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Assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in managed areas are facing various challenges. A non-flow-through, non-steady-state (NFT-NSS) chamber coupled to a frame permanently inserted into the landfilled substrates is a standard method for quantifying GHG emissions in managed areas, such as pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) landfill sites. Frequent measurements are needed to minimize uncertainties on GHG emission factors at the landfill site scale. However, maintaining a frame inserted into the substrates for a long time period is often impossible due to landfilling management operations. Therefore, GHG measurements using NFT-NSS chambers placed directly on substrates’ surface could be an interesting option. Our objectives were to determine the relationships between CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes measured with (F + ) and without (F-) a frame inserted in the substrates’ surface and to develop correction factors for fluxes measured without a frame. Measurements were made at different PPMS landfill sites in the province of Québec, Canada. Stronger GHG flux relationships were observed at the provincial (across sites) than the specific site scale: the variance in GHG fluxes from F- chambers explained up to 80 % of variance in fluxes from F + chambers. The measured CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes in F- chambers were on average 53, 78, and 63 % lower, respectively, than those estimated by the models at provincial scale. The correction factors developed with this approach could greatly extend the number of sites where in situ GHG measurements can be done and would help refining GHG inventories at the provincial and national levels.

Since 1988, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has gathered research and produced reports to inform decision makers on climate change. Among crosscutting topics, ecosystem management and nature-based solutions (NBS) have received growing attention as they are readily available and relatively inexpensive. NBS are part of the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Uses economical sector [1]. While carbon prices can reach up to USD100 t-1 CO2-eq, greenhouse gas (GHG) land-based mitigation can be achieved for less in agriculture (e.g. soil carbon management, agroforestry, soil biochar addition), forestry (e.g. afforestation, reforestation, decreased deforestation) and using other ecosystems (e.g. peatland and wetland restoration) [1]. NBS have the potential to reduce GHG emissions by 8–14 Gt CO2-eq yr-1 between 2020–2050 [1], which represents 32–82% of the emission gap by 2030 to limit global warming between 1.5–2°C by 2100 compared with the preindustrial era [2]. In addition to CO2 removal from the atmosphere, NBS also render valuable ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, water and nutrient cycling regulation and soil preservation [3–6]. Several positive impacts on human well-being and sustainable development goals can also be achieved through NBS [1].

The building sector is increasingly identified as being energy and carbon intensive. Although the majority of emissions are linked to energy usage during the operation part of a building’s life cycle, choice of construction materials could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental end-point damages. Increasing the use of wood products in buildings may contribute to the solution, but their environmental impacts are difficult to assess and quantify because they depend on a variety of uncertain parameters. The present cradle-to-gate life-cycle analysis (LCA) focuses exclusively on a glued-laminated wood product (glulam) produced from North American boreal forests located in the province of Quebec, Canada. This study uses primary data to quantify the environmental impacts of all necessary stages of products’ life cycle, from harvesting the primary resources, to manufacturing the transformed product into glulam. The functional unit is 1 m3 of glulam. This is the first study based on primary data pertaining to Quebec’s boreal forest. Quebec’s boreal glulam manufacturing was compared with two other LCAs on glulam in Europe and the United States. Our results show that Quebec’s glulam has a significantly smaller environmental footprint than what is reported in the literature. From an LCA perspective, there is a significant advantage to producing glulam in Quebec, compared with the European and American contexts. The same holds true in regard to the four end-point damage categories.

Agricultural land abandonment is a widespread phenomenon that generally results in C accumulation due to natural establishment of woody vegetation. However, whether afforestation of abandoned agricultural lands (AAL) can sequester more C than AAL naturally reverting to woodlands is unclear. In this study, we used the CBM-CFS3 model to compare the additional C sequestration potential of afforested AAL (AR) with a reference scenario where AAL naturally returns to forest (NR). Simulations were performed for stands located in Quebec’s boreal zone (Canada) on podzolic soils. The AR scenario corresponded to stands afforested at a density of 2000 trees ha-1 with one of five commonly planted species in the region, namely black spruce (BS), white spruce (WS), eastern white pine (EWP), jack pine (JP) and tamarack (TK). The NR scenario corresponded to stands naturally reverting to natural forests of one of five species naturally occurring in the region, namely BS, WS, balsam fir (BF), trembling aspen (TA) and white birch (WB). The yield tables used for NR were phased out by 5, 10, 15 and 20 years to simulate various dynamics of colonization by woody plants following agricultural abandonment. Net C accumulation in AR stands varies depending on the planted species, from 127 to 255 Mg C ha-1 after 100 years with TK and WS, respectively. Net C accumulation in NR stands after 100 years ranges from 82 to 145 Mg C ha-1 for BS and TA, respectively, but these values are sensitive to both tree density and colonization time following abandonment. In both scenarios, the soil C pool shrinks by 6 to 12 Mg C ha-1 over the first 80-85 years, but the following soil C stock replenishment is faster in AR than in NR stands due to higher litter production (up to 50 Mg C ha-1). The additional C sequestration potential of AAL afforestation, i.e. the difference in net C accumulation between AR and NR stands, is the highest in stands afforested with WS and reaches a peak of 121-175 Mg C ha-1 80-87 yea

