fbpx

Tag Archive for: bcndp

Posts

Advisory: Large turnout expected for old growth rally in Victoria this Saturday, February 25

/in , /by

March begins noon from Centennial Square, rally to start 1:30pm at BC Legislature

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2023

Lekwungen Territories (Victoria, B.C.) – Organizers are anticipating high attendance at the United for Old Growth march and rally on Saturday, February 25. The march will feature a strong visual component with banners, mobile murals and 3D art pieces, while the rally will platform Indigenous leaders, land defenders, scientists and musicians.

What: United For Old Growth March and Rally

When: Saturday, February 25. March begins noon at Centennial Square; rally program starts at 1:30 p.m. at BC Legislature

Where: The march and rally are taking place on Lekwungen territories (Victoria, BC). Participants in the march are asked to convene at Centennial Square (Pandora Ave. and Douglas St.) by noon, and walk together to the BC Legislature (Belleville St. and Government St.).

Who: The walk from Centennial Square will be led by First Nations and Indigenous leaders and drummers

Speakers and performers include:

  • Chief James Hobart, Spuzzum First Nation
  • Kwakwaka’wakw Hereditary Chief David Knox, Kwakiutl First Nation
  • Janelle Lapointe, Afro-Indigenous climate justice and Indigenous rights organizer, Stellat’en First Nation
  • Elder Bill Jones, Pacheedaht First Nation
  • Rainbow Eyes, land defender, Da’naxda’xw/Awaetlala First Nation
  • David Suzuki, legendary environmentalist and broadcaster
  • Dr. Karen Price, independent ecologist and provincial Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel member
  • Music: ANSWER Women’s Drum Group and Sarah Osborne
  • Emcee: Sonia Théroux

Day-of primary media liaison: Tegan Hansen, tegan@stand.earth, +1 (250) 354-3302 (cell, text, WhatsApp, and Signal)

Photos and videos will be updated here during and immediately after the march and rally

Background:

More than 220 organizations have now signed onto the United for Old Growth declaration, including First Nations, labour groups, teachers’ associations, tourism businesses, and environmental organizations. Signatories and participants in this march and rally are calling on Premier David Eby and the BC NDP government to honour their promise to move faster to protect old growth forests and reform forest stewardship across the province. February 25 aligns with Eby’s 100th day in office, and demonstrators are looking to the Premier to take immediate, concrete steps to put at-risk old growth forests off limits to industrial logging – as a central part in fulfilling his 100-day pledge to accelerate action on old growth.

Additional contacts:

Torrance Coste, torrance@wildernesscommittee.org, +1 (250) 516-9900

Jackie Larkin, jlarkin@gddc.com, +1 (250) 478-7604

Jens Wieting, jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, +1 (604) 354-5312

 

Poster design: Emily Thiessen

210+ groups call on B.C. to fulfill old growth pledge ahead of February 25 rally in Victoria

/in , /by

Organizers expect thousands of demonstrators at the Legislature next weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 15, 2023

Unceded Lekwungen Territories (Victoria, B.C.) – Organizers behind the United For Old Growth rally say momentum is building for a giant mobilization in Victoria in less than ten days. Rallying behind a declaration signed by more than 210 organizations, participants in this march and rally will call on Premier David Eby and the BC NDP government to honour their promise to move faster to protect old-growth forests and reform forest stewardship across the province.

Signatories include the BC General Employees Union (BCGEU), the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association and the BC Teachers’ Federation Committee for Action on Social Justice. Initial signatories to the declaration are the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), Elders for Ancient Trees, Sierra Club BC, Stand.earth, and Wilderness Committee. Many of the hundreds of endorsing groups are organizing contingents to join the February 25 rally.

“Make no mistake, due to decades of lack of oversight and mismanagement, old growth forests in BC are in a state of disaster,” said Chief James Hobart of the Spuzzum First Nation. “The priority of the BC NDP government seems to be to continue to greenlight the old-growth onslaught, but together we can send a clear message to the NDP and change that light to red.”

