Leading by example : Carbon neutral British Columbia

The Honourable Mary Polak, Minister of Environment Carbon Neutral British Columbia 2 CLIMATE LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR In 2008, British Columbia released the Climate climate experts: “our climate is changing, the problem Action Plan – a bold commitment to take real and is real, the problem is here, and doing nothing is not substantive action to reduce the province’s carbon an option.” It als [...] The plan is built on the principles of: X Stimulating a low carbon economy X Creating green communities X Championing innovation X Building on the value of our forests, and X Leading the way by walking the talk As part of its commitment to lead the way, the During 2014, British Columbia’s 131 provincial public B. C. government introduced the Carbon Neutral sector organizations generated 46,000 ton [...] Carbon Neutral British Columbia 4 CARBON NEUTRAL: THE FIRSTS B. C. has achieved carbon B. C. is the first to develop B. C. is the first government in neutrality across the provincial a legislated program for North America at the state/ public sector for the fifth con- procuring offsets, establishing provincial/territorial level to secutive year (2010-14). [...] Carbon Neutral British Columbia 9 Ensuring succEss With supporting infrastructurE The Ministry of Environment has legislative responsibility under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act, the Emission Offsets Regulation and the Carbon Neutral Government Regulation for the Carbon Neutral Government program. [...] To reduce fuel and had a positive impact on both the district’s operating emissions, 31 school bus routes have been altered to costs and on greenhouse gas emissions.“ Carbon Neutral British Columbia 11 CATALYZING CHANGE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR Achieving carbon neutral operations has created the basis for substantial improvements to operating effi- ciency in the delivery of public services - a recalcu