Christy Clark Prepared to Alter B.C.’s Emissions Goals

Premier Christy Clark’s emissions revision | BCBusiness
B.C. Premier Christy Clark (centre) said her government will review the province’s mandated emissions targets for possible revision.

The province may revise greenhouse gas targets to build up a liquefied natural gas sector.

The provincial government sent a clear message Monday: industry takes precedent over energy self-sufficiency.
 
B.C. Premier Christy Clark said over the weekend that she prepared to modify ambitious greenhouse gas targets established during Gordon Campbell’s time in office. According to the mandate, B.C. must reduce its emissions at least 33 per cent, or around 45 million tonnes total, in the next eight years.
 
In an interview with The Globe and Mail, the premier said she foresees the legislated targets changing, particularly since the crux of her B.C. Jobs Plan revolves around three new liquefied natural gas plants setting up shop in the province by 2020. And considering a single LNG plant can dump 3.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in a single year, Clark’s assertion that the law may require review is a pretty safe assumption.
 
Clark hopes to export the natural gas (along with many of our other natural resources) to Asian countries such as Japan and China.
 
With the proposals for the energy-intensive LNG plants in the pipeline, it was easy to see the policy changes coming. In a story appearing in May’s issue of BCBusiness, we pressed Environment Minister Terry Lake about target revisions for emissions. Lake said the targets wouldn’t be changing, but in the words of writer Christopher Pollon: “Considering the gargantuan new greenhouse gas emissions on the industrial horizon . . . it’s hard to see how the targets will be anything but aspirational once the smoke clears.”