VANCOUVER – The provincial government tabled new legislation yesterday that would offer incentives for companies to build the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat, B.C.
Alan Andrews, Ecojustice’s climate change program director, issued the following statement in response:
“Yesterday’s announcement underscores the need for strong, enforceable laws that hold B.C. accountable for taking action on climate change.
“Addressing climate change is one of the most important steps governments can take to protect human health, security and ways of life. LNG Canada threatens to undermine B.C.’s ability to do this by locking the province into fossil fuels for decades to come.
“As it stands, B.C.’s current climate plan will only get us three quarters of the way to the province’s 2030 target — which itself falls short of what the science says must be done to combat climate change in the next decade. LNG puts achieving B.C.’s existing, inadequate targets even further out of reach.
“If B.C. continues to bulldoze ahead with LNG, it must ensure that its new and improved climate accountability act clearly shows how it will counter the project’s vast carbon footprint. British Columbians deserve an honest breakdown of how we’ll all be forced to assume greater responsibility for drastically cutting emissions.
“The B.C. government has committed to meeting its targets even if LNG goes ahead. We need stronger laws to hold the province to account for keeping that promise and to guarantee bolder climate action in the future. Ecojustice looks forward to working with the government as it develops a new climate accountability act and works towards a healthy climate future.”