The February 25 event will begin with a march from Centennial Square at noon, followed by a rally on the front lawn B.C. Legislature at 1:30 p.m. Rally organizers are inviting everyone to attend and to bring banners and art for the march. 

Speakers and performers at the rally include: 

  • Chief James Hobart, Spuzzum First Nation 
  • Kwakwaka’wakw Hereditary Chief David Knox, Kwakiutl First Nation 
  • Janelle Lapointe, Afro-Indigenous climate justice and Indigenous rights organizer, Stellat’en First Nation
  • Elder Bill Jones, Pacheedaht First Nation
  • Rainbow Eyes, land defender, Da’naxda’xw/Awaetlala First Nation
  • David Suzuki, legendary environmentalist and broadcaster
  • Dr. Karen Price, independent ecologist and provincial Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel member
  • Christina Enns, Tla-o-qui-aht/Dakota youth 
  • ANSWER Women’s Drum Group

The walk from Centennial Square will be led by drummers from local First Nations, and feature a strong artistic component –for several months hundreds of artists and volunteers have been creating banners, mobile murals and 3D art pieces in preparation for the rally.

The United We Stand for Old Growth declaration calls on the BC government to keep its promises, including to immediately halt logging in the most at-risk forests; provide full financial support to First Nations and implement a just transition for forest communities; and ensure all forest-related decisions uphold First Nations Title and Rights.

“Old-growth forests are a critical element to prevent the worst ravages of the climate crisis. Not only are they carbon sinks, but they stop erosion, prevent forest fires and inhibit flooding,” said Tara Ehrcke, Ditta Cross, and Sarah Newton of the BC Teachers’ Federation Committee for Action on Social Justice. “We owe it to those already suffering from climate catastrophes, and to all the world’s children, to do everything in our power to maintain a liveable planet. The government has set up a blueprint for primary forest protection: we have to ensure they act on it.” 

The declaration is gaining steam ahead of a February 25 march and rally, as thousands of people prepare to come together for old-growth forests on the unceded territories of Lekwungen-speaking peoples in Victoria, B.C. The rally is being held on Eby’s 100th day in office, aligning with the timeline of his pledge to accelerate action on old growth within his first 100 days.

“The strategic review panel made its recommendations long ago. Why are logging companies, even the government’s own logging company, BC Timber Sales, still logging in deferrals? This is a pointless and harmful game. The stakes could not be higher; the very future of our children is at risk. BC has already been experiencing devastating floods, landslides, and forest fires; what more must happen for government and big business to stand in solidarity with their fellow humans and the ecosystems that keep us all alive?” said organizers with Old Growth Revylution, which is hosting a parallel rally in Revelstoke on February 25.

The BC NDP government promised to implement all 14 recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review in 2020, including to immediately stop (or defer) logging in the most at-risk old-growth forests. The recommendations had specific implementation timelines, ranging from six months for deferrals to three years for establishing a robust monitoring system – but to this day not a single recommendation has been fulfilled, and old growth and at-risk forests mapped for deferral are still being destroyed. Over the same period, over 1,100 people have been arrested while peacefully defending old-growth forests in multiple regions of B.C.

The United We Stand for Old Growth Declaration remains open to additional signatories. Groups are encouraged to sign prior to the rally on February 25 and attend the demonstration with their community.

-30-

Contact:

For rally logistics questions, including accessibility: 

Torrance Coste, torrance@wildernesscommittee.org, +1 (250) 516-9900

Jackie Larkin, jlarkin@gddc.com, +1 (250) 478-7604

For interview: 

Chief James Hobart, chief@spuzzumnation.com, + 1 (604) 860-3571

Tara Ehrcke, tara.ehrcke@icloud.com, +1 (250) 886-9386

For other inquiries: 

Tegan Hansen, tegan@stand.earth, +1 (250) 354-3302

Jens Wieting, jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, +1 (604) 354-5312

 

Poster design: Emily Thiessen

Removal of timber priority from forestry regulation can clear the path for paradigm-shift

/in , /by

But B.C. government old-growth announcement leaves fate of most at-risk old-growth forests uncertain

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 15, 2023

VANCOUVER/UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES – Sierra Club BC welcomes the province’s repeal of wording in the Forest and Range Practices Act regulations that prioritizes timber supply over all other forest objectives, including water quality, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity.

