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B.C. has an uneasy history when it comes to fossil fuels and climate change. Our leaders have been great at setting far-off targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon emissions, then failing to meet them.

Since the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, B.C. has committed to a 40-per-cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 (relative to 2007 levels). As of 2017, B.C.’s emissions were almost unchanged from 2007 levels, so we have a lot of work to do.

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A number of sectors have managed to achieve emission reductions, but these have been offset by growing emissions from B.C.’s fossil fuel sectors. B.C.’s challenge is not just that we consume fossil fuels for our energy needs, we are also a major exporter.

Already one-quarter of B.C.’s total carbon emissions come from extracting and processing fossil fuels. B.C.’s commitment to expanding fracking to supply an LNG export industry is driving the province beyond its legislated GHG targets. The B.C. government is seeking emission reductions by powering upstream fracking and processing with “clean” electricity, while continuing to be a growing exporter of fossil fuels.