To reach the Paris Agreement targets of holding the global temperature increase below 2 °C above the preindustrial levels, every human activity will need to be carbon neutral by 2050. Feasible means for industries to achieve carbon neutrality must be developed and assessed economically. Herein we present a case study on available solutions to achieve net-zero carbon from the get-go for a planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Quebec, which would classify as a large Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter. From a literature review, available options were prioritized with the promoter. Each prioritized potential solution is discussed in light of its feasibility and the associated economic opportunities and challenges. Although net-zero carbon is feasible from the get-go, results show that the promoter should identify opportunities to reduce as much as possible emissions at source, cooperate with other industries for CO2 capture and utilization, replace natural gas from fossil sources by renewable sources and offset the remaining emissions by planting trees and/or buying offsets on the compliance and voluntary markets. As some of these solutions are still to be developed, to ensure timely net-zero pledge for the lifespan of the LNG plant, a portfolio and progressive approach to combine offsets and other options is preferable.

Sustainability assessment is a growing concern worldwide with United Nations’ Agenda 2030 being implemented. As sustainability refers to the consideration of environmental, social and economic issues in light of cultural, historic—retrospective and prospective—and institutional perspectives, appropriate tools are needed to ensure the complete coverage of these aspects and allow the participation of multiple stakeholders. This article presents a scientifically robust and flexible tool, developed over the last 25 years and tested in different cultural and development contexts to build a framework for sustainability assessment of policies, strategies, programs and projects in light of Agenda 2030. A selected case study conducted on a major mining project in Québec (Canada) illustrates the Sustainable Development Analytical Grid performance for sustainability assessment. This tool and process is part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Acceleration Toolkit; it is one of the most adaptable, addresses all 17 SDGs and is fully accessible for free. Other advantages and limitations of the tool and process are discussed.

Hydropower in boreal conditions is generally considered the energy source emitting the least greenhouse gas per kilowatt-hour during its life cycle. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative contribution of the land-use change on the modification of the carbon sinks and sources following the flooding of upland forested territories to create the Eastmain-1 hydroelectric reservoir in Quebec’s boreal forest using Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector. Results suggest a carbon sink loss after 100 yr of 300,000 ± 100,000 Mg CO2 equivalents (CO2e). A wildfire sensitivity analysis revealed that the ecosystem would have acted as a carbon sink as long as <75% of the territory had burned over the 100-yr-long period. Our long-term net carbon flux estimate resulted in emissions of 4 ± 2 g CO2e kWh−1 as a contribution to the carbon footprint calculation, one-eighth what was obtained in a recent study that used less precise and less sensitive estimates. Consequently, this study significantly reduces the reported net carbon footprint of this reservoir and reveals how negligible the relative contribution of the land-use change in upland forests to the total net carbon footprint of a hydroelectric reservoir in the boreal zone can be.

