We know that British Columbia has great ideas when it comes to taking action on climate change, but it’s nice to know that other people are paying attention.
B.C.’s Climate Action Charter got a nod this week at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention when former Canadian UN ambassador, Stephen Lewis, declared, “Your Climate Action Charter could be a model for all of Canada.”
Research that we’ve done at the Pembina Institute also points to the importance of the Climate Action Charter in supporting leading local governments. We’ve heard that they find these kinds of frameworks very helpful in moving forward with policies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
The Charter, and B.C.’s other innovate and effective climate policies that support local government climate action — such as a price on carbon — deserve recognition across Canada.
Despite the political rhetoric, many of these climate policies are not only working to lower emissions but they’re also popular among local leaders. A recent press release from the BC Mayors Climate Leadership Council urges the B.C. government to continue the momentum created by policies like B.C.’s carbon tax.
And that momentum at a local level is building. The recently announced Climate Action Awards show that B.C. communities, from Telkwa to Surrey, are willing and eager to show leadership on climate change.
We hope to see B.C. maintain its innovative approach to leadership on climate change in Canada. There’s a lot we can do, especially when it comes to supporting local government efforts to reduce emissions and help lead our transition to a clean energy future.
