The government claims that Sierra Club of B.C. The government claims that Sierra Club of British Columbia.
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The B.C. The B.C. government claims that a lawsuit regarding its greenhouse gas emission targets should not be filed.
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It argues that the issues raised in ForensicsEcojustice filed the following documents last month for Sierra Club B.C. They represent a difference in opinion and do not belong in the courts.
The government was responding to the lawsuit. It claimed that the Environment Ministry’s plan did not adequately address how it intends to achieve emission targets.
The government claims that Sierra Clubs complaint was that plans were not to Sierra Clubs taste, particularly in regard to oil and natural gas sector targets. It claims that this is not a basis for legal action.
TheClimateChange Accountability ActThe government must publish an annual report on how it plans for progress towards its climate targets. B.C.’s targets are to reduce provincial emissions by at least 40% by 2030, at most 60% by 2040, and at least 80 percent by 2050.
The Sierra Club argues The 2021 accountability reportIt is woefully inadequate by failing to include a plan to meet the 2025, 2040, and 2050 climate targets. It also says that it does not include a plan for reducing carbon pollution from the oil-and-gas sector, mainly from the provincial natural gas industry.
The report does not include chapters that quantify progress towards the 2025, 2040, or 2050 targets. However, its supporting material contains information about how the various steps described will lead to increasing reductions over time. This is what the government responds to.
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The government says that the Act does not set any standard for the adequacy or quality of plans to achieve targets. It also states that the ministers have an obligation to report on plans of the governments to meet their emissions targets in whatever state they are.
Ecojustice’s climate program director Alan Andrews claimed that the report is so full of detail it is laughable.
It was quite surprising and raises questions about why they introduced this Act. They claim it will deliver transparency, accountability, and now they argue that it cannot be enforced by the court. How does that deliver accountability? said Andrews.
They have not created a plan to reach all their goals. When a government does not comply with the law, we can go to court to challenge that law.
The government also claims that Sierra Club waited for more than five months before it filed its petition challenging the ministers’ report, which created unnecessary delays. Andrews claimed that they were waiting to see the methodology in its final part before making any legal decision.
The government believes that Sierras’ lawsuit was misguided and cannot be credibly claimed that the report does not contain any plans to meet the emission reduction targets set forth in the Act.
Andrews: I challenge the minister to identify where the plans are for the 2025 and 2040 targets.
Wednesday’s statement from the Ministry of Environment stated B.C. The Ministry of Environment stated Wednesday that B.C. has the strongest climate accountability laws in Canada, which ensures credibility and transparency. Any future government will be legally required to publicly report progress toward achieving the province’s climate targets. It stated that the annual reports use the most current data available to show progress.
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British Columbia has approved two liquefied gas projects. This was done through an environmental assessment process. Court documents show that three additional LNG projects are still in the environmental review process and are being considered to be developed in British Columbia.
Ecojustice lawyers argue that all these projects will have an impact on B.C.’s ability meet its oil and natural gas sector targets, as well 2040 and 2050 targets.
The petitioners request that the court rule in favor of Environment Minister George Heyman and to revoke the 2021 report.
Andrews claims that the ministry’s failures undermine the B.C. Andrews alleges that the failure to meet climate leadership standards by the ministry could lead to the province being locked into a high-carbon future.
He stated that the public has the right to know if their government has any real plans to address climate change.
In February, the global authority in climate science warned thatClimate change is increasing.The window of opportunity to prevent catastrophe is closing fast. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that the world is facing unavoidable climate threats over the next two decades. It said that global warming of 1.5 C will cause widespread destruction including the loss of human life and infrastructure.
B.C.’s greenhouse-gas emissions rose to 68.6 million tonnes in 2019, from 66 million tonnes in 2017. From 66 Million tonnes in 2017, the 2019 greenhouse gas emissions in B.C. grew to 68.6million tonnes in 2019, compared to 2017.To the climate accountability report.According to the government, CleanBC’s climate actions will reduce these emissions by 55.2 million tonnes by 2030.
