Re: “Scots show way to climate goals,” editorial, March 5.
Scotland’s drop in emissions is largely due to transitioning from coal to cleaner energy, including natural gas. While Scotland is experiencing the benefits of dramatic emissions decreases due to this switch, B.C. is already well ahead of the game in terms of clean-power generation. In fact, 98 per cent of our electricity comes from clean or renewable sources.
Beyond our borders, B.C. will continue to be a leader in reducing global greenhouse-gas emissions by exporting liquefied natural gas. This will allow other countries to transition away from coal, just as Scotland has.
B.C. is recognized as world leader in the fight against climate change. Our province was the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce a broad-based, revenue-neutral carbon tax. We are reducing our net annual GHG by up to 25 megatonnes below current forecasts by 2050. By 2030, our strong climate actions are expected to reduce annual emissions by up to 12 megatonnes.
The GHG reductions are largely due to the 21 new actions included in our Climate Leadership Plan, spanning the province’s transportation and industrial sectors, along with the built environment and government operations.
B.C.’s per-capita emissions are among the lowest in Canada. However, we know there’s more work to do. Along with reducing harmful GHG emissions, our plan will continue to grow our strong economy and create jobs for British Columbians.
Mary Polak
Minister of Environment
