Editor:
In May of this year, the B.C. government set new targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and they need your help to make it happen. Compared to 2007 emissions levels, the aim is for a 40 per cent reduction by 2030, 60 per cent by 2040 and 80 per cent by 2050. Last month, they released a series of discussion papers on how we can slow climate change, and your input is requested by Aug. 24.
Following the Paris Climate Conference in December 2015, the 2° Institute, based here on the Sunshine Coast, evolved from the Clean Air Society to help people look inwards at their own contribution to global warming. Our mission is to develop and support strategies that empower people to make the behavioural and lifestyle changes needed to keep our planet from warming by two degrees Celsius.
The average North American’s carbon footprint is roughly five times the global average and consists of greenhouse gas emissions from the following categories: transportation, home energy, food, and goods/services. Travel makes up the largest percentage and so our first campaign is The Electric Car Pledge.
Last year we released a report comparing the life-cycle emissions of battery electric vehicles (BEV) to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV). While the manufacture of a BEV does have a greater footprint than for an ICE, here in B.C., where we have clean energy in the form of hydro, one only needs to drive 11,327 km to offset this. Assuming a lifetime mileage of 252,667 km, the BEV ultimately sees an 83 per cent emissions reduction over an ICEV.
We are encouraged to see an electric vehicle mandate in the discussion papers that would eventually ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel light duty vehicles by 2040. The potential for electric ferries is also mentioned.
For the average North American, energy consumption at home is the second highest source of emissions in their carbon footprint.
The province is considering an energy efficiency labelling requirement, allowing prospective buyers and tenants to compare the energy performance of buildings and homes, understand the full costs of renting in cases where utilities are not included, and consider the value of investing in energy-efficiency improvements.
The rapidly falling costs and surge in demand of renewable energy like solar is one of the bright spots in our economy that give us hope that we can avoid disastrous climate change.
Please, join the discussions, before Aug. 24, at: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/cleangrowthfuture/
Nara Brenchley, 2 Degrees Institute and Clean Air Society
