Climate change isn’t just being felt on the North Shore, it’s having a profound effect globally.
Decades of pollution from humans are causing unprecedented changes to the environment and leading to global warming, melting glaciers and stronger storms. Responding to these issues in a timely manner is critical.
That’s why our government has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by the year 2050. In 2008, we also launched the revenue-neutral carbon tax, which puts a price on emissions and creates an incentive for businesses and individuals to adopt more sustainable choices. B.C. has been a leader for almost a decade across the globe in progressively fighting climate change while still growing the economy.
Last year, we launched the Climate Leadership Plan, which is currently being assembled by the Climate Leadership Team and going through public consultation. We invited all British Columbians to tell us what they want to see in the new plan, and to help us develop long-term goals to shape how our province deals with this issue for decades to come. The public consultation closed March 25, with thousands of submissions coming in.
We’ve also made commitments in other areas too. Working together, we have a chance to grow our economy by encouraging innovation and technological advances to build wealth and clean up our world. Examples like B.C.’s highest and most broadly applied revenue-neutral carbon tax and our recently announced Great Bear Rainforest legislation demonstrate British Columbians are bold thinkers who don’t shy away from a challenge.
Recently, we announced $6.89 million in ICE funding towards the Clean Energy Vehicle Program to ensure purchase incentives continue to be available for British Columbians who choose a qualifying electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, and to expand charging infrastructure an introduction of a vehicle price cap of $77,000; giving the green light for HOV lanes to people who operate electric and hydrogen vehicles; $5 million in ICE funding for the world’s first Air-to-Fuel plant in Squamish and Saltwork’s mine water treatment facility; and we will work with industry and our neighbours in Alberta to align our policies on reducing methane emissions.
B.C.’s strong, diverse and growing economy is steadily investing in the technology and innovation to reduce energy intensity, meet the climate change head on and beat it together. I encourage all of you to help us build on our success by taking part in the consultation so we can move our climate agenda forward.
Learn more about what is happening in our riding by subscribing to my monthly MLA report at janethornthwaitemla.bc.ca/subscribe. Contact me at [email protected], 604-983-9852, facebook.com/jane.thornthwaite, @jthornthwaite, or stop by my constituency office at 217-1233 Lynn Valley Rd.
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