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Carbon bubble bursts on BCs climate action plan

There was a time when British Columbia was a beacon in the smog, showing the rest of Canada how bold climate action is done, even while the country was being dragged into the ecological gutter by the Harper government.

Then Christy Clark took over from BCs environmentally progressive Liberal premier, Gordon Campbell, and froze Campbells historic carbon tax, the first in North America, in 2012, which was about when the rest of Canada stopped paying attention.

BC seemed to be up to some good despite its zeal for supporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, which most Canucks still believe is clean energy thanks to years of not so subliminal advertising. Didnt the province give the world the historic Great Bear Rainforest agreement? Isnt Vancouver, like, the greenest city on earth?

The bubble burst on August 18, when the Christy government finally released its long-awaited climate leadership plan. Its official: after months of foot-dragging, BC is walking away from its pledge to slash greenhouse gas emissions by one-third below 2007 levels by 2020. The government says its now committed to getting emissions down to 80 per cent below 2007 levels but by 2050 at the earliest, leaving the heavy lifting for another day, and another government in another decade, even while carbon pollution is on the rise in BC.

The government has turned its back on its own blue ribbon committee of advisors on climate change. Not one of 32 recommendations proposed by its so-called climate leadership team of environmental and First Nations leaders aimed at stimulating a clean tech economy has been adopted in full.

Tzeporah Berman, who along with Pembina Institutes Matt Horne and Clean Energy Canadas Merran Smith sat on the committee, called the governments new plan pathetic and cowardly. So when Christy Clark is 85 we might see if her plan works?

The West Coast Environmental Law Associations Andrew Gage says that besides missing the 2020 target, the new plan will make it all but impossible to achieve the 2050 goal.

Its a fudge-it carbon budget, says Gage.

Sierra Club BC communication director Tim Pearson describes the BC plan as an elaborate Trojan Horse designed to provide cover for the governments destructive LNG pipe dream.” There are currently 22 LNG proposals in various stages of development in the province.

Its a fraud, says Pearson, pointing out that a proposal to plant trees as an antidote to climate change wont pay real dividends for decades to come.

Enviro group Stands national director, Karen Mahon, says that the actual policies outlined will likely lead to an increase in CO2 emissions over the next decade.

Between 2010 and 2014, carbon pollution in British Columbia has increased by the equivalent of adding 500,000 cars on the road. The province is expected to have the highest emissions growth of any province, according to one recent assessment.

The key missing ingredient in the government’s plan, says Josha MacNab, BC director at the Pembina Institute, continues to be a strengthened carbon tax and the province-wide incentive it would provide to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency.

David Suzuki Foundation’s director for Western Canada, Jay Ritchlin, calls BC’s shift a disappointment, that puts its greenhouse gas reduction efforts behind other provinces. “Ontario, Quebec and Alberta recently introduced stronger plans that are much closer to meeting climate targets,” Ritchlin says.

All in all, a dismal turn for anyone hoping BC might be back to lead the pack on climate action.

ecoholic@nowtoronto.com | @ecoholicnation

Some of what BC’s climate plan is promising to do

Reduce upstream methane emissions from natural gas by 45 per cent.

Expand government support for zero emission vehicle charging stations in buildings.

Avoid emissions from burning logging debris.

Mandate 10-year emissions reduction plans for provincial public sector operations.

What the plan wont do

Raise the carbon tax

It has been frozen since 2012 thanks to a Clark election promise, despite the fact that more than 130 BC businesses signed a letter to Clark in May 2016 asking her government to raise the tax. Clark says she’s waiting to see if other province’s “catch up” with similar levies first.

Meet 2020 emissions targets

Alberta, Ontario and Quebecs plans are all projecting decreases of 20 to 25 per cent. BC? Likely none at all by 2030, says Berman.

Legislate greenhouse gas targets for BCs key sectors, including a target for 2030.

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