Latest news with #CleanBC
Vancouver Sun
15-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Opinion: B.C.'s climate plan is badly off track
In December 2018, the B.C. government released its bold new plan to reduce climate pollution and build a low-carbon economy. The CleanBC plan promised a heightened level of ambition and a compelling vision for a future that prioritized green technologies, clean electricity, and decarbonization. Today, the provincial government admits it is badly off track to reach its legislated pollution targets. And it has no plan to get there. Indeed, new pipelines (owned by American billionaires) and LNG terminals (built largely overseas) would vent even more planet-warming, health-harming gases into the atmosphere, at great cost to the B.C. public. How did it all go so wrong? At one-time, CleanBC was heralded as the strongest climate plan in North America. The government's own press release boasted the names of prominent climate advocates and experts — including governors from California and Washington — all lauding B.C.'s climate leadership. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. But three years later, many who praised the original plan jointly published a scathing rebuke of B.C.'s progress. 'We have lost the confidence we had in the province's climate plan and are sounding the alarm,' they wrote. Unfortunately, the situation has only become more dire. B.C.'s latest Climate Change Accountability Report says the province will miss its 2030 pollution reduction target by 50 per cent. This grim prediction does not account for climate pollution from future LNG terminals. Climate groups have been attempting to hold the government accountable for such failings with annual progress reports of their own. But this latest admission comes from the government's own mouth: 'B.C.'s current policy landscape does not put us on track to meet our 2030 targets,' the report states. The government blames this failure largely on entirely foreseeable population growth, while admitting that the biggest emissions increases came from commercial transport and fossil fuel production — not B.C. households. Even so, the province claims it is charting a course in the right direction. It is nearly impossible for this claim to be true. First off, B.C.'s consumer carbon tax and rebate system is gone. Scrapping the tax meant losing out on $3 billion in annual revenue used to issue cheques to households and fund rebates for heat pumps and electric cars — rebates that are now on the chopping block. Premier Eby promised the consumer carbon tax would be replaced by other measures, including strengthening the industrial carbon price on big polluters. Updates are yet to come. Perhaps even more concerning is the omission of LNG in this latest accountability report. LNG is mentioned only once, a mind-boggling omission considering the province is caught in a frenzy to become a major LNG exporter. B.C. will begin shipping the highly polluting fossil fuel this summer when LNG Canada begins operating in Kitimat. Cedar LNG (a floating LNG facility under construction in Korea) and Woodfibre LNG (another foreign-owned export facility in Squamish) are next in line, with three more export facilities approved or under review. A massive American-backed pipeline in northern B.C. — the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Line — is also awaiting approval. If B.C. moves ahead with these new projects, climate pollution will increase not only in B.C. but worldwide. Shipping 47 million tons of LNG overseas annually (as these projects would collectively do) would produce 125 million tons of carbon pollution when the fuel is burned and have significant health impacts in the communities where the gas is fracked. Importantly, many of these projects are backed by American private equity giants with ties to President Trump, and are facing opposition from First Nations who stand to experience the largest impacts of these projects in their own backyards. The province is disregarding the First Nations people who see what is happening on the ground and want to protect the land and water in their territories. Many First Nations communities are finding innovative ways to respond to the climate crisis by restoring our relationship to the world around us. Instead of supporting these communities, B.C. wants to fast track more projects for the oil and gas industry. While B.C.'s plan encourages 'industrial facilities to connect to clean electricity,' even this requirement is being scaled back as B.C.'s Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix recently loosened the rules for proposed LNG projects. Failing to truly bend the curve on our pollution is a broken political imperative and a failure to protect the health of British Columbians. It is a failure to preserve our clean water and clean air, and to acknowledge the voices of First Nations people when it comes to the health of the land. In 2018, B.C. had a shiny new climate plan. Not anymore. What remains of the CleanBC program is a shambles. If a 'plan' means having appropriate targets and a credible pathway to attain such targets, then the sad truth is that B.C. no longer has a climate plan. The B.C. government must present something new and ambitious to take its place. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip is president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. Dr. Melissa Lem is president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Kai Nagata is communications director with Dogwood BC. Emiko Newman is coordinator of the BC Climate Emergency Campaign. Tracey Saxby is a marine scientist and co-founder of My Sea to Sky. Kiki Wood is a senior oil and gas campaigner with
National Post
08-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Geoff Russ: B.C.'s grand green plans halted by dwindling power supply
