The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, released a mid-term update on the provincial Climate Change Action Plan 2019-2024 on December 20. The Climate Change Action Plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions; stimulate clean innovation and growth; and build resilience to climate change impacts. The mid-term update is available here.
The 2019 climate change action plan contains 45 commitments led by 11 different government departments and agencies. The commitments require action in every sector of the economy, from businesses and large industry, to households and transportation, and government. Of the 45 action items, 30 (67 per cent) are completed, and the remaining 15 (33 per cent) have progress made.
Climate Change Action Plan Highlights on Completed Items include:
- Carbon pricing: In 2019 and 2020, the target for large industry was to reduce over 300,000 tonnes. In each year, the actual performance on a system-wide basis was better than the targeted outcome. Collaborative work continues with the Federal Government to enhance the system going forward to 2030.
- Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund: The Provincial Government has spent approximately $78 million of the $89.4 million fund with additional projects to come in 2022. The province committed to achieving 112,000 tonnes of GHG reductions per year, and is on track to exceed that target at 116,000 tonnes per year based on projects approved to date.
- Adaptation work with industry: Provincial Government has taken steps to improve information sharing including new projections using best available science and new tools such as flood risk maps. The province has expanded outreach to do a risk assessment for municipalities and renewable resources industries. Government is working with industry associations in renewable industries, and the tourism and mining sectors to build overall awareness.
In addition to releasing the midterm update, the Provincial Government is committed to taking further actions to address climate change, from establishing an eight-member Net-Zero Advisory Council, releasing Maximizing Our Renewable Energy', the province's new renewable energy action plan, as well as advancing electrification and innovation to further the transition into more renewable energy sources.
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"We committed to releasing this update to the plan that takes a government-wide approach to addressing climate change. We recognize the urgent work needed, and we will continue to push forward with completing all action items and identifying new ones as we move ahead to meet commitments by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Every action we take to protect our environment and lower greenhouse gas emissions matters."
Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
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Prince Phillip Drive
St. John's Newfoundland
Canada A1B 4J6
www.gov.nl.ca
