Matt Horne, Director of the Pembina Institute's British Columbia Energy Solutions Program, made the following statement in response to the City of Vancouver's announcement that it is on track to meet its 2010 emissions reduction targets (six per cent below 1990 levels). The City has indicated that emissions have declined steadily since 2000 (despite increases in the previous ten years). The City's analysis also shows an eighteen per cent increase in the number of jobs in Vancouver since 1991.
"Pembina applauds Vancouver's climate progress, which demonstrates that successful efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution go hand in hand with economic opportunity.
"Vancouver, along with other municipalities and provinces, is stepping up to provide leadership on climate change. Hopefully success stories like this will launch a race to the top between all levels of government in Canada.
"With negotiations in Copenhagen underway and Canada's emissions still rising, Canadians desperately need the federal government to demonstrate a similar level of commitment to tackling climate change.
"In addition to motivating others to act, Vancouver's successes can be a launching pad for the city to go further and faster. The Greenest City Action Team laid out what many of those next steps need to be as Vancouver aims to cut emissions further in the next decade."
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The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
For more information, contact:
Matt Horne
Director, British Columbia Energy Solutions Program
The Pembina Institute
Cell: 778-235-1476
matth@pembina.org