“Removing timber bias language from forestry laws can clear the path for the paradigm shift outlined in the Old-Growth panel recommendations the province promised to implement with Indigenous Nations. But we need the promised acceleration in implementation before it’s too late to safeguard at-risk forests and restore degraded forests,” said Jens Wieting, Sierra Club BC’s Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner.

Sierra Club BC is very concerned, however, about the lack of details and transparency on protecting old-growth forests in today’s announcement. In 2021, the province shared expert mapping showing the 2.6 million hectares of old-growth forest in B.C. that is most at-risk, and recommended logging deferrals in those areas. Today’s announcement did not state how much of these forests have been deferred from logging, offering only a broad-brush update on overall old-growth deferrals instead. In April 2022, less than half of the most at-risk old-growth forests were deferred from logging (1.05 million hectares).

“Today’s announcement leaves people in B.C. uncertain about whether we are safeguarding the most at-risk old-growth forests in this province, which are also among the rarest on the planet. We are still stuck at the most basic and urgent step on the path towards full implementation of the promised paradigm-shift in forest stewardship to safeguard biodiversity,” said Shelley Luce, Campaigns Director at Sierra Club BC.

Some more positive steps in today’s announcement include new funding for regional land-use planning as well as for manufacturing jobs that will create more jobs per tree cut in B.C. These programs can support transition in the forestry sector, provided that solutions to safeguard at-risk forests and restore degraded landscapes are in place.

-30-

Media contacts:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

 

Featured photo by TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance.

B.C. Supreme Court hands down precedent-setting ruling on climate accountability case brought by environmental groups

/in , , , /by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 17, 2023

VANCOUVER/UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES – Today, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled on a landmark 2022 climate case brought by Ecojustice on behalf of Sierra Club BC. In the case, Sierra Club BC alleged that the B.C. government failed to adequately report on its progress to reach its climate targets, as required by the province’s climate law.  

In a first-of-its-kind victory for climate accountability in Canada, the court ruled that the reporting requirements of B.C.’s climate law, including the provision to report on plans to reach climate targets, are enforceable by the court. This sets an important legal precedent not only for B.C., but also across Canada, as it means that climate change accountability legislation can be interpreted and enforced by courts when governments fail to meet reporting requirements. 

The Court also agreed that B.C.’s progress to date on meeting its climate targets has been “disappointing” and that the province has a “consistent history of missing its targets”. However, this court found that the legislation does not require the government to tell the people of B.C. whether it is on track to achieve our climate targets. Sierra Club BC has 30 days to decide whether to appeal this decision and will continue to strongly advocate for true climate accountability in British Columbia.  

The Court’s ruling today puts the B.C. government and others across Canada on notice that legal commitments to act big on climate must be followed by real and meaningful action.  

Alan Andrews, Climate Program Director at Ecojustice said: 

“Today’s decision doesn’t change the fact that B.C. is not on track to meet its 2025 and 2030 climate targets and has several gaping holes in its climate plan. This law was supposed to put an end to the province’s dismal track record of missed targets by requiring the government to tell British Columbians if B.C. is on track so that the public can hold them to account. This is an opportunity for Premier David Eby to show real leadership by urgently coming forward with a credible plan that gets B.C on track to meeting its climate targets – the urgency of the climate crisis demands it, even if the courts don’t.” 

