To the editor:
Last month, the British Columbia government told the National Energy Board (NEB) it opposes the Kinder Morgan pipeline and tankers proposal.
This is great news for all British Columbians who care about the risks of spills (on land or on our coast), our climate and our economic future.
The government’s rejection of Kinder Morgan (KM) puts it on the right side of history, as we see more and more evidence that the fossil fuel industry’s days are numbered.
Despite the B.C. government’s opposition, it is almost inevitable that the NEB will recommend the project proceed. The deck was heavily stacked in KM’s favour by the previous federal government to get the green light it wanted from the NEB.
The final decision, however, will be in the hands of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet. If Trudeau is sincere in committing Canada to helping keep global warming under 1.5 C he simply cannot approve KM’s proposal.
It would pump well over three billion tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere over a 30-year span. (For perspective, B.C.’s current officially reported emissions total just over 60 million tonnes and need to drop to 13 million tonnes by 2050 to meet current targets.)
Sierra Club BC believes we need to apply a “climate test” to all project proposals that would generate emissions above a certain threshold. Simply put, a climate test would ask if a given project would make climate change worse: yes or no?
Both the provincial and federal governments should adopt this approach if they are serious about providing leadership in the fight about climate change. Not only will our climate benefit, our economy will, too.
For every million dollars invested in fossil fuels, two jobs are created, while renewable energy sources generate 15 jobs.
If we want clean air, clean water and a livable climate; if we want plentiful jobs that can revitalize local economies, then the path is clear: we need fewer pipelines and more solar panels, less fracking and more wind turbines. And we need our governments to lead the way.
Larissa Stendie
Sierra Club BC
