Ottawa, Canada (GLOBE-Net) - In collaboration with the David Suzuki Foundation, some of Canada’s leading environmental organizations have released Tomorrow Today: How Canada can make a world of difference, a roadmap that sets out principles to ensure that Canada’s future economic competitiveness is built upon a healthy environment.  The report is a guide for the government in achieving sustainability across all sectors as quickly as possible.

"Canada is at a critical turning point. If we further destabilize our climate, release toxics into our air or water, destroy critical habitat for species and continue to over-exploit our oceans, we are going to pay a big price.  That’s why we need to take action today - not tomorrow - while we still have a chance to preserve clean water, wild habitat and to prevent the worst impacts of climate change," says Peter Robinson, executive director of the David Suzuki Foundation.

The report was prepared in partnership by Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, Equiterre, Greenpeace Canada, Nature Canada, Pembina Institute, Pollution Probe, Sierra Club Canada and WWF Canada.

According to the Report, the first step for Canada to make towards achieving sustainability is to put a realistic price on emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs).  It suggests a price of at least $30 per tonne on emissions of CO2 starting in 2009 and gradually increasing the price to $75 per tonne in 2020

The report states that ‘realistic pricing of GHG emissions will assist Canada in creating a clean and competitive economy that will help us further reduce our overall environmental impact’.

The Tomorrow Today roadmap sets out five principles that should shape all federal laws and policies:

1. Precaution - Scientific uncertainty cannot be an excuse for inaction where there is a risk of irreversible damage to the environment. This is especially true when alternatives are readily available or solutions, like increasing energy efficiency, can deliver economic benefits as well.

2. Polluter pays - Those who pollute need to be held responsible for their pollution and no one should be allowed to freely dump greenhouse gases, toxics or other waste products into the environment, leaving climate, ecosystems.

3. Leaving the world a better place for our children - Future generations deserve at least the same environmental opportunities as current generations. Canadians should adopt preventative approaches to pollution and putting in place strong protections for irreplaceable ecosystem services.

4. Make governments accountable for the state of our environment - We must be able to measure progress against national environmental objectives using clear indicators, and we must make such progress reporting routine and ongoing. Access to factory or facility level and community-based environmental information collected by government must be readily available to all Canadians.

5. Good global citizenship - With its current wealth and talent of Canada should be a world leader in environmental sustainability. Canada should be helping developing countries become more environmentally sustainable by demonstrating and sharing best practices.

The recommendations of the Report focus on climate change, energy use, food production, toxic substances, water, forests and oceans.

For energy, the report suggests developing a national renewable energy plan as well as decentralizing the energy infrastructure.  Instead it advocates moving away from potentially habitat destructive mega-projects and moving to less intrusive local forms of energy generation.

Much of the report advocates the importance of habitat conservation, including marine and forest habitats. According to the report these habitats, are under duress from climate change and various forms of resource extraction.  It notes that these habitats are significant carbon sinks, rich in biodiversity and sources of natural resources and must be protected.

Canada must also protect its fresh water resources according to the report’s authors.  Although Canada’s freshwater supply is one of the largest in the world, it suffers from pollution, insufficient treatment, and poor management practices.  The report recommends a national water plan be developed by 2010.

Canada, more than many countries, is well-positioned to make the transition to a more sustainable economy. It has the resources and ingenuity to help citizens and businesses through this transition, and has citizens and leaders with the foresight to see how much this country could lose if we continue with business as usual.

What remains to be seen is whether or not the roadmap is adopted by the federal government.

"We know Canadians will welcome this kind of action agenda because they see an urgent need to get our environmental house in order," says Devon Page, Executive Director of Ecojustice.  "We hope it will be embraced by all federal parties as well."