Last week, British Columbia's NDP government announced that its signature CleanBC program, intended to reduce carbon emissions 40 per cent below 2007 levels by the end of the decade, is going to miss its 2030 emissions-reduction target by a wide margin. In fact, just half of the intended reduction is expected to be met. Article content Article content Coincidentally, at the same time, the provincial government announced it was freezing its electric vehicle (EV) rebate program. It was just the first domino to fall in the NDP's CleanBC program, which, unless overhauled, will end in failure, with consumers taking the hardest hit. Article content Even if B.C. does do away with its EV program completely, it will not alter the fact that the province is no longer self-sufficient when it comes to producing electricity. A lack of energy diversification caused by hard-headed green initiatives is to blame. Article content Article content For generations, B.C.'s hydroelectric power was abundant, reliable and cheap. It helped power the province's growth from a rural, resource-oriented economy into the home of Canada's third-largest city and gateway to the Pacific. Article content Today, B.C. has everything. It has lots of natural resources, a growing population and a vibrant commercial capital in Metro Vancouver. This growth, however, has strained the province's energy supply. Article content Without the ability to meet its own electricity needs, British Columbians will go into the future with higher energy bills, and industry will think twice about investing in a province in which electricity is no longer cheap. Article content Drought and a persistently low annual snow-pack are gutting BC Hydro, the Crown corporation responsible for producing the hydroelectricity that powers most of the province. Last year, a staggering 25 per cent of all the electricity used in B.C. was imported from outside the province, at a cost of nearly $1.4 billion. Article content Article content The great irony of this is how it undercuts the CleanBC plan. The imported electricity comes from the United States and Alberta, and is largely generated from fossil fuels. Turning on the lights in supposedly green B.C. still contributes to emissions if that power comes from higher-emitting sources. Article content Article content Proponents of the hydroelectric regime point to the upcoming opening of the Site C dam, which will add 5,100 GWh to the electricity grid, representing about eight per cent of the total electricity supply. Yet demand for power is projected to climb at least 15 per cent by 2030. Article content In 2023, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation warned that B.C. will be facing a severe electricity shortage as early as next year if drought conditions and warmer winters continue to slash the ability of BC Hydro to produce power. Article content Adding to this is the electricity demand of TransLink, which oversees public transit in Metro Vancouver. TransLink aims to fully electrify its operations by 2050, but is slated to suffer a budget deficit of $600 million in 2026, and has proposed raising its fares to make up the difference.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Experts, politicians divided on how to get B.C. back on track for climate goals
B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix says increasing electrical capacity and renewable projects would be a "significant" step for clean energy and climate goals, but not everyone agrees. The call for new projects comes in the wake of B.C.'s latest climate accountability report that shows the province is not on track to meet its emissions reduction goals for 2030. The 2024 Climate Change Accountability Report , released last week, reveals that, under current policies and programs, B.C. is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by just 20 per cent from 2007 levels by 2030 — falling short by half of its emissions reduction targets. Critics of B.C.'s efforts to reach its ambitious climate goals say the province can't expect to achieve them while continuing to pursue new LNG projects, because they will add to the province's emissions. Marc Lee, a senior economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, is among those critics. "The key reason why B.C. is struggling to meet its targets is because we've committed to developing an LNG export industry," Lee said. "What's not in the report is that in just a couple months time, LNG Canada will open up in Kitimat and will increase our emissions by four to eight million tons per year." Dix did not respond directly when asked if B.C. would refrain from pursuing future LNG projects in the interest of meeting its climate goals. He instead said that transportation made up the biggest increase in emissions in 2022, which is the most recent available data provided by the province. Dix said B.C.'s second call for power to boost electrical capacity and attract more renewable energy projects to the province is a critical step toward closing the gap to achieve future emissions targets. "This is the most really significant action we've seen on new renewable electricity since the 60s," he said. "It's good news for the planet, it's good news for the economy, and it's good news for CleanBC targets." However, some First Nations groups are worried these projects are being fast tracked at the expense of the environment. "When we hear fast tracking we immediately think that they're going to do it without consultation," said Robert Philips of the First Nations Summit Political Executive, though he added that the premier has assured him that wouldn't happen. WATCH | B.C.'s premier and energy minister are putting out a new call for electricity: Road to meeting future climate goals uncertain Kathryn Harrison, a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia, said she was encouraged to see increased transparency in this year's report, including a more realistic picture of which policies will lead to reduced emissions. She sees some policies working at moving the province closer to its goal and praised the call for new clean energy projects, but