“BC is not the climate leader it claims to be,” coalition denounces

A group of more than 600 civil organizations in British Columbia paints a mixed record of the province’s actions in favor of the climate, and urges it to change course on its subsidies to the fossil industry, in particular natural gas.

In its 2024 report, the BC Climate Emergency Campaign (BCCEC) – a coalition of health, agricultural, research and Indigenous organizations – says B.C. failed or made minor progress in each of its 10 climate emergency actions.

The BCCEC believes that the provincial climate action plan, Clean BCis insufficient to respond to the climate crisis. He wishes to collaborate with the government to raise its ambitions, and has thus defined these emergency measures, which he asks it to adopt. Every year since 2021, it evaluates their implementation in reports.

On Tuesday, the coalition called for an end to government subsidies and the expansion of infrastructure for the exploitation of the fossil fuel industry, particularly natural gas. This industry creates profit at the expense of citizens and future generationsaccording to her.

The expansion of fossil mining has a cost. As much for the wallets of British Columbians as for their health and well-beingdenounces Emiko Newman, coordinator of the group. British Columbia is not the leader it claims to beshe adds.

These fossil fuels in fact undermine all the efforts that have been put in place by the government, according to Tracey Saxby, marine biologist and co-founder of the organization My Sea to Sky.

There is a real lack of political will, it’s simple.

We see other countries in the world whose greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing. The solutions exist, they are very clear.

A changing world

The economic consequences are estimated at million dollarsaccording to the coalition, which cites atmospheric rivers, deadly landslides, zombie fires, drought and hurricane bombs that hit British Columbia last year alone.

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the atmospheric river that hit southeastern British Columbia between October 18 and 20 caused $110 million in insured damages.

The fires currently ravaging Los Angeles, California, are also urgent wake-up calls for many organization spokespeople. These fires are not isolated, says Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Native Chiefs.

We can go back to Slave Lakethe first forest fire that destroyed half a city [au Canada, en 2011, NDLR]. Then of course there was Fort McMurrayand Jasper, and Lytton, who burned to the ground. ParadiseOr [85] people diedhe lists.

It’s time for people to realize the consequences of hiding the climate crisisadds grand chef Stewart Phillip.

The situation will only get worse, and liquefied natural gas is not a solution.

GHG emissions on the rise

The province’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 3 per cent in 2022, the latest year for which this data is available. However, the government has committed to reducing them by 16% by 2025, compared to 2007 levels.

For the coalition, the province has thus failed to set binding targets for climate pollutionwhich constitutes the first of its 10 calls to action.

We’re going in the wrong directiondenounces Tracey Saxby.

Call to regain a leadership role

However, it is not too late, according to the coalition. Several spokespersons suggest that British Columbia follow in the footsteps of other provinces, which have implemented ambitious projects for the ecological transition, which will also stimulate the economy, according to them.

Public transit can, for example, be a replacement industry for the fossil fuel sector, given the increased consumer demand, the number of people it employs and the future and sustainable opportunities it guarantees, according to Denis Agar, director general of the movement Metro Vancouver Transit Riders.

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Quebec, for its part, has become a leader in the elimination of natural gas for heating new buildings, which is still not on the table in British Columbia, says Sunil Singal, campaigner for the environmental organization Stand.Earth.

At the time of publication of this article, the provincial government had not responded to -’s request for comment.