Frequently Asked Questions
The BC government says it wants to strengthen its current Climate Plan to ensure that the province stays on track to meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets for 2020 and 2050.
The government is required to do periodic reviews, as recommended by the International Energy Agency (IEA), to ensure governments keep pace with the changing world. The BC government has created a Climate Leadership Team to draft a plan building on the current Climate Action Plan launched in 2008. They also want feedback from people like you.
Below, you’ll find helpful information to guide you through the BC government’s public consultation survey. You can complete the survey at: https://interceptum.com/s/en/ClimateLeadership
You can also send your written comments on the Climate Leadership Plan by email – send your written comments to climateleadershipplan@gov.bc.ca
The deadline for completing the survey is August 17th.
For written submissions, you have until September 14th to send an email directly to the BC government.
What does a successful climate action plan look like?
A successful climate action plan is one that truly helps BC meet its 2020 and 2050 climate targets, and prepares the economy for a world that is already beginning to move away from fossil fuels.
Does BC already have a climate plan in place?
Yes – the province has a good foundation of climate policies to build upon, which includes the carbon tax, clean energy requirements and the low-carbon fuel standard. BC’s robust clean energy economy is already employing over 123,000 British Columbians and contributing $15 billion to the province’s GDP.
However, despite this solid foundation, successfully navigating the path to BC’s 2020 and 2050 greenhouse gas reduction targets will still be a huge challenge. Ambitious new policies will be needed to avoid increases in carbon pollution. For instance, BC’s carbon tax can no longer remain stuck at the rate of $30 a year, and must be allowed to rise annually all the way to an effective price ($200 per tonne).
What are BC’s greenhouse gas reduction targets? Are we meeting them?
In 2007, BC established greenhouse gas reduction targets based on recommendations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The targets are to reduce the province’s emissions to 33 per cent below 2007 levels by the year 2020, and to 80 per cent below 2007 levels by 2050. BC’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2007 reached 66 million tonnes, which means by 2050 the province aims to reduce emissions to 13 million tonnes.
By reducing provincial emissions to 62 million tonnes, British Columbia has already met its first interim target of reducing emissions by 6 per cent below 2007 levels by 2012. Achieving this target was a major milestone. It shows that emissions can be reduced through carbon pricing while still maintaining a strong economy.
However, since 2012 there has been a distinct shift in the BC government’s strategies and action on climate change. New plans to export massive amounts of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as a freeze on the province’s carbon tax, are preventing BC from meeting its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
What are some recommended solutions?
BC needs to meaningfully act on its promise to be a climate leader. That means creating a future with more super-efficient buildings across communities that run on clean energy, where waste becomes a common energy source, and where communities are better connected so we rely more on public transit and less on individual vehicles for transportation.
It also means investing in an economy that helps us shift away from fossil fuels – instead of focusing solely on an industry that aims to export even more fossil fuels.
Much of the new policy required for the climate action plan can come from simply strengthening existing policies like the carbon tax, the green building code, the clean energy requirements and the low-carbon fuel standard. Additionally, those communities that act to embrace these changes should be rewarded.
What can we do?
Join the conversation! If the Climate Leadership Plan is going to be successful, British Columbians need to let the government know they want the province to do more to fight climate change.
You have an opportunity to participate in public consultation until August 17th to deliver that collective message. To submit your recommendations, you must complete the survey at: https://interceptum.com/s/en/ClimateLeadership
You may also attend one of the Wilderness Committee’s workshops in Vancouver, where you will have the chance to engage with experts who can guide you on the submission process and provide you with science-based evidence to back up your answers to the survey questions.
Our Climate Leadership Workshops take place on the following dates:
- Thursday, August 6th, 2015 | 6-8 p.m.
- Wednesday, August 12th, 2015 | 6-8 p.m.
- Thursday, August 13th, 2015 | 6-8 p.m.
The workshops will be held at our Vancouver office at 46 East 6th Avenue (view map). For more information, please call us at (604) 683-8220.
What types of questions will the survey ask me? How long does it take to fill out?
The objective of the survey is to help define BC’s priority climate actions. You will be asked about your priorities to meet the province’s climate goals within four areas, and then to indicate your level of support for specific statements relating to each of the following four outlined goals:
- 1. Communities are thriving and resilient in the face of climate change.
- 2. People and goods move efficiently and reliably, using clean transportation.
- 3. BC’s economy remains strong, and jobs continue to be created, while greenhouse gas emissions fall.
- 4. The cost of climate change for society is considered whenever British Columbians make important decisions.
Some of these questions require you to rank objectives for each goal using 10 points. Distribute these points in a way that reflects what is most important to you. For example, you could choose to spend all your points on one priority or across several. For each goal, you will be asked to indicate your top priority or objective in meeting this goal and why.
You will then be asked to answer the following over-arching questions:
- 1. In the short term, which of the four goals needs the most immediate attention in order for BC to achieve its 2020 targets? Why?
- 2. In the long term, which of the four goals needs the most immediate attention in order for BC to achieve its 2050 targets? Why?
The survey takes about 10 minutes, and can take more if you require time to provide detailed feedback.
How can I use this survey to communicate my concerns about the direction BC is headed when it comes to climate change?
There are opportunities within the survey to spell out in greater detail what you expect from the government when it comes to climate action. When you are given a chance to provide written comments, you can use this opportunity to submit clear and uncompromising demands for action.
Here are some examples:
- To safeguard a stable, livable climate, the BC government should walk away from its plans to build a giant new LNG industry on our west coast.
- To level the playing field with dirty forms of energy such as oil, coal and fracked gas, the BC government should reverse its 2012 decision to stall the carbon tax at $30 per tonne. To make the tax truly effective, annual increases should be enabled that bring us to $200 per tonne.
- To reduce the impact on our climate from transportation, the BC government should invest heavily in transit systems, with a focus on electrified rail and bus services where possible.
When will I know the results of this public consultation?
We’ll know by December 2015 if the government is willing to make the commitments and/or investments recommended during this consultation period – that’s when they’ll be releasing a draft plan. That’s also when they’ll be heading to the international climate conference in Paris, where we will see new climate action commitments from around the world. One such commitment will be coming from our neighbours, as Alberta’s new government has promised updates to their climate change strategy.
Why is it important for me to comment?
The science is clear: climate change is our reality. In 2007, 2,500 of the world’s top scientists confirmed that climate change is real, and that the world needs to act now to make a difference.
Fast forward to the present, where BC’s average temperature has increased, glaciers continue to retreat and average sea levels continue to rise. Some short-term consequences we have seen locally include local water restrictions and drought conditions due to record low rain fall and glacial melt, as well as raging summer wildfires across BC.
Despite current efforts, carbon pollution is still on the rise in our province. This is your opportunity to tell the BC government that you care about tackling the climate crisis and that climate action is a priority, before the government makes decisions on their next steps.
What happens when the draft plan comes out in December?
The public will have another opportunity to provide feedback to the BC government after the draft plan is released. This time, the public will be able to comment on specific policies and actions included in the draft climate plan.
The BC government has promised to address climate change, protect our ecosystems and improve our quality of life. If you feel the draft plan does not meaningfully fulfill their promise, you have an opportunity to say so! Once the government receives input from the public and after attending the global climate summit in Paris, they will revise their drafts accordingly and release a final plan in March 2016.
Top photo: Vancouver People's Climate March, September 2014. (Chris Yakimov via Flickr)