said B.C. needs to decarbonize "all aspects of our economy" to achieve future emissions targets. The climate accountability report lays out several CleanBC measures expected to begin around 2030 and contribute to future emissions targets, such as the zero-carbon building code. Harrison said this would make a difference when planning on how to meet future goals and thinks the province should also implement a zero-emission vehicle mandate for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as move forward on an oil-and-gas emissions cap. "Time is really running out to get a 40 per cent reduction by 2030 — I think the key thing from my perspective is how soon will we get to 40 per cent, if not by 2030, can we do it in 2032?" she said. Harrison also noted that new LNG projects are likely to drive up emissions even more, pushing B.C. further away from its emissions targets. Jeremy Valeriote, interim leader of the B.C. Green Party, does not support the government's current LNG projects. (CBC) Jeremy Valeriote, interim leader of the B.C. Green Party, said he has been happy to see investments in transit and building retrofits. However, he added that he would like to see the province transition away from LNG and focus on renewable energy. "I don't think we should pursue the ones (LNG projects) that we have, I don't think they'll work out for us," he said. "But at the very least, the three that have been permitted, we should draw the line there — we certainly don't support any further projects." One challenge to accountability, Lee said, is that there is currently reduced attention on climate action in Canada and other countries, as tariffs and affordability concerns dominate political conversations. He feels this will need to change in order for the province to take more substantial action – and for it to make a difference for curbing the climate crisis. "If no one else is acting, then it doesn't matter what B.C. does … I think there's a bit of a collective action problem," he said.
Canada News.Net
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Canada News.Net
B.C. Falls Far Short of 2030 Climate Target
British Columbia is falling far short of meeting its 2030 climate targets, the province admitted last week, in a report that cited new industrial megaprojects as one of several factors that could push emissions farther off course. The report, an annual inventory that is required under the provincial Climate Change Accountability Act, says B.C. will reduce its climate pollution by only 20% from 2007 levels this decade, not the 40% it set out to achieve, based on programs and policies in the province's CleanBC Roadmap that have actually been implemented. So far, the accountability report shows the province's net emissions falling by just 2.2% between 2007 and 2022. Its gross emissions, including land use changes in sectors like forestry, increased slightly over that time. Its legislated emission reduction targets stand at 16% from 2007 levels by 2025 and 40% by 2030. The report shows climate pollution falling by half per unit of economic activity, and by 29% per capita, from 1990 to 2022. "The purpose of the report is to be absolutely clear on these points that we are not on track to meet our near-term 2030 goals," Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix told media in Victoria. "It's huge. We're not even coming close," said B.C. Green Interim Leader Jeremy Valeriote. "If we missed our targets by this much on education, or health care, or any other aspect of public life, people would be outraged. "It's a major failure and we all need to figure out how to fix it." The report says this is the first time the province has measured the gap between its climate plans and its actual performance. "In previous years' Climate Change Accountability Reports, the projection to 2030 relied on a scenario where all CleanBC Roadmap policies and programs were fully implemented. This approach was useful for assessing the potential of B.C.'s climate plan when it was in earlier stages of development," it states. "However, as CleanBC advances, it is time to consider policy implementation within the analysis. This year, the projection relies on scenarios that consider the current policy landscape." Clearing the gap between implemented and defined policies would shift the province's 2030 emissions reduction from 20 to 21%, the report indicates. Climate initiatives still under development "include policy that supports the Roadmap commitment to implement a cap on natural gas utilities; the announced B.C. backstop to the federal oil and gas emissions cap; and reducing light duty vehicle kilometres travelled through mode shifting," the report says. "The omission of these policies in the modelling follows best practices in climate reporting but does not mean they will not be implemented." But those delays contributed to sharp differences between the province's 2030 targets and its 2022 performance. Transportation emissions were up 18%, compared to a targeted reduction of 27 to 32%. Emissions in "buildings and communities" were down 5%, compared to a target of 59 to 64%. Oil and gas emissions dropped 11%, compared to a target of 33 to 38%. Other industries fell by 11%, as well, compared to a target of 38 to 43%. The report calls for future gains through biofuel blending and zero-emission vehicle deployment in transportation, and heat pump installations and more stringent efficiency standards in buildings. In oil and gas, it foresees "modest emission reductions" through methane controls and upstream electrification, "offsetting forecast production and emissions growth in the upstream natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) sectors." But it warns that those plans "are not without uncertainty," given a number of "unaccounted for risks may affect B.C.'s ability to more significantly reduce emissions." That list includes future policy changes or delays, development of "new large industrial projects", external factors like lower