Leadership for Sustainable Development
Our company has been actively involved in various industry associations and multi-stakeholder organizations in Canada and worldwide for decades. The energy and ideas we bring to these organizations help to advance industry leadership on sustainability and contribute to positive economic, environmental and social impacts at local, provincial, national and global levels.
In 2004, we continued to take important roles with many organizations:
- Alberta Water Advisory Council
Multi-stakeholder group with representatives from government, industry and non-government organizations. The council will report on the implementation of Alberta’s water strategy, released in late 2003, and make recommendations to the government, stakeholders and the public on water issues affecting the province. Mike Kelly, TransAlta’s director, EH&S, represents the electric power generation sector on the council. - BIOCAP Canada Foundation
Canadian research and information partnership of organizations, universities and the private sector, funds and communicates national research efforts to explore how biological systems can help address climate change. Our membership provides learning and expertise that supports our search for least-cost, credible offset options. Dr. Bob Page, TransAlta’s vice-president, Sustainable Development, chairs the BIOCAP Board of Directors. - Canadian Electricity Association (CEA)
Association of Canada’s major electricity producers. TransAlta provides leadership to diverse CEA working groups, including climate change and the Generation Council. - Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico
Network of Canadian companies doing business in Mexico. JoAnne Butler, Country Manager, Mexico, is First Vice-President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. In 2004, TransAlta and other Chamber members organized a one-day conference to recognize the 10th anniversary of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). The event was attended by key Mexican leaders from government and industry, including Mexican president Vicente Fox Quesada. - Canadian Clean Power Coalition (CCPC)
Industry-government consortium that plans to build and operate a full-scale clean coal demonstration plant by 2012. - Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA)
Association of wind energy developers and manfacturers across Canada. Starting in 2005, Theresa Howland, Vision Quest’s manager, Green Energy Marketing, will chair CanWEA, becoming the fourth Vision Quest employee to chair this prestigious national organization. - Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA)
Partnership of Alberta industry, government and non-government organizations that develops strategies and action plants to manage the province’s air quality. Dr. Page represents the Alberta utilities and Theresa Howland, Vision Quest’s manager, Green Energy Marketing, represents alternate energy producers on CASA’s Board of Directors. Mike Kelly, director, EH&S, co-chairs CASA’s Electricity Project Team, and Theresa Howland is a member of CASA’s Renewable and Alternative Energy Working Group. - Environmental Law Centre
Organization providing Albertans with an objective source of information about environmental and natural resources law. Ken Stickland, executive vice-president, Legal, serves on the Centre’s Board of Directors. - Industry Steering Committee on Climate Change
Coalition of industry associations and individual companies working together to influence Canadian government policy on climate change. - International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
Geneva-based organization working with governments and industry to set up an international framework for trading GHG emission reductions. IETA is a principal advisor to the Canadian government on the establishment of a future Canadian emission reduction trading system. Dr. Page is past chair and a member of IETA’s executive committee. - International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
Non-profit organization that works with global partners to advance policy recommendations and share information on different economic and environmental issues. Dr. Page is a member of the IISD’s Board executive. - Pew Center on Global Climate Change
U.S.-based non-profit organization that educates the public and policy-makers on challenges and opportunities to address climate change. TransAlta is a member of the centre’s Business Environmental Leadership Council, which consists of the leading North American companies on environmental and climate management. - West Central Air Shed Society
Environmental non-profit organization that carries out monitoring and public reporting of air emissions in the west central region of Alberta near Wabamun Lake. Jim Bolton, TransAlta manager, EH&S Services, Alberta Thermal, is a member of the society’s multi-stakeholder Board. - West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership
U.S. consortium of industry sources and local, state and federal government agencies that plans to identify CO2 sources in the western U.S. states and determine cost-effective methods to capture and store emissions over the long term. Richard DeBolt, Communications and Community Relations Manager, TransAlta Centralia, represents our company in this partnership. - World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Organization of some 170 companies committed to mobilizing industry change toward sustainable development. Through the WBCSD, TransAlta provides leadership on energy and climate change issues and exchanges best practices with the world’s leading sustainability companies.