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Tag Archive for: old growth

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Enviro groups sue federal government for failing to protect at-risk migratory birds

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Federal environment minister’s Protection Statement weakens vital habitat protection provision under Species at Risk Act.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

April 28, 2022 

VANCOUVER/UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES – Environmental groups are suing the federal government for failing to protect the critical habitats of at-risk migratory birds across Canada. This includes the threatened marbled murrelet, a seabird that relies on coastal old growth forest for nesting in British Columbia.

The lawsuit, which Ecojustice filed in Federal Court on behalf of Sierra Club BC and Wilderness Committee, alleges that Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault is failing to meet his statutory duties to ensure the protection of habitat necessary for the survival and recovery of at-risk migratory birds.

At issue in the lawsuit is a protection statement issued by Guilbeault. The groups say the statement relies on an overly narrow interpretation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) to limit critical habitat protection for at least 25 at-risk migratory bird species, including the marbled murrelet.

Andhra Azevedo, lawyer, Ecojustice said:

“The Protection Statement issued by Minister Guilbeault sets a dangerously narrow interpretation of the federal government’s duty to protect critical habitat of at-risk migratory birds under SARA. It only protects migratory bird nests, not any other parts of the habitat necessary for the survival and recovery of at-risk migratory birds. This threatens the survival of vulnerable species, like the marbled murrelet, who face increasing threats of habitat loss from both natural and human-caused threats like the logging of old growth forests and the impacts of climate change.

“The Species at Risk Act plays a critical role in protecting endangered and threatened species and their habitats. A robust interpretation of the Act is essential to protect and restore vulnerable species and their habitats and hold those who damage habitat to account.

“In the face of the mounting biodiversity crisis, it is imperative the federal government protect critical forest habitat to support the recovery of at-risk species, including the marbled murrelet.”

 Charlotte Dawe, Conservation and Policy Campaigner, Wilderness Committee said:

“It’s a no-brainer that species at risk need habitat to survive and recover. When the federal government fumbles and fails to follow their own law, endangered wildlife pay the price. Marbled murrelets and many other species have paid that price time and time again. Now we’re taking action to stop this from ever happening again.”

“The alarm bells are ringing — we’re in the middle biodiversity crisis. We need to strengthen laws that protect species at risk. This protection statement will only allow for more habitat loss. It’s a massive step in the wrong direction when we can afford it the least.”

“What good is a law to protect species at risk if it doesn’t protect the habitat wildlife needs to survive? The new statement is equivalent to protecting a bed in someone’s home while setting the rest of it on fire and expecting that person to carry on like nothing’s wrong.”

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

“The sixth extinction is accelerating globally, in Canada and in BC, largely driven by habitat destruction, now exacerbated by the climate crisis. We need every level of government to do their part to stop the unraveling of the web of life as we know it. Legislation and its interpretation must be based on the habitat needs of Marbled Murrelets and other species for their survival, not wishful thinking. The regulatory landscape needs strengthening today, not tomorrow.”

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More about this lawsuit 

Habitat loss is the main cause of decline for more than 95 per cent of at-risk species on land. Protecting threatened and endangered bird species requires protecting the ecosystems they depend upon for survival and recovery, including forests and other wildlands.

Under SARA, the minister is required to ensure protection of critical habitat for at-risk migratory birds on provincial lands to which the Migratory Bird Convention Act (MBCA) applies. However, the minister has taken the position that the federal government has no obligation to protect anything other than bird nests on provincial lands.

This is bad news for all at-risk migratory birds in Canada. Among these is the marbled murrelet, a small, threatened, migratory seabird that nests high in the mossy branches of old growth trees in British Columbia. The birds only approach or leave their nests under the cover of darkness, making the nests nearly impossible to find and difficult to protect.

The main threat to the marbled murrelet’s survival and recovery is logging of their nesting habitat. Surveys conducted in some of the last intact old-growth areas on Southern Vancouver Island in 2021 revealed over 300 marbled murrelet detections overtop of a proposed cutblock in the Ada’itsx (Fairy Creek) watershed on Pacheedaht territory. This habitat was outside the deferral area and was set to be logged by Teal-Jones Group. No action was taken to stop logging because the nests themselves could not be identified. The cutblock was logged roughly a week after the federal and provincial governments were notified of the marbled murrelet detections.

Plant and animal species are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. When a species like the marbled murrelet becomes threatened, it is a sign the ecosystem is deteriorating. Each species that is lost triggers spillover effects within its ecosystem, including the loss of other species.

B.C. is the most biodiverse province in Canada and the one with the most species at-risk. These two facts are linked. The province is one of the few in Canada without specific legislation to protect endangered species, which leaves B.C.’s biodiversity virtually unprotected and vulnerable to the impacts of logging, mining, and other industrial activities. This makes the federal government’s responsibility under SARA to protect critical habitat of at-risk species in the province all the more important.

