- NEWS / LATEST POSTS
- Reflections on COP26: 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, organized by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
I did not attend the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, but will say at the outset how very proud I am that my oldest daughter was there and speaking on behalf of the B Corp movement in the UK. I will assume that most of the people who read this have been following the discussions and have read many summaries, so I will not repeat these. Instead, the following are a few of my reflections on issues that I consider of most interest. As I think it is important to see what was actually agreed to, not what was reported to have been said, I have included direct quotes from the final Pact. Reflections on COP26 (This article was published on the Pivot Green web site) - Reflections on Recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Asessment Report
Anyone reading this has probably already read the key headlines from the recently released IPCC Sixth Assessment Report such as "Global warming is dangerously close to spiraling out of control", "Unless immediate, rapid, and large-scale action is taken to reduce emissions…," and "Red Alert". This note will thus focus on one image and five important reflections that received less coverage. A picture is worth a thousand words – a great image of the current situation was used as the introduction and conclusion of an article by The Economist. The image features Sheriff Brody of Jaws fame when he realized that the terror could no longer be hidden. Reflections on Recent IPCC Asessment Report
- ESG: Navigating the Board's Role
Peter was the first Canadian to have successfully completed the University of California, Berkeley School of Law's new program in the role of directors regarding Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. ESG: Navigating the Board's Role - Accelerating retrofits to reach our carbon reduction targets
Several Canadian companies have developed innovative, data-driven tools to make energy efficiency more scalable. By giving homeowners better access to solutions by the community of competing energy efficiency firms and leveraging their expertise, they can help homeowners better understand the opportunity that exists in their homes – and put them directly in touch with an energy adviser and trade contractor to get started. Read more about this opportunity in this article. - An Old Dog Learns New Tricks: Application of Social Psychology to Encourage Canadian to Conserve Energy
For 50 years, I have been involved in creating and managing voluntary energy efficiency programs, as well as managing agencies set up to design and deliver these programs. It is amazing to me that so few of the lessons from social psychology and behavioural psychology in particular are used in these programs. Through both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I never took a psychology course and although, like many, I read a few of the popular books on the subject (Nudge, The Undoing Project, Fostering Sustainable Behavior, the Power of Habits). At age 70, I decided to change that and returned to university to take a first year course on Psychology; I have just completed a second year course on Social Psychology and plan to take a third year course on Environmental Psychology this fall. This article is a summary of my research research paper (PDF) on this topic. - Peter Love Appointed Professor at Yorkville University, Canada's Largest Private University
After having been a guest speaker at a few classes and open events at Yorkville University's New Westminster campus, Peter was appointed Professor in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Program in 2021 to teach the 3rd year course "Energy Policy, Legislation and Social Environment". This course had been using his textbook with its case study on energy efficiency in BC, written by Andrew Pape-Salmon, as a required reading for the last few years. This course is being taught on-line. yorkvilleu.ca - Fundamentals of Energy Efficiency: Policy, Programs and Best Practices.
This free on-line textbook has been written as a resource for professors and students at colleges/universities as well as employees whose jobs requires a better understanding of energy efficiency. It consists of three sections. The first covers the theory, policies & programs and includes 31 figures and 85 definitions. The second consists of 7 case studies and includes chapters on four provinces (Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia). The third has various course materials such as templates for cabinet submissions, briefing notes and building assessments.
Download free copy at energyefficiencyfundamentals.org/textbook/ - Our politicians need to understand why science matters
Toronto Star – July 13, 2018
The dismissal of Ontario's chief scientist and elimination of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science sends unfortunate signals that science doesn't matter. But where will high-paying jobs and future economic prosperity come from? You guessed it — innovation driven by science.
Read the full article - Potential Future Role for Energy Conservation and Efficiency In Ontario
The current Ontario government was elected based on a number of promises that were made during the campaign. These have become a focus of their initial activities. While there has largely been on focus on what the new government has done to keep those promises, there are many important issues where their future activities have not yet been defined. One such issue is energy conservation and efficiency with its multiple benefits to energy system reliability and costs as well as huge employment benefits. One recent report estimated that in Ontario alone, the net increase in GDP could be as high as $12.5 billion per year with an average net change in employment of about 53,000 full-time equivalent jobs 1. Although energy efficiency was not specifically mentioned in the recent Speech from the Throne, the government did commit to "working harder, smarter and more efficiently". And more interestingly, they did commit to "lower your hydro bills". I find the use of the word bills, not rates, very interesting and important. That is because there are two ways to reduce hydro bills; reducing the hydro rates and by reducing hydro consumption. Encouraging energy conservation and efficiency has been proven to be a very cost effective way of reducing hydro and other forms of energy consumption. And lets not forget that "Conservative" and "Conservation" come from the same Latin word "conservare" which means to "keep, preserve, keep in-tact, guard".
