B.C. wins COP26 climate award, but will plan to reduce emissions actually work?
After B.C. received an international award at the COP26 climate conference, the government sent out a news release to congratulate itself – but observers warn any celebration may be premature.
David Austin is a lawyer with Stirling LLP who specializes in energy. He pointed out the award was for an industrial emissions reduction program that we don't know works.
"There's a lot of patting on the back right now in British Columbia but all it is, is an award for a part of a plan," he told CTV News in an interview.
When it comes to CleanBC, the province's current plan to tackle climate change, Austin said until emission reductions are realized, it's still just a goal.
"We have plans," he added. "But in terms of our ability to execute on plans, we have failed."
In 2007, B.C.'s greenhouse gas emissions were 65.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), the baseline most jurisdictions are trying to measure against. In 2019, B.C. emitted 68.6 MtCo2e – a five per cent increase.
When former premier Gordon Campbell brought forward climate change policy, including a carbon tax, the goal was to reduce B.C.'s emissions by a third compared to 2007 levels.
That has environmentalists like Peter McCartney, a senior climate campaigner with the Wilderness Committee wondering why the province insists on propping up a liquified natural gas industry that relies on fracking.
"We cannot take any more half-measures on climate change. This government needs to recognize that the fossil fuel industry is the one causing the emissions," McCartney told CTV News.
He acknowledged the emissions would be higher if governments hadn't introduced policies. Yet he noted emissions are still increasing and there's a need to bring them down – and quick.
That's a message echoed at the UN Climate Change Conference by president Alok Sharma.
"My priority now is pace. There needs to be a sense of urgency in all our negotiations," Sharma told delegates.
At a recent workshop, B.C.'s environment minister said the province's CleanBC plan has specific targets for industries, and some goals are expected to be achieved earlier than initially thought.
George Heyman told delegates, "We know British Columbians expect strong action, we know that we can do it in British Columbia while maintaining a healthy economy."
Yet B.C.'s inconvenient truth is that none of the reductions targets ever set have been realized.
Heyman's comments and the government's view of its climate plan sound eerily similar to what Gordon Campbell told CTV News in 2009.
"I don't think there's any place in North America or any place that I’m aware of that's had a comprehensive a program to deal with the challenge of climate change, as we have in B.C.," he said at the time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.