The Guardian on PEI Office, 1.9.08 Press

link to the article

The Guardian, Prince Edward Island

Environment Northeast opening new office in Charlottetown print this article
Leslie Malone will head offive, serving as link to eastern organizations

EDITORIAL STAFF
The Guardian

The Maine-based non-profit research and advocacy organization Environment Northeast (ENE) announced the opening of a new office in Charlottetown Tuesday.

The office will be headed by Leslie Malone, who previously directed the Environment Coalition of P.E.I., and will serve as a link to environmental organizations in eastern Canada working on energy and global warming related issues.

“We are excited that Leslie has joined the ENE team and look forward to strengthening our efforts to collaborate with Canadian partners on cross-boundary climate, energy, transportation and forest policy issues,” said Dan Sosland, executive director of Environment Northeast.

“Opening the new office will help ENE realize its vision for advancing global warming solutions in a bioregional context.”

A key component of ENE’s mission is to address environmental issues in the regional context of the northeast and eastern Canada, recognizing the two regions share a common air shed and ocean, and trade extensively in timber, fish and energy.

Malone will work with provincial groups to establish well-funded and well-designed energy efficiency programs as well as appropriate and effective mechanisms for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions in Eastern Canada.
David Coon, policy director with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick and chairman of the Climate Action Network Canada, welcomes cross-border collaboration with ENE.

“Strengthening regional co-ordination on energy issues will enable our organizations to combat climate change with clean energy solutions on a much broader scale.”

At the 31st annual conference of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers in June 2007, ENE joined with members of the Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition to call on the governors and premiers to adopt concrete policies to reduce greenhouse gases, such as energy efficiency measures; begin a dialogue on expansion of clean energy markets; and discuss how to strengthen proposed carbon cap and trade systems in the U.S. and Canada.

“The potential for strengthening regional global warming action through cross-border collaboration and co-operation is enormous,” said Malone.

“A regional approach enables the exchange of best practices, makes new initiatives possible and can create bigger markets and stronger economies.”