the Joffre cogeneration plant and the expansion of current facilities during 2000, direct emissions from its plant sites are projected to increase to approximately 6,473 kt by 2004. However, NOVA Chemicals plans to meet its goal of reducing net GHG emissions through new GHG-emissions-reduction and energy-efficiency-improvement strategies.
The data is contained in the company’s annual Progress Report on greenhouse emissions, submitted recently to VCR Inc. for evaluation where it received 96 out of 100 points. NOVA Chemicals also obtained Gold status designation for the Progress Report.
“The impressive accomplishments of this year’s Leadership Award winners and Honourable Mention recipients provide an excellent and highly pertinent example of the strong level of dedication that exists within both the private and public sectors across Canada to voluntarily reduce GHG emissions,” says Robert Flemington, President of VCR Inc.
The Voluntary Challenge and Registry was established as a key element of Canada’s National Action Program on Climate Change. VCR Inc. is a not-for-profit, partnership between the private sector and governments across Canada. Its purpose is to encourage organizations from all sectors of Canada’s economy to provide greater accountability for GHG generation and reduction voluntarily.
The Challenge Registry component of VCR Inc. records the actions planned and executed by organizations providing the opportunity to exchange information and to share best practices. It is intended to serve as a way of demonstrating and recording the contributions made by registrants to the overall national GHG emission reductions. More than 760 organizations have registered voluntary Action Plans with VCR Inc. and 75 percent of the opportunity for businesses and governments to reduce GHG emissions is represented within the Challenge Registry.
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