B.C. climate change plan aims to build economy around renewable energy
“With Cleanbc, British Columbia is rising to the challenge of climate change,” Premier Horgan said. “Every year, we’re seeing the unprecedented wildfires and floods that hurt so many people, communities and businesses. We need to begin changing how we live, work and commute to put B.C. on a cleaner, more sustainable path.”
“Cleanbc will position our province for success as the world transitions to low-carbon solutions,” said Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green caucus and MLA for Oak Bay-gordon Head. “It is a testament to what we can accomplish when we recognize our shared values and commit to working together. I look forward to working with government, business and other stakeholders to action this plan, so that British Columbians can count on a bright future where all our communities enjoy a thriving economy and a high quality of life for generations to come.”
Highlights of the Cleanbc plan include:
• By 2040, every new car sold in B.C. will be a zero-emission vehicle. Government is helping people afford cleaner cars and save money on fuel with incentive programs, and making it easier to charge or fuel them: 1.3 Mt of carbon pollution reduced by 2030
• The Province is speeding up the switch to cleaner fuels at the gas pump - with further reductions to the carbon intensity of transportation fuels: 4.0 Mt of carbon pollution reduced by 2030
• Every new building constructed in B.C. will be “net-zero energy ready” by 2032. Along the way, government is requiring new buildings to be more efficient, and ramping up funding for renovations and energy retrofits to existing homes and offices, including $400 million to support retrofits and upgrades for B.C.’S stock of publicly funded housing: 2.0 Mt of carbon pollution reduced by 2030
• Government is helping B.C. to reduce residential and industrial organic waste, turning it into a clean resource: 0.7 Mt of carbon pollution reduced by 2030
• The Province is helping industry lower its emissions and reduce its pollution: 8.4 Mt of carbon pollution reduced by 2030
“Cleanbc is a B.c.-specific approach to making our communities strong and vibrant for decades to come as we rise to the challenge of global climate change,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “We can build a low-carbon economy that includes all sectors and all workers. Together, we can protect our children’s future, while making life more affordable today.”
The Province is committed to giving people the skills they need to thrive in the low-carbon economy. As part of this strategy, government is developing a Cleanbc labour readiness plan to address the labour and workplace opportunities that emerge through the implementation of Cleanbc.
“We can make things more efficient, use less energy and waste less, while we make sure that the energy we use is clean and made in B.C.,” said Michelle Mungall, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “We look forward to continuing our work with resource industries that have been taking action over the last two decades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that are embracing the responsibility to do more.”