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner and Science Advisor at Sierra Club BC said: 

“Today’s ruling contains good news, bad news and an inconvenient truth. The good news is that the court agreed with us that people in B.C. have a right to hold their government accountable to follow its climate law. The bad news is that the Court finds the B.C. government’s reporting to be sufficient to meet the law’s requirements, even though that reporting does not tell us whether B.C. is actually on track to meet all of its climate targets. The inconvenient truth is that without greater transparency and stronger action plans, people in B.C. cannot trust that this province will meet its climate targets and prevent even more catastrophic climate impacts.” 

-30-

Background

About:

Ecojustice uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment. Its strategic, public interest lawsuits and advocacy lead to precedent-setting court decisions and law and policy that deliver lasting solutions to Canada’s most urgent environmental problems. As Canada’s largest environmental law charity, Ecojustice operates offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax.

Sierra Club BC is an environmental non-profit working to support people stewarding abundant ecosystems and a stable climate, while building resilient, equitable communities. The organization strives to do this by upholding Indigenous rights and title, reconnecting children and youth with nature, supporting grassroots-led climate action, and advocating for old-growth protection.

 

Media contacts:

Eric Wright, Communications Manager | Ecojustice
ewright@ecojustice.ca.

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca

Sierra Club BC welcomes Premier Eby’s commitment to protect 30% of lands by 2030

/in , , /by

Success depends on funding, milestones and timelines for Indigenous-led conservation solutions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 9, 2022

VANCOUVER/UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES – Sierra Club BC welcomes the B.C. government’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of the province’s land by 2030, including a mandate to work with Indigenous communities to create Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas.

The commitment was made in Premier David Eby’s mandate letter to Nathan Cullen, B.C.’s new Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. The mandate letter also calls for the development of a “new conservation financing mechanism to support protection of biodiverse areas.”

New, significant conservation funding commitments by the provincial government are overdue but expected to be included in a Nature Agreement between the B.C. and federal governments. Currently, about 15 per cent of B.C.’s land is protected but ecological zones with the highest biodiversity are significantly underrepresented in the protected area system. This announcement comes at the same time that the UN biodiversity conference in Montreal is looking to strike an international agreement to increase protection of lands and waters to 30 per cent by 2030.

“The B.C. government’s commitment to increase protection of lands to 30 per cent by 2030 and support Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas is a major milestone to safeguard biodiversity in this province. We are looking forward to a strong framework with milestones and timelines on the path to 2030 to ensure that next steps will be developed with Indigenous Nations, and that funding is tied to conservation goals so targets can be met without delay,” said Jens Wieting, Sierra Club BC’s Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner.

“The more than 1,900 species at risk in B.C. are a constant reminder that without immediate change on the ground the window of action to safeguard biodiversity as we know it is rapidly closing. Temporary steps like the long overdue logging deferrals for all at-risk-old-growth forests are crucial to avoid the loss of irreplaceable ecosystems during implementation of the 30 by 30 goal. Provincial biodiversity legislation, one of the Old-Growth Strategic Review recommendations, is key to sustain the web of life across B.C., without sacrifice zones.”

-30-

Background

Excerpts from Premier David Eby’s mandate letter to Nathan Cullen, B.C.’s new Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship:

“We have seen the impacts of short-term thinking on the British Columbia land base – exhausted forests, poisoned water, and contaminated sites. These impacts don’t just cost the public money to clean up and rehabilitate, they threaten the ability of entire communities to thrive and succeed.”

“With support from the Ministers of Forests and Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Environment, develop a new conservation financing mechanism to support protection of biodiverse areas.

“Partnering with the federal government, industry, and communities, and working with Indigenous Peoples, lead the work to achieve the Nature Agreement’s goals of 30% protection of BC’s land base by 2030, including Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas.”


Media contact:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
604-354-5312, jens@sierraclub.bc.ca

 

Featured photo by Jarred Hobbs.

