Attention News Editors: Louise Comeau, Director of the Conservation Council’s Climate Change and Energy Solutions Program, issued the following statement with respect to the federal government approving New Brunswick’s carbon pricing system for consumers today. She is available for interviews.
“The big question now is, what does the Premier plan to do in 2020 to seriously reduce carbon pollution?
Premier Higgs needs to make some hard hitting New Year’s resolutions, including:
- Following through on his promise to invest carbon pricing revenue to support priority program investments that implement the NB Climate Action Plan, including incentives for households, business and industry;
- release a detailed implementation plan that clearly shows how the province will ramp up its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions to reach 50 to 60 per cent reductions in 10 years and net-zero emissions within 30 years;
- prioritizing green infrastructure investments to reduce flood and extreme weather-related risk; and,
- reform the electricity system to prioritize least-cost sources like energy efficiency and renewable electricity and storage technologies that deliver reliable, affordable electricity quickly; and
- Provide incentives to meet the provincial commitment to have 20,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030.
New Brunswick’s carbon pricing plans are among the weakest in Canada. The federal government now needs to move all provinces to higher levels of performance in 2020 or the country risks missing out on cost-effective opportunities to meet science-based national and provincial greenhouse gas reduction targets.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Jon MacNeill, Communications Director: 506-238-3539 (m); 506-458-8747 (w); jon.macneill@conservationcouncil.ca
