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In the coming weeks, the Pembina Institute will host a series of webinars to help British Columbians engage in the provincial government’s process for developing its next climate change plan.
Notably, the B.C. government’s 2016 throne speech, delivered this week, only made passing mention of climate change.
“Your government will continue consulting with you before releasing a final Climate Leadership Plan later this year,” Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon said in the legislature on February 9.
That’s why it’s all the more important for British Columbians to participate in the second public consultation for the long-awaited follow-up to the 2008 Climate Action Plan. The 60-day consultation period kicked off on January 25 and represents a critical opportunity to rally support for ambitious new policies. The public is being asked to read the consultation guide and submit feedback online by March 25.
The consultation comes as B.C. is poised to miss its legislated targets for reducing carbon pollution. Meanwhile, Alberta is preparing to introduce a carbon tax in 2017, and a national climate framework is in the works following the historic adoption of the Paris Agreement.
Now more than ever, B.C. needs a strong Climate Leadership Plan. Fortunately, the government’s Climate Leadership Team has a plan to get the province back on track.
The Pembina Institute will host four one-hour webinars to shed light on what’s needed for an effective plan, the team’s recommendations, and how British Columbians can get involved in the process.
Webinar 1: What to know about B.C.’s Climate Leadership Plan process
Description: Join the Pembina Institute for a brief overview of the ongoing B.C. Climate Leadership Plan process. This webinar will provide insights into what is needed to achieve a strong plan, a summary of the Climate Leadership Team’s recommendations, and insights on how British Columbians can effectively contribute to the process.
Date: February 18, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Webinar 2: Managing methane emissions from B.C.’s gas sector
Description: Join the Pembina Institute for an overview on how to manage methane emissions from B.C.’s growing natural-gas sector. Methane emissions offer some of the lowest cost emission-abatement opportunities available in B.C., yet they continue to be a gap in the province’s climate policy. In this webinar we will discuss how B.C. can fix this gap, explore recent recommendations by the Climate Leadership Team on managing methane, and what B.C. can learn from leading jurisdictions.
Date: February 25, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Webinar 3: Carbon tax: developer and local government perspectives
Description: A strengthened carbon tax must be a key component of an ambitious Climate Leadership Plan in B.C. Join representatives from the Pembina Institute, development community and local government to hear why this plan is crucial for progress from a variety of perspectives.
Date: March 10, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Webinar 4: Maintaining a strong economy while moving ahead with climate policy
Description: Join the Pembina Institute to learn how B.C. can maintain a strong economy while moving ahead with a strong Climate Leadership Plan that puts B.C. back on track to reducing its carbon pollution. In this webinar we’ll discuss broader economic competitiveness, and the potential for targeted measures to protect emissions-intensive, trade-exposed sectors.
Date: March 17, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Stephen Hui is the communications lead for British Columbia at the Pembina Institute, a non-profit think-tank that advocates for strong, effective policies to support Canada’s clean-energy transition. Follow him on Twitter: @StephenHui.
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Image: Bear Mountain Wind Park near Dawson Creek, B.C. Photo: David Dodge, Green Energy Futures.
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