Considerations for grades:
1) Opposes approval of new LNG projects:
The BC NDP’s platform makes no mention of stopping LNG, instead “Using a portion of the revenue raised from oil and gas development, including LNG projects, we’ll establish a Clean Economy Transition Fund…”.(1) Which reads like far-in-the-future-it-is-a-problem attitude.
The BC Conservatives’ platform says: “Build on BC’s LNG success story and double production by “getting to yes” for the range of proposed LNG plants which have the potential to create a new major industry
for BC.” (2) Which reflects Rustad’s position on climate change: acknowledges it as an issue, but not a crisis that needs to be addressed right now.
The BC Greens’ platform says: “We will oversee a managed decline of gas production in this province, recognizing that continuing to expand fossil fuel projects is fundamentally incompatible with achieving our climate targets. Under our leadership, no new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects will be approved—and fracked gas production will be phased out entirely.” The party foresees already approved BC LNG projects becoming stranded assets.
Footnotes:
(1) https://www.bcndp.ca/sites/default/files/bcndp_anactionplanforyou_final_final_final_final_web_0.pdf
(2) https://assets.nationbuilder.com/themes/62bc6e06c294807a1b297b61/attachments/original/1729201650/Conservative_Party_of_British_Columbia_Policy_Platform_%282%29.pdf
(3) https://bcgreens2024.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BCGreens-Platform-2024.pdf
2) Opposes subsidies and tax breaks for the LNG industry:
The BC NDP platform doesn’t mention anything about LNG, other than “Using a portion of the revenue raised from oil and gas development, including LNG projects, we’ll establish a Clean Economy Transition Fund…” Which means, at one end it hands out subsidies and tax breaks, and on the other end it taxes those back. What the net benefit is for the climate and taxpayers is unclear?
The BC Conservatives’ platform says nothing about this, instead it doubles down on LNG production, and cancelling the Carbon Tax for industry and residents.
The BC Greens’ platform says: “Reallocate subsidies and public financing from fossil fuels towards renewable energy development and production.”
3) Meeting Green House Gas Emissions Reduction targets:
The BC NDP’s platform says: “…since the BC NDP formed government — BC has achieved the highest average GDP growth among Canada’s large provinces, while reducing our net greenhouse gas emissions by 5%.” But the devil is in the details. It doesn’t mention that this compared to 2007 levels, while the EU uses 1990 as base year. In newspaper article Wieting points out that LNG Canada is going in production in 2025 which will translate in an increase.(4)
The BC Conservatives’ platform makes no mention of green house gas emission reduction targets nor climate change.
The BC Greens’ platform says: “Develop a new Climate Action Plan, ensuring emission reduction targets are supported by measurable actions” and “Review and update climate pollution targets regularly as climate science evolves to ensure effective action.” No mention of specific targets and timelines.
Footnote:
(4) https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/bc-wants-cut-emissions-by-2025-theyve-grown
