ARCHIVED - Sustainable Development

Report on Plans and Priorities 2011-2012
Electronic Layer of Reporting
Elements of NRCan's Sustainable Development Strategy

FSDS Target 1.1 - Climate Change Mitigation

Relative to 2005 emission levels, reduce Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 17% by 2020.

FSDS Implementation Strategy - Clean Energy

1.1.29 Finance projects that would, among other things, help to optimize resource use, valuing residual resources, and contribute to eco-efficiency. (DEC, NRCan)

You will find below details about NRCan's activities that contribute to this implementation strategy:

Minerals and Metals Markets, Innovation and Investment

This activity is nested within NRCan’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) as follows:

• Strategic Outcome 1 - 
  Economic Competiveness
  
  
  • Program Activity 1.1 - 
    Economic Opportunities for Natural Resources
    
    
    • Sub Activity 1.1.1 - 
      Minerals and Metals Markets, Investment and Innovation
      
      

Description

The mining sector is highly competitive, involves multiple stakeholders and is managed by multiple jurisdictions that all require information to make informed decisions. Under Sub Activity - Minerals and Metals Markets, Innovation and Investment (PAA 1.1.1), NRCan assists in the coordination and increased coherence for jurisdictions and stakeholders to make decisions that position the sector to remain competitive.

Under this Sub Activity, the Recycling Program promotes and enhances recycling in Canada by providing information about metals and minerals recycling and recycling in general. NRCan promotes recycling of electronic waste, encouraging the electronics manufacturing and retail industries to think in terms of materials, life cycles; contributing to the sustainable management of rare elements found in electronic components; and promoting recycling as an environmentally sound alternative to sending to landfills the often hazardous components found in electronic equipment.

The Recycling Program includes a significant dimension aimed at public and industry education, enabling capacity to reduce emissions that impact air quality, as well as GHG emissions. Key products stemming from the program are the Canadian Metals and Minerals Recycling Database, listing Canadian companies involved in metals and minerals recycling, and the Industry Framework, which offers a complete listing of all commodities recycled in Canada and information on the recycling of these commodities.

Currently, NRCan is developing a recycling strategy to enhance recovery practices across Canada. This work targets the Institutional, Commercial and Industrial (IC&I) sectors of the economy and will contain discrete projects designed to enable the Federal Government to add value to national recycling efforts.

Relationship to FSDS Target

Promotion and enhancement of recycling of metals and minerals encourages reduction of greenhouse gas emissions because it takes less energy to manufacture materials from recovered materials than it does from virgin sources. For example, energy savings of 95% can be realized by recycling aluminum cans as opposed to making those cans from primary aluminum ore. Reduced energy use means fewer GHGs emitted. Thus, the Recycling Program under Sub Activity - Minerals and Metals Markets, Innovation and Investment contributes indirectly to FSDS Target 1.1 - Climate Change Mitigation.

Non-Financial Performance Expectations

The Recycling Strategy is expected to be developed in FY 2011-2012, at which time, performance indicators will be developed.

Other FSDS Linkages

Sub Activity - Minerals and Metals Markets, Innovation and Investment also contributes to FSDS Target 2.1 - Air Pollutants through one implementation strategy:

• 2.1.17 - Finance projects that would, among other things, help to minimize resource use, valuing residual resources, and contribute to eco-efficiency.

This Sub Activity also contributes to FSDS Target 2.3 - Chemicals Management through one implementation strategy:

• 2.3.6 - Apply life-cycle thinking, sustainable materials management and environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes to promote sustainable consumption and minimize the impacts of products and wastes on the environment and human health.