Pembina reacts to release of Climate Leadership Team report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VANCOUVER — Matt Horne, B.C. associate regional director for the Pembina Institute and member of the B.C. Climate Leadership Team, made the following remarks today in response to the provincial government’s release of the team’s recommendations:

“The Climate Leadership Team’s recommendations provide a pathway for B.C. to prosper economically while significantly reducing our carbon pollution. I’m supportive of the recommendations, and I encourage the government to adopt them as a package.

“The central challenge we wrestled with was how to strengthen B.C.’s climate policies and also maintain the economy’s competiveness. I’m confident the team’s recommendations provide a solution that allows the province to move forward.

“I am pleased that the province is prepared to increase the carbon tax once the tools to address competitiveness impacts on our emissions-intensive trade-exposed sectors are designed. That work needs to happen quickly, because we can’t afford to delay the transition to a clean-energy economy.

“We encourage all British Columbians to engage in the second round of consultations toward a new Climate Leadership Plan, starting January 2016.”

More quotes

“The development industry in British Columbia is known worldwide for creating highly energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. We will continue to be leaders in this field as we strive toward carbon neutrality. A carbon tax will be an incentive for building users to be more aware of their energy demands, and prompt us to take advantage of the many waste-reduction opportunities that green buildings offer.”
— Anne McMullin, president, Urban Development Institute Pacific Region

“These recommendations make good business sense. If cemented into policy, the Climate Leadership Team’s proposals would help British Columbia’s 170,000 small and medium-sized businesses save money and remain competitive as the world inevitably moves into a low-carbon future. These firms employ more than a million people and collectively control just over a quarter of the province's climate pollution. A strengthened carbon tax, coupled with tax credits, could head off the release of about 1.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. This would have the same benefit as removing 260,000 vehicles from our roads while saving these companies nearly a half billion dollars in operating costs.
— Elizabeth Sheehan, president, Climate Smart

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