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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Climate Action Team (CAT) has some of the province’s best minds, including nine world leaders in the climate sciences, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today.
“I’m very
pleased with the calibre of people who have agreed to help the government to
aggressively reduce British Columbia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent
by 2020,” said Campbell. “The
Climate Action Team is an important group of talented and experienced people
who will offer expert advice to the Committee on Climate Action on the most credible, aggressive and economically viable
targets possible for 2012 and 2016.”
The team’s recommendations will be
put out for public comment. The 2012 and 2016 targets will be legally mandated,
through regulation, by the end of 2008. The team will identify further actions
in the short and medium term to reduce emissions and meet the 2020 targets. The
team will have until July 31, 2008 to do their work. In addition, the
team will provide advice on the provincial
government’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2010.
The Climate Action Team has 22
members and one special advisor and will be chaired by Cheryl Slusarchuk,
president of the Premier’s Technology Council.
“I’m honoured to work with a team that includes
exceptional leaders from a wide spectrum of professions,” said
Slusarchuk. “Chairing the Climate Action Team is an opportunity to leave a
sustainable environmental legacy for future generations, and I’m proud to be
able to contribute to such an important endeavour.”
“It’s a privilege to serve with such a
distinguished group of British Columbians on the issue of our generation,” said
Dr. Andrew Weaver, who was part of the International Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) that was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with former U.S.
vice-president Al Gore for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater
knowledge about man-made climate change. “We can find solutions to address
climate change if governments, business, the scientific and environmental
communities and First Nations come together to support constructive actions.”
The
climate action policies announced in the February throne speech and at the
UBCM convention by Premier Campbell in
September have the potential to reduce B.C.’s emissions by 24 to 33 million
tonnes – anywhere from 60 to 82 per cent towards the target of a 33 per cent
reduction by 2020. A key role for the Climate Action Team will be to identify
GHG reduction policies and actions that bridge the gap to reach 100 per cent of
the reduction target.
Dr. Mark Jaccard of Simon Fraser University has
agreed to act as special advisor to the Climate Action Team and the Cabinet
Committee on Climate Action to help identify policies to meet the GHG reduction
target. Dr. Jaccard is an internationally respected expert in greenhouse gas
emission reduction policy, serving with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change and more recently as lead author for policy on the World Energy Assessment.
Members include:
Ex-Officio Members include:
Special Advisor:
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Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218 |
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