B.C. breaking its own law on climate-change reporting: environmental group

An environmental group has gone to court against the British Columbia government for allegedly failing to report if its climate plans will achieve key greenhouse gas emissions targets, as required by a provincial law.

Harry Wruck, a lawyer representing Sierra Club BC, has told B.C. Supreme Court that climate change accountability legislation from 2019 requires the government to publish annual reports that outline progress toward emissions targets for 2025, 2040 and 2050.

Wruck, who is representing the club in a lawsuit against the government, says the annual reports are the only mechanism for transparency and accountability but do not show how far the plans are getting B.C. toward its targets.

Matt Hulse, another lawyer representing the environmental group, said outside court that lack of information on targets related to the oil and gas sector are particularly concerning because it is a large contributor of emissions.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy says in a statement that the province has the strongest climate accountability measures in Canada.

It says its annual reports provide the latest available data, but the Sierra Club says the province still isn't explicitly saying what action it would take to get the province to its various targets.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2022.