Across industry sectors, companies are developing and using technologies to prosper in a carbon-constrained environment. Some environmentalists, however, say industry action alone isn't enough to tackle climate change.

One of the biggest challenges Rod Bryden faces when he talks about the technology his company has developed to convert household and industrial waste into synthetic gas (syngas) to generate electricity is convincing audiences that it's not too good to be true.

As CEO of Ottawa-based Plasco Energy Group, Inc., Mr. Bryden is accustomed to the initial skepticism.

"Many technology developers over the years have promised to solve the solid waste problem, but failed to produce. So we built a full-size plant in Ottawa to put our money where our mouth is," says Mr. Bryden. A smaller test plant has operated in Spain for several years.

Plasco's non-incineration thermal process technology uses waste heat from Plasco's refining process to separate municipal solid waste into gases and ash. The intense and controllable heat and catalytic properties of plasma (produced by arc generators in the refining chamber) are then used to refine these gases to produce a clean syngas. This syngas feeds generators that produce electricity for the power grid.

The process produces no air emissions and no hazardous solid waste. The residues include sulphur and salt, and a non-leachable, inert solid material that can be used to substitute for sand in making pre-cast concrete products.

Mr. Bryden says new landfills tend to be situated far away from the cities and towns where solid waste is generated, which not only adds to transport costs, but increases the volume of emissions from vehicles carrying the waste.

"Our plants can be built close to the source of the waste. There is no incineration so there are no stacks. There is also virtually no noise, and the facilities will be designed to blend into the neighbourhood," he says.

Advances in technology have also contributed to a significant reduction in recent years in emissions from automobiles made in Canada, and vehicle manufacturers are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5.3 million tonnes between 2005 and 2010.

The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA) says apart from hybrid vehicles, the industry has introduced over 70 new green vehicle technologies in Canada since 2005 ranging from new cylinder deactivation systems, more advanced engine and drivetrain systems, and ultra lightweight materials. Many new vehicles can now run on 85 per cent ethanol and other alternative biofuels that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The industry is also investing in next generation technologies including more advanced clean diesel engines, plug-in hybrids, next generation electric vehicles, hydrogen internal combustion engines and emission-free hydrogen fuel cells.

CVMA president Mark Nantais says smog-forming emissions from light duty vehicles are now well below strict regulatory requirements.

"Environment Canada's Tier 2 vehicle emissions standards, introduced in 2004, are the most stringent national smog-forming emissions standards in the world," says Mr. Nantais. As new vehicles replace older vehicles on Canadian roads, total auto emissions are projected to decline by a further 50 per cent by 2015 resulting in light-duty vehicles representing less than five per cent of total Canadian smog emissions."

But while Plasco's technology and the achievements of the Canadian auto sector are important steps towards significantly reduced emissions, far more needs to be done, says the Pembina Institute, a Canadian NGO that provides policy research on environmental and energy issues.

Clare Demerse, a Pembina Institute climate change policy analyst, says, "We need to accept that emissions are not free any more. Industry cannot simply continue emitting greenhouse gasses without consequences."

Pembina believes Canada needs a comprehensive climate change plan that encompasses a wide range of measures including financial incentives and a strict and enforceable regulatory framework covering everything from personal and freight transport to the construction of buildings and the management of agricultural waste.

"There is movement, but it's too slow," says Ms. Demerse.