A coalition of climate-friendly civil society groups claims B.C. isn’t on track to meet its climate targets — a conclusion with which the province’s environment minister disagrees.
The BC Climate Emergency Campaign, which includes the Dogwood, the Wilderness Committee, My Sea To Sky and others, released its 2023 Climate Action Progress Report on Tuesday.
It said the B.C. government’s “incremental changes in policies lack the urgency required” to confront the climate crisis, while support for fracking and liquified natural gas (LNG) projects undermine efforts to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.
“It absolutely astonishes me that in spite of clear evidence that we’re in the middle of the crisis of our time, governments continue to carry on business as usual,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.
“They continue with their old relationships with gas and oil extractive industries and continue to open doors for those industries, in spite of the harmful effects they’re having and exacerbating the climate crisis.”
While the group credits the province for making “minor progress” on ending fossil fuel subsidies, investing in a zero emissions economy, natural restoration, electrification of transportation, and several other key indicators, it gives B.C. failing grade on tracking and reporting its climate actions, winding down fossil fuel production, and setting binding targets based on “science and justice.”
Environment Minister George Heyman said Tuesday B.C. is on track to meet its climate targets, citing “one of the leading plans in North America” to address climate change.
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“Do we have more to do? Absolutely, and I welcome people who engage on the climate issue and want the government to do more,” he said in an interview.
“I appreciate that this other initiative has their own set of actions that they want, but we’re focused on our own plan.”
In March, the province announced a new energy action framework that requires all proposed LNG facilities to pass an emissions test with a credible plan to become net zero by 2030. It also puts an emissions cap on the oil and gas industry, requiring a minimum 33-per cent reduction by 2030.
The province aims to reduce its emissions 80 per cent below 2007 levels by 2050, targeting a minimum 27 per cent, 28 per cent, and 59 per cent reduction for the transportation, industry and buildings sectors respectively.
The province has, however, continued to express interest in projects that — while cutting back on climate-polluting coal use in other global markets — would add to B.C.’s annual emissions tab.
In Kitimat, it has permitted the LNG Canada project, which would eat up a quarter or more of B.C.’s targeted annual allowance for the entire oil and gas sector by 2030, according to estimates from the Pembina Institute. The pre-construction Woodfibre LNG project, which has also been given the greenlight, would require 40 per cent of the Site C dam’s energy to electrify its export facility and fracking operation, the think tank adds.
Heyman said the province is accountable to its climate targets, reporting annually to the legislature on its progress, with comments on its progress from the independent Climate Solutions Council.
“I’m not interested in redesigning our plan, I’m interested in putting every ounce of effort this government has into a proven, CleanBC plan that’s been reviewed by academics, by people in the energy field, by people in industry, by people in environmental groups, and has received praise for being broad-based, for focusing on every element of our economy and society and that’s what we’re doing,” he told Global News.
Seth Klein, who sits on the BC Climate Emergency Campaign’s steering committee for Climate Emergency Unit, said B.C. isn’t spending anywhere near enough cash to meaningfully combat the crisis, citing a report from former World Bank economist Nicholas Stern that said the world needs to spend two per cent of all GDP on climate action.
“For B.C., that translates to about $8 billion a year, but B.C. Budget 2023 dedicated only about $1.6 billion to efforts to reduce emissions, meaning about one-fifth of what is recommended,” Klein said.
“As West Kelowna Fire Chief recently said at the UN climate summit, we are spending the money on the wrong end of the problem.”
Klein said the province is spending money on adaptation, mitigation, prevention and emergency response — all of which are important — but it’s insufficient.
“We’re glad to see BC Hydro renewing its efforts to bring more renewable energy online, particularly with a focus on partnering with Indigenous communities, but BC Hydro and the government could be doing so much more, creating ambitious new public and Crown corporations to mass produce and deploy the technologies we need to electrify and decarbonize our society.”
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