Funding to Assist Use Of Canada's Forests and Farmlands to Fight Climate Change

Ottawa, March 19, 2002 - The Government of Canada announced a $6 million funding initiative to the BIOCAP Canada Foundation today at the Canadian Museum of Nature. The funds will be invested over a three year period to further scientific understanding of how Canada's vast forests and farmlands can contribute to the fight against climate change while improving the Canadian economy and natural ecosystems. An additional $4 million could be provided for two additional years once progress has been assessed.

"The sound management of forests and agricultural soils is important in the fight against climate change, said Minister Anderson. "We expect that these carbon sinks will account for 10 to 15 per cent of the effort needed by Canada to reach our Kyoto target."

"Canada is committed to finding integrated solutions to the challenges of climate change," said Mr. Lyle Vanclief, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. "In addition to providing carbon sinks, managing crops to produce clean, bio-based fuels and materials will mean new sources of revenue and jobs for rural Canadians. This investment today will take us closer to the goal of Canadian agriculture being the world leader in innovation, environmental responsibility, food quality and safety."

BIOCAP is a not-for-profit research organization hosted at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. BIOCAP brings together researchers from universities, industry, governments and non-governmental organizations to further scientific understanding of the processes and potential for enhancing the uptake of carbon dioxide and managing other greenhouse gases through improved forest and agricultural land use.

"The BIOCAP initiative demonstrates the Government of Canada's commitment to partnerships and innovation," said Minister Dhaliwal. "By bringing together experts from industry, academia, NGOs and all levels of government, this initiative will bring great advances in our knowledge and understanding of bioenergy, biofuels and bioprocesses that will help Canada meet our climate change commitments. "

Bob Page, Chair of BIOCAP and recipient of the 2001 Individual Leadership Award from the Voluntary Challenge & Registry Inc., recognized the Government of Canada for their commitment to this national research partnership. "There is a need for this type of collaboration - to recognize the contributions academics, industry and government scientists can make together. There is simply no better way to discover the full potential of carbon sinks than having the nation's experts working together."

"The funding from the Government of Canada, along with that from our provincial and private sector partners, gives BIOCAP the momentum we need to ensure the university research community is participating fully in the national search for ways to use our abundant natural resources - Canada's 'Green Advantage' - to both capture and reduce greenhouse gases," said David Layzell, BIOCAP's Executive Research Director.

BIOCAP has already taken important steps to coordinate and fund integrated national research networks in the areas of forest carbon cycle research, afforestation and agroforestry, agriculture greenhouse gas management and bio-based products.

The funding for this initiative is part of the Government of Canada's $1.6 billion commitment to help address climate change.

Related documents:

• Forests and Agriculture Carbon Sinks & the Kyoto Protocol - [backgrounder]