VANCOUVER/UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES — Following the release of Government of British Columbia’s 2024 Climate Change Accountability report, Ecojustice law and policy experts made the following statement:
Sarah Korpan, government relations and campaign manager at Ecojustice said: “While the report transparently admits the province is not on track to achieve its targets, a commitment to the ambition required to reverse this trend continues to fall short. Admitting to the problem is not the same as addressing it.
“The province continues to use economic and affordability arguments as an excuse to weaken our climate ambition, but the climate and affordability crises are undeniably linked. The excitement for the approaching summer months is overtaken by uncertainty for many folks as we brace ourselves for extreme heat and wildfires. These extreme weather events worsen the cost-of-living crisis: in 2021 alone, extreme weather events cost the province between $10-$17 billion, and many communities are still struggling to recover from the economic loss linked to these disasters. Ambitious action on climate is a critical way for the province to provide communities across B.C. with economic and environmental stability.
“It’s the province’s responsibility to use moments like the release of this report as an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to climate action. BC’s long-term future cannot be put at risk for the sake of earning political popularity points in the short-term. We hope BC uses the upcoming review of CleanBC to carve a new path for the province toward a resilient, equitable and sustainable future for people in BC.”
Matt Hulse, lawyer at Ecojustice said: “Despite not having the evidence to back it up, the B.C. government has been telling British Columbians for years that is a climate leader and has a robust plan to achieve our climate targets. As disappointing as it is to see that we’re wildly off track to our targets, we’re glad that B.C. has acknowledged it. Now we need to see the government follow up with new policies and actions that make sure we achieve our targets on time.
“Unfortunately, this government continues to push ahead with emissions-intensive fracking and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects that take us in the wrong direction. LNG is not a green energy solution and it’s not an economic solution – the government needs to stop acting like it is. The global market for LNG is already oversupplied and demand is expected to plateau and decline. Every dollar invested in LNG is a dollar not spent building a low-carbon economy that actually benefits British Columbians.
“Achieving our climate targets isn’t important for their own sake, but because every tonne of greenhouse gases that we reduce makes British Columbians safer. There is no time like the present to take action and the ongoing review of B.C.’s climate plan is an excellent opportunity for this government to demonstrate that it understands how climate security and economic stability can go hand in hand.”
Additional information
The B.C. Government is required under the provincial Climate Change Accountability Act to publish an annual report on climate change risks and progress to B.C.’s legislated emission reduction targets.
The Act sets targets for B.C. to reduce provincial greenhouse gas emissions 16% by 2025, 40% by 2030, 60% by 2040 and 80% by 2050, all compared to 2007 emissions levels. B.C has also set targets in 2030 for four sectors of the economy: transportation, oil & gas, industry, and buildings & communities.
The 2024 report forecasts that B.C. will miss the 2025 and 2030 provincial targets; B.C. expects to reduce emissions 2% by 2025, missing this target by 9 million tonnes, and expects to reduce emissions 20-21% by 2030, missing this target by 13 million tonnes.
The report does not explain the extent that B.C. will miss the 2030 sectoral targets, which leaves citizens, businesses, and industry unclear about which parts of the economy need additional action to reduce emissions and get B.C. back on track.
The report also fails to explain whether we are on track to meet the 2040 and 2050 provincial targets, making it difficult to make long term decisions about economic development.
About
Ecojustice uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment. Its strategic, public interest lawsuits and advocacy lead to precedent-setting court decisions and law and policy that deliver lasting solutions to Canada’s most urgent environmental problems. As Canada’s largest environmental law charity, Ecojustice operates offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax.
