Climate Action Accountability in BC
Dr. Alan Ruddiman discusses what climate action could look like and who should be spurring on these changes (7:11)
BC Climate Change Accountability Act (BC CCAA)
Objective
Formerly known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act, the BC CCAA is part of recent legislation under the CleanBC initiative which focuses on improving accountability, transparency and setting more detailed GHG emission targets for the province.38 The Act, in alignment with the Pan-Canadian Framework, is committed to reducing BC’s GHG emissions to 40%, 60%, and 80% lower than the 2007 levels by 2030, 2040, and 2050 respectively, with shorter-term milestones set between the larger targets.38 In order to achieve these goals, notable changes in legislation have been made including requiring annual reporting on the implementation and progress of mitigation strategies, as well as creating and maintaining an independent advisory committee which will aim to support government planning initiatives.39
Partnerships
According to Merran Smith, the former co-chair of Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory Council, this framework will allow the government to “ensure a diverse group of independent voices to contribute to BC’s progress of climate change mitigation”.40 The provincial government’s commitment to an adequate and effective mitigation plan, including rural and Indigenous communities, suggests a hopeful approach to BC’s climate change response. The Act’s implications on health services and outcomes, however, should be explored further, including how reductions in GHG emissions impact health care provisioning. Communities and institutions must work alongside decision makers to explore ways in which health services can be improved, specifically in rural areas, while aiming to meet intermediate milestones on the way to GHG emission reduction targets for 2030, 2040, and 2050.
Planning/Reporting
Annual Reports
As of October 2020, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has been required to report on the implementation and progress of climate mitigation strategies, including progress on GHG emission reductions, estimates for future emissions, and updated spending and expenditure records. In addition to the government, other public sector organizations, including participating health authorities, are also required to produce annual progress reports. Sectoral targets are to be reviewed by the Minister every five years.38
Advisory Committee
The advisory committee members are appointed by the Minister of the Environment to advise on creating mitigation targets, identifying and managing climate change risks, and creating opportunities for sustainable economic development. Half of the members of the advisory committee must be women, and the committee must be representative of Indigenous groups, local governments, environmental organizations, academics, unions, rural and remote communities, and a variety of industries.38 The Canadian Institute for Climate Choices (CICC), however, suggests that there is a lack of independent oversight to ensure that the government’s reports of progress are evidence-based and unbiased. The CICC argues that while the advisory committee is mandated to provide advice, there is no mechanism to actively monitor and hold the government accountable for making progress on its reaching its targets.41
Impact
While the BC CAA has been successful in establishing emission reduction targets and accountability measures, there has been considerable backlash in how the BC government has reported on its progress towards the outlined goals. Critics have argued that the Act’s targets are not ambitious enough and that the government has not taken sufficient action to meet these targets. There have also been concerns about the lack of specific actions and policies to address emissions from sectors such as transportation and industry.42 The environmental law charity Ecojustice, on behalf of Sierra Club BC, sued the Province over the 2021 accountability report, claiming that they failed to explain how the provinces’ climate plans would achieve the key GHG emissions targets for the years 2025, 2040, and 2050. A Supreme Court judge ruled, however, that the information provided complied with the province’s requirements under the BC CCAA.43 While it is a disappointing decision to not hold the Province responsible for adequate progress reporting, the acceptance of these kinds of judicial processes to hold governments accountable to climate targets is encouraging.
BC Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Total GHG emissions in BC have seen small and variable changes in recent years. There was only a 0.5% reduction in emissions from the baseline level of 2007 compared to 2017.44 In contrast, average GHG emissions per capita have steadily decreased since the early 2000s. The energy sector has historically produced significantly more GHG emissions in BC than other sectors such as waste, industrial processes and product use, afforestation and deforestation, and agriculture. This trend, however, remains strong today as, within the energy sector, some of the largest emitters of GHGs remain oil and gas extraction, transportation, and residential energy use.44
BC Climate Action Charter
The BC Climate Action Charter is a voluntary agreement between the BC government, the Union of BC Municipalities, and local governments to address climate change through developing targets for GHG emissions reduction. Signatories have committed to achieving carbon neutrality in corporate operations, measuring and reporting on their community’s GHG emissions, and building more energy efficient communities.45
Local Government Climate Change Mitigation
Climate change mitigation and adaptation in the local context is defined as efforts taken by local governments to reduce the emission of GHGs and adapt to environmental transformation caused by climate change. Local governments play an important role in the reduction of GHG emissions in BC, and 187 of the 190 communities in the province have signed on to the BC Climate Action Charter. Community specific initiatives include improved land use planning and carbon neutrality frameworks targeted at reducing GHG emissions.46 For example, in 2018, the City of Nanaimo, in alignment with its commitments to the BC Climate Action Charter, was able to cut its emissions and save 750,000-1,000,000 kWh per year by implementing an enclosed and reinforced concrete water reservoir. This GHG offset program has provided the city with clean and safe drinking water, bringing it one step closer to carbon neutrality.47
BC Healthy Communities Initiative: Planh
BC Healthy Communities is an independent not-for-profit organization in partnership with BC Ministry of Environment’s Climate Action Secretariat and the BC Ministry of Health aiming to prioritize community health and well-being by protecting and improving the social determinants of health, including those most impacted by climate change.48 The organization has found that many health authorities have not yet identified climate change as a public health concern in the way that they do with other public health issues.49 Further, around 80% of health authority leaders do not have an action plan in place for climate change mitigation or adaptation strategies in BC, even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has encouraged public health officials to do so swiftly to reduce future adverse climate effects.49
In response to BC’s lack of climate change planning and mitigation strategy, BC Healthy communities has launched the Planh initiative, which aims to develop and plan for healthier communities in partnership with provincial health authorities, the Union of BC Municipalities, and the Ministry of Health.50 Planh provides funding opportunities as well as recommendations for how the public health sector can contribute to local climate change mitigation agendas, for example, by informing policy and planning, integrating public health and climate change messages into communications, and developing programs and protocols for emergency response.50
