The Tyee Op-Ed: BC's climate plan is working, so why stop now?
We know the carbon tax is effective. We know the public wants it. Time to ramp up our efforts.
Recently, B.C. announced that it had hit its interim 2012 climate target. This is big news. In a world where governments treat climate targets like New Year’s resolutions, so far B.C. has kept its word. Now the question is: what’s next?
We know we’re not alone in asking this question. New polling research by the Pembina Institute, Clean Energy Canada and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions shows that nearly nine out of 10 British Columbians think hitting our climate targets is a priority for the province.
The survey looked at British Columbians’ opinions regarding priorities for the province based on its commitments in the Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy (PCAP), an agreement that B.C. signed with Washington, Oregon and California last year. The PCAP commits the group of signatories — who represent approximately 54 million people, $2.8 trillion in annual GDP and 530 million tonnes of carbon pollution — to a variety of steps to tackle climate change. The results are compelling.