gas prices or higher electric vehicle costs, and "extra-jurisdictional policy changes" that could delay the "broader market transformations" to a clean economy. The report projects climate-related capital investments almost doubling this year, from $826.3 million $1.547 billion. But operational investment in climate mitigation and adaptation, transit projects, and various tax measures falls from $1.3 billion to just over $1 billion. University of British Columbia political scientist Kathryn Harrison told Business In Vancouver the province was surprisingly candid about missing its climate targets. "There's no way to fix climate change other than to decarbonize our economy. And that's proving to be harder than many of us assumed," she said. "This doesn't mean we can't do these things, but it means it's hard." But outside analysts also raised issues with the transparency of the province's annual reporting. Ecojustice has been "calling on the B.C. government for the past four or five years of reporting to deliver more detail in these reports so we can understand the progress they anticipate making," staff lawyer Matt Hulse told The Tyee. Harrison added that B.C.'s past modelling has only included liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects for which final investment decisions have been confirmed. The second phase of the LNG Canada project in Kitimat would add another 2.3 megatonnes of emissions, or about 5% of the provincial total. Thomas Green, senior climate policy advisor at the David Suzuki Foundation, said the focus on actual program delivery makes this year's report more realistic than past editions. But it still raises questions about how the province will close its emissions gap. Source: The Energy Mix
National Observer
01-05-2025
- Business
- National Observer
BC's emissions have barely budged, province says
BC's carbon emissions are barely budging and the province will fall far short of its climate goals, despite British Columbians reducing their emissions per person by about 20 percent through the adoption of heat pumps, electric vehicles and other climate actions. The province will emit nearly 20 million tons of more carbon emissions than its 2030 targets under existing policies, blowing through targets essential to keeping the climate crisis in check, according to the province's annual climate accountability report. Released Tuesday, the document reveals that the province's gross emissions have increased 0.2 per cent since 2007, the reference year against which reductions are measured, hitting 65.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 2022. The emissions data are from 2022, the most recent available in Canada's National Inventory Report. It comes as the province reconsiders its climate actions. This spring, BC Premier David Eby canceled the consumer carbon tax, the province has announced it will review its subsidy for EVs, and it is planning to reassess the CleanBC climate plan, which sets the province' emissions reduction targets. The numbers show these emissions held steady despite the province's GDP almost doubling and the province's population growing by a fifth during the same time frame, resulting in about 20 per cent fewer emissions per person. That's higher per capita emissions than Ontario, Quebec and PEI, but lower than the Prairies and the Atlantic provinces. About 40 per cent of the province's carbon emissions came from transportation, while the oil and gas industry accounted for nearly 15 per cent. BC residents weren't the biggest emitters, with many embracing climate action and recent polling showing widespread support for climate action. Heat pump installations soared by over 60 per cent between 2022 and 2023, according to the province's climate accountability report. In 2023 EVs made up nearly a quarter of new cars sold in the province — though recent provincial data show sales are slowing. BC's carbon emissions are barely budging and the province will fall far short of its climate goals, despite British Columbians reducing their emissions per person by about 20 percent. "I'm not that surprised we're not on target," said Thomas Green, senior climate policy advisor for the David Suzuki Foundation. The province's climate policies have taken longer to implement than initially expected, and there is typically a lag between when the policies are implemented and their impact starts to show, he said. Making them remains essential for the province's economic future. Evan Pivnik, program manager at Clean Energy Canada highlighted in a statement that 10 of Canada's largest non-US trading partners have net-zero commitments and carbon pricing — and border fees on products that don't meet similar standards. Still, experts highlight that no matter what measures the province takes to reduce emissions from buildings, transportation and other sources, many of those hard-won emissions reductions could be canceled out by the province's push to build up an LNG industry in northern BC. LNG "is certainly the elephant in the room," said John Young, LNG senior strategist for Climate Action Network. "Whenever you're talking about climate in British Columbia or climate in Canada, LNG needs to be part of the conversation in ways that it often hasn't been." If all six LNG projects proposed in the province are built, their operational and upstream emissions alone would make up about 40 per cent of the emissions allowed under the province's 2030 goals. The emissions generated when that fuel is burned would be about 10 times higher, harming global efforts to fight the climate crisis. Government officials know that supporting the LNG industry will send the province blowing through its climate goals, but have decided the financial returns are worth the devastating climate impacts of exploiting those reserves, Young said. "There's no way to dress it up. If you build new fossil fuel projects, you're not going to meet your climate targets. That's not, that's not rocket science. That's climate science."
