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Your B.C. Government

Climate Change Targets and Plan

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our generation, and your B.C. Government is taking decisive action and has established some of the most aggressive targets for greenhouse gas reductions anywhere, to sustain the quality of life we enjoy today for our children and our grandchildren tomorrow.

What your B.C. Government is doing for Climate Change Targets and Plan:

  • Your B.C. Government is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent from 2007 levels by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. We entrenched these targets in law.
  • The legislation that set these reduction targets in law also creates a framework for cap and trade, as well as emissions standards for landfills.
  • Your B.C. Government set interim targets for 2012 and 2016 at six per cent and 18 per cent below 2007 levels, respectively. These targets were recommended by the Climate Action Team after a public consultation process.
  • Conservative independent economic modelling, based on oil priced at $85 a barrel, indicates our current policies will take us 73 per cent of the way to our goal of reducing GHGs 33 per cent by 2020.
  • The new vehicle emission standards aim to reduce emissions from cars by 30 per cent and save the average driver almost $500 a year by 2016.
  • As part of the provincial Climate Action Plan, government provided $15 million in 2008 to the BC Scrap-It program. The program has helped take 12,000 older, polluting vehicles off the road, reduce greenhouse gases from vehicles by 77,000 tonnes and improve air quality in B.C.
  • An EnviroTruck program provides truckers up to $10,000 per vehicle and $50,000 per fleet to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20 per cent.
  • Your B.C. Government is supporting communities to reduce emissions through a Climate Action Revenue Incentive that offsets the carbon tax for local governments and School Districts who pledge to become carbon neutral by 2012.
  • Your B.C. Government implemented North America's first revenue neutral carbon tax in 2008. The Revenue Neutral Carbon Tax Plan 2009/10 to 2011/12 estimates revenues from the carbon tax at $2.27 billion over three years. Tax reductions are estimated at $2.5 billion.
  • With the revenue neutral tax measures introduced with Budget 2009 and the new and accelerated tax cuts from the Premier's 2008 10-point Plan, individuals and businesses will receive a total of $494 million in tax reductions - $194 million more than the revenue collected from the Carbon Tax for 2008/09.
  • The revenue-neutral tax on carbon pollution will reduce emissions by an amount equivalent to taking almost 800,000 vehicles of the road and will fund over $2.5B in tax cuts and assistance for low-income families.
  • By 2009, a fleet of 20 new BC Transit hydrogen fuel-cell buses based in Whistler will begin service.
  • By 2010, British Columbia’s portion of the ‘Hydrogen Highway’ will be completed, so that a hydrogen-fueled vehicle can travel and refuel all the way from Baja California to B.C.
  • By 2010, the British Columbia Public Sector will be completely carbon neutral.
  • By 2010, a law will be enacted for net-zero deforestation
  • By 2011, the Province will hit the interim target of reducing routine gas and oil well flaring by 50 per cent.
  • By 2012, the Provincial Government will be supporting all communities to have anti-idling policies in place.
  • By 2012, all communities that have signed the Climate Action Charter will be Carbon Neutral.
  • By 2012, BC Hydro will have replaced 1.7 million hydro meters with Smart Meters in homes and businesses.
  • By 2015, the Province will reach net-zero deforestation.
  • By 2016, California tailpipe emission standards will be fully implemented in B.C., eliminating nearly one million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.
  • By 2016, eliminate all routine flaring at oil and gas wells.
  • By 2020, transit ridership will double because of the $14-billion Provincial Transit Plan.
  • By 2020, carbon intensity for all transportation fuels reduced by at least 10 per cent.
  • By 2020, British Columbia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent compared to 2007 levels.
  • By 2020, 100,000 solar roofs will be installed on residential and commercial buildings in B.C.
  • By 2020, BC Hydro will acquire half of its incremental electricity needs through conservation.
  • By 2020, water conservation target met to ensure 50 per cent of new municipal demand is met through conservation.
  • By 2030, transit market share reaches 22 per cent in Metro Vancouver due to the $14-billion Provincial Transit Plan.
  • By 2050, greenhouse gas emission levels will be reduced to 80 per cent of 2007 levels.

For more information:
Climate Action Plan