Latest B.C. climate accountability report shows the province is set to miss key climate targets in 2025 and 2030

/in , , , /by

The report is also missing information about how the province plans to meet its longer-term targets, as well as those tied to emissions in the oil & gas sector

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 28, 2022

VANCOUVER/UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES – On Wednesday Nov. 23, the B.C. government released its 2022 climate change accountability report, revealing that the province is on course to miss two near-term climate targets in 2025 and 2030. The government projects that B.C. will miss its 2025 overall emissions target by 15 percent and its 2030 target in the building and communities sector by at least 35 percent. 

In a time of climate crisis, when people in British Columbia are facing unprecedented and deadly heat waves, floods, and droughts, it is unacceptable that the government has failed to plan to meet its near-term climate targets. This failure will worsen the climate crisis and put people in B.C. at risk.  

The 2022 report also contains major information gaps. It fails to explain how the province intends to achieve its longer-term climate targets due in 2040 and 2050. And, when it comes to a crucial target in the oil & gas sector due in 2030, the government continues to rely on a “plan to make a plan” —  that is, policies that have not been articulated and do not yet exist.  

The report also fails to explain the major role of fracking in undermining B.C.’s climate action. LNG Canada, a fracked gas export facility in Kitimat, B.C., is expected to start operations in 2025, leading to millions more tonnes of carbon pollution in that target year and for decades to come. Worse, plans to expand the facility (already approved by B.C.) would make it virtually impossible for B.C. to meet its longer-term targets and commitment to reach net zero by 2050. B.C. simply cannot square its promotion of fracked gas and LNG projects with its climate targets. 

These reports have been a sore spot for the government. In March 2022, Sierra Club BC and Ecojustice launched a lawsuit alleging that the government’s 2021 report failed to include plans to make progress towards B.C.’s 2025, 2040, and 2050 climate targets as well as the critical 2030 target for the oil & gas sector. A decision by the court is expected soon. 

New premier David Eby has an opportunity to reset B.C.’s approach to climate action and accountability. By acting immediately, Eby can ensure B.C. meets all its climate targets. It is critical that B.C. ban new LNG facilities and commit to phasing out fracked gas in line with climate science.

As we wait for a court decision on whether B.C. is complying with its own climate law, Ecojustice and Sierra Club BC will continue to hold the government to account for getting on track towards its climate targets and staying there in the years to come. 

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner and Science Advisor at Sierra Club BC said:

“The 2022 report shines some light on the steps that will lead to reducing emissions in several sectors. But it leaves us in the dark about major gaps and threats on the uncharted path to our 2025 to 2050 targets. A path that will lead us into climate chaos if big polluters like B.C. continue to fail. The biggest elephant in the room is new fracking infrastructure like LNG Canada and the Coastal GasLink Pipeline. Unless stopped, these projects will make it impossible to meet our targets. Ignoring the threat of new LNG projects in these reports won’t make it go away.” 

Alan Andrews, Climate Program Director at Ecojustice said:

“This law was meant to deliver a new era of transparency and accountability on climate action. But it took being dragged to court for the Government to admit that they are on course to miss their next climate target.” 

“In the middle of a climate emergency, we can’t afford any more missed targets. David Eby must act immediately to get B.C. back on track and show real climate leadership.” 

-30-

About:

Ecojustice uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment. Its strategic, public interest lawsuits and advocacy lead to precedent-setting court decisions and law and policy that deliver lasting solutions to Canada’s most urgent environmental problems. As Canada’s largest environmental law charity, Ecojustice operates offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax.

Sierra Club BC is an environmental non-profit working to support people stewarding abundant ecosystems and a stable climate, while building resilient, equitable communities. The organization strives to do this by upholding Indigenous rights and title, reconnecting children and youth with nature, supporting grassroots-led climate action, and advocating for old-growth protection.

 

Media contacts:

Eric Wright, Communications Manager | Ecojustice
604-685-5618 ext. 525, ewright@ecojustice.ca.

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

MENU