1. Dunsky Consulting. "The Economic Impact of Improved Energy Efficiency in Canada". Clean Energy Canada, Ottawa, April 2018. - Peter Love Appointed to Board of Carbon Management Canada
Peter was asked to join this board to assist them in growing their current leadership role in n Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and to work with them to expand to into becoming a leader in offering similar leadership services to all resource companies seeking to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. cmcghg.com
- Critical Role of Energy Conservation in Addressing Climate Change
Peter was invited to make a presentation to the Oxford Symposium on population, Migration and Environment on the important role of energy efficiency in addressing climate change at Oxford University December 6, 2016. This was one of the few presentations on climate change and the only one that focused on energy conservation.
See Presentation (PDF) - Lessons learned from Past Behavioural Change Initiatives: a View from the Trenched
This presentation was made to the annual "Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference" held in Philadelphia October 22, 2016. It summarized the importance of behaviour change in addressing climate change and then reviewed five case studies (anti-spitting early 1900s, non-smokers rights, impaired driving, curb side recycling and Toronto's race to Reduce), three of which Peter was actively engaged as a leader. It concluded with a summary of lessons learned and areas for further research.
See Presentation (PDF) - Reducing Energy Consumption in Buildings
Peter was asked to make a presentation to a delegation of senior Korean government officials on reducing energy consumption in buildings. This presentation drew on Peter's 40 year experience in energy policy which has focused on developing policies and programs to improve the energy performance of existing buildings.
See Presentation (PDF) - Peter Love Elected 111th President of 168 Year Old Royal Canadian Institute for Science
At the May 19, 2016 annual meeting, Peter was elected volunteer President of RCI Science, Canada's oldest scientific society founded by Sir Sanford Fleming and other community leaders in 1849. RCI Science works to enhance public awareness and understanding of science and to create an environment in which science can flourish, be appreciated, and contribute to all aspects of Canadian life and society.
www.rciscience.ca - Peter Love Appointed First Chair of Toronto 2030 District Advisory Board
Peter was appointed the first chair of the Toronto 2030 District Advisory Board. The gaols of this group are to cut district-wide emissions in half, including zero-emissions from new buildings by 2030,Support a better understanding of where and why energy use, water use, and GHG emissions occur across the District, work in partnership with building owners, service providers and conservation groups to accelerate the adoption of best practices for building design and management and facilitate broad stakeholder dialogues to uncover and overcome systemic barriers to long term reductions in energy use, water use and GHG emissions.
www.2030districts.org/toronto - Peter Love Joins International Solar Solutions Board
Peter joined the board of International Solar Solutions whose first product is a solar-powered attic roof ventilation system designed for existing homes. After initial results proved very favourable, the company's product is currently in the process of being tested in over 1,000 homes across Ontario.
www.isolarsolutions.ca - Peter Love Organizes Workshop "Teaching Energy Efficiency at the Post Secondary Level"
This 1½ day workshop was organized at York University June 16-17, 2014; see a report on this workshop. The results of this workshop were subsequently discussed at the International Green Educators Conference in Karlsruhe, Germany and at the Ontario Network for Sustainable Energy Policy workshop. It is also being used as the basis for a free on-line text book "Fundamentals of Energy Efficiency: Theory, Policies, Programs and Best Practices", which will be available for the fall 2017 term. -
Peter Love named to Canada’s 2014 Clean50 / October 7, 2013
(Toronto, ON, September 19, 2013) Peter Love has been named to Canada's 2014 Clean50. Peter is honoured in the category: Traditional Energy Generation & Retailers.
Peter is a "lifer" when it comes to electrifying the push to greater energy efficiency and is a leading advocate for a culture of conservation. He currently is President of the Energy Services Association of Canada, which advocates performance-based solutions to major energy efficiency retrofits. As Adjunct Professor at York University's Faculty of Environmental Studies, he has developed and teaches senior level courses on energy and environmental policy.
In his previous role as Ontario's first Chief Energy Conservation Officer, Peter was a leading advocate for energy conservation across the Province and played a key role ... (more...)
