OTTAWA, Oct. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Canadians pump 75 billion litres of petroleum fuels annually (more than 200 million litres every day) to travel a total of 325 billion kilometres annually, the equivalent of eight million trips around the world.
"What may come as a surprise, air quality in Canada is improving even though the number of cars and kilometres driven have increased," said Peter Boag, President, Canadian Fuels Association (formerly the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute).
Today's cleaner fuels combined with a newer, more environmentally friendly vehicle have cut smog-forming emissions by 90 percent compared to 20 years ago.
These greener fuels are the product of years of continuous improvement by Canadian Fuels members to enhance vehicle environmental performance and improve air quality.
The attached Environment Canada charts show the national decline in emissions of smog precursors, nitrous oxide (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM2.5), for light-duty gasoline vehicles from 1995 - 2010.
And our petroleum-based fuels keep on improving. Environment Canada predicts that by 2030, total Canadian on-road vehicle (including heavy duty vehicles) emissions for nitrous oxide, sulphur oxide and particulate matter will drop by 79 percent, 69 percent and 57 percent respectively compared to 2005 levels.
"While there is always more work to be done, we have taken our environmental responsibilities seriously for decades. In the past ten years alone, our members have invested more than $8-billion to improve the environmental performance of fuels and the facilities that produce them," Boag added.
But we won't stop there. Our members are committed to continuously improve the quality and environmental performance of transportation fuels.
"Our members produce almost all the fuels that power Canada's trucks, buses, trains, ships, planes and cars. Ninety five percent of those fuels are manufactured from petroleum. Our members are also the country's largest distributors of biofuels. While the future fuel mix will be more diverse, Canadians will continue to rely on petroleum fuels for their mobility needs for many years to come."
Nearly everything we do relies on being able to get around. Transportation fuels not only make it possible to commute to work, get the kids to school, take the trip to market, and visit with family and friends - they make it possible to ship billions of dollars of goods between cities, provinces, across the country, with the U.S. and to virtually all regions around the world.
We are a society where the movement of people and goods is essential to Canada's prosperity and our rising quality of life. Transportation fuels are critical enablers of that essential mobility.
"Understandably, fuels policy is a growing focus for governments. As a country, we face important choices to ensure the security, convenience, quality and affordability of our transportation fuels supply, while at the same time addressing environmental impacts. As Canada's fuels leaders, we bring knowledge, expertise and practical insight to the policy process," Boag noted.
"As Canadian Fuels, we have embarked on a new direction with a sharper focus on fuels issues. Our new name more accurately reflects what our members do and the value they deliver. Their business is providing Canadians with a reliable supply of clean, dependable fuels essential for a strong, sustainable Canadian economy."
The new direction for Canadian Fuels is about being more active in the discussion of fuels and Canada's fuel future. It's about being more effective in engaging policy-makers about the connections among transportation fuels, mobility and prosperity. It's about creating an awareness of the implications of public policy and potential for unintended negative consequences. It's also about helping consumers by increasing their knowledge base and ability to make smart mobility and fuel-use choices.
Canadian Fuels Association members produce the clean fuels that move Canada forward; we encourage all Canadians to think more about fuels and their genuine value.
The Canadian Fuels Association is the new name for the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute.
For a copy of our annual review Fuel 2012, visit our new website: canadianfuels.ca
Image with caption: "National decline in emissions of smog precursors, nitrous oxide (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate (PM2.5), for light-duty gasoline vehicles from 1995-2010. (CNW Group/Canadian Fuels Association)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121002_C3279_PHOTO_EN_18711.jpg
SOURCE: Canadian Fuels Association
Laura Markle at 613-232-3709 ext. 206 or [email protected]
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