Les biosolides de papetières (BP) sont des matières organiques résiduelles provenant du processus d’épuration des effluents de l’industrie des pâtes et papiers. Le gouvernement québécois vise à réduire de 20 % les émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES) par rapport au niveau de 1990 et à bannir la matière organique des lieux d’élimination d’ici 2020, ce qui affectera probablement la gestion des BP. Cette étude vise à quantifier les émissions de GES provenant des trois principales filières de gestion des BP : l’enfouissement, l’épandage sur sol agricole et la combustion avec récupération de chaleur. Les émissions de GES de l’enfouissement ont été mesurées à l’échelle pilote et celles de l’épandage, l’ont été pour des doses respectant les recommandations agronomiques. Les émissions de la combustion ont été mesurées à la cheminée de chaudières à biomasse utilisant entre 10 et 40 % de BP mélangés aux combustibles. L’enfouissement était la filière la plus émettrice de GES (0,90 t éq. CO2 t-1 BP secs), alors que les émissions étaient inférieures pour l’épandage (0,12 t éq. CO2 t-1 BP secs) et la combustion (0,00057-0,13 t éq. CO2 t-1 BP secs). L’épandage agricole et la combustion seraient de bonnes alternatives à l’enfouissement pour atténuer les émissions de GES. Toutefois, il serait nécessaire de multiplier les mesures d’émissions pour en augmenter la précision et assurer des scénarios robustes si l’on vise à initier l’élaboration d’un nouveau protocole d’obtention de crédits compensatoires pour le système de plafonnement et d’échange de droits d’émission de GES au Québec. Pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) is an organic residual generated from the paper mill wastewater treatments. The Quebec’s government policies aim to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 20% below the level of 1990 and to ban disposal (landfilling and incineration without energy recovery) of organic material by 2020, which will likely affect PPMS management. This study aims at quantifying GHG

The building sector is increasingly identified as being energy and carbon intensive. Although the majority of emissions are linked to energy usage during the operation part of a building’s life cycle, choice of construction materials could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental end-point damages. Increasing the use of wood products in buildings may contribute to the solution, but their environmental impacts are difficult to assess and quantify because they depend on a variety of uncertain parameters. The present cradle-to-gate life-cycle analysis (LCA) focuses exclusively on a glued-laminated wood product (glulam) produced from North American boreal forests located in the province of Quebec, Canada. This study uses primary data to quantify the environmental impacts of all necessary stages of products’ life cycle, from harvesting the primary resources, to manufacturing the transformed product into glulam. The functional unit is 1 m3 of glulam. This is the first study based on primary data pertaining to Quebec’s boreal forest. Quebec’s boreal glulam manufacturing was compared with two other LCAs on glulam in Europe and the United States. Our results show that Quebec’s glulam has a significantly smaller environmental footprint than what is reported in the literature. From an LCA perspective, there is a significant advantage to producing glulam in Quebec, compared with the European and American contexts. The same holds true in regard to the four end-point damage categories.

Les fondations de ce mémoire reposent sur l'examen de trois figures de la littérature universelle : Lear, OEdipe et Werther. Fruits du génie de Shakespeare, de Sophocle et de Goethe, ces personnages, confrontés à une force qui leur est supérieure, entrent dans un processus d'autodestruction qui ne semble avoir pour fin que l'assouvissement d'une vengeance. En effet, que penser de ce vieux monarque respecté de ses sujets, qui, après avoir donné les clés de son royaume en héritage puis s'être fait spolier par ses filles aînées, persiste à vouloir se dépouiller et s'enfonce dans la folie? Que dire de cet autre vieillard aveugle, roi jadis vénéré, que le désaveu de ses fils a poussé à l'errance et dont l'ultime volonté est d'offrir à Athènes sa dépouille, en guise de rempart et de protection aux assauts éventuels de sa Thèbes natale, cité où gouverne sa descendance? Ou encore de cet amoureux qui se suicide avec le pistolet de l'époux de sa bien-aimée après s'être repu de la douleur et de la culpabilité que son geste causera inévitablement à cette dernière? L'objectif principal de cette recherche est de démontrer que le phénomène d'autodestruction remarqué dans ces oeuvres est fondamentalement lié à un concept élaboré par Milan Kundera, la litost. Clochardisation, héroïsme et suicide ne seraient, du moins dans ces textes, que trois personnifications d'une seule et même chose ; la pire des défaites, une vengeance que l'on s'inflige à soi-même dans le dessein inavoué d'atteindre et de détruire l'autre, celui par qui souffrances et humiliation sont advenues. Par ailleurs, et ceci constitue la seconde visée de la démarche, il s'agit d'établir que l'autodestruction ravageant Lear, OEdipe et Werther n'est en fait que la conséquence d'une crise d'identité subie par chacun d'eux. S'ils réagissent aussi fortement, c'est qu'ils ont été atteints dans ce qui représente pour eux le souverain bien de la vie. C'est que, selon Charles Taylor, à qui est empruntée la notion d'identité, il