Recent years have seen a rise in tangible habitat threats such as wildfires, heatwaves, and the logging of old growth forests, leaving endangered species increasingly vulnerable to extinction. A recent analysis of 492 wildlife species protected under SARA found that the status of 64 per cent of them has not improved, while the status of 18 per cent has worsened. By allowing the continued destruction of critical habitat for at risk species, the government is accelerating the biodiversity crisis.

This case has larger implications for habitat protection for bird species across Canada. If the groups are successful, the federal government would have to take steps to ensure protection of the habitat and ecosystems bird species are embedded in, rather than just applying often-ineffective measures to protect nests. This could in turn lead to the protection of more old growth forests and other habitat important to migratory birds.

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, a rapid shift away from fossil fuels and a just transition for industry workers. 

Wilderness Committee protects life-giving biological diversity in Canada through strategic research, community mobilizing and grassroots public education. As the people powered wilderness preservation group, we unite 60,000 supporters, volunteers and activists from coast to coast to coast, working together to preserve wilderness, protect wildlife, defend parks, safeguard public resources and fight for a stable and healthy climate. We have offices in Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg and Toronto.

For more information, please contact:

Zoryana Cherwick, Communications Specialist | Ecojustice
1-800-926-7744 ext. 277,  zcherwick@ecojustice.ca

Charlotte Dawe, Conservation and Policy Campaigner | Wilderness Committee
778-683-8220, charlotte@wildernsscommittee.org

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

 

 

Photo: A marbled murrelet chick by Aaron Allred.

New Report: British Columbia’s bear dens need urgent protection

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Environmental groups, First Nations and tourism sector call for legal protection of bear dens across B.C. as old-growth den habitats continue to be destroyed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

April 27, 2022 

Unceded Lekwungen Territories (VICTORIA, BC) — As bears emerge this spring from their winter denning sites, environmental groups, First Nations and members of the tourism sector are calling on the British Columbia government to formally protect grizzly and black bear dens and ensure viable habitat is available for a healthy bear population across the province.

In a new report developed by the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre, researchers have identified simple yet effective policy measures requiring minor amendments to the Wildlife Act that could provide provincial-scale protection for bear dens and practical guidelines for landscape-level planning and management on the ground.

Recent studies have shown a decline in black bear denning sites across the province, with research showing that black bears on Vancouver Island are some of the most affected. Black bears on Vancouver Island rely heavily on dens associated with standing and downed large-diameter trees most commonly found in old-growth forests. However, a century of logging these forests has greatly reduced the supply of suitable denning trees on Vancouver Island and other parts of the province.

“Bears are one of our closest forest relatives that have taught Kwakwaka’wakw people many lessons over time. Old-growth logging has been steadily destroying the homes of our t̕ła’yi (black bears). It’s time the province disavows the destruction of bear dens and takes responsibility for their protection,” said Rande Cook, Giǥa̱me’ ‘Ma̱kwa̱la, Ma’a̱mtagila and’Na̱mǥis First Nation.

“The fact that we still have no province-wide legal protection for bear dens is a shocking policy gap that should have been resolved years ago. It’s also a small step the B.C. government could take in the short term while the work continues on implementing the promised paradigm shift in forest stewardship. This is an easy and simple opportunity where everyone can agree that protecting bears’ homes is necessary for their long-term wellbeing,” said Mark Worthing, Coastal Projects Lead at Sierra Club BC.

“Bear dens are nurseries for bears⁠—as essential to cubs as nests are for birds. Cubs can only be born and successfully raised in safe, secure den sites that protect them from weather and predation. Yet specific legal protections for black bear dens only exist on Haida Gwaii and the Great Bear Rainforest where First Nations have demanded such protections. We now need a law to protect bears across the province from heedless logging,” said Calvin Sandborn, Senior Counsel at the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre.

Research has also found that dens in second-growth forests are decaying and will not be replaced because new logging is permitted long before the large-diameter trees suitable for dens have a chance to develop. As this new report states, the B.C. government has enough evidence of the decline of bear habitat to justify regulations that protect this habitat in an enforceable way, across the entire province.

“Moving forward with province-wide protection of black bear dens is overdue. This is not just about the necessity to stop logging old-growth den trees. All den types require protection. We need to start thinking about recruiting black bear den cavities by replacing big trees, especially in the most heavily logged coastal and interior wet belt landscapes,” said Tony Hamilton, former Large Carnivore Specialist at the B.C. Ministry of Environment.

“Protecting bear dens in British Columbia is vital because dens are paramount to species’ survival. As critical keystone species, their decline negatively impacts other species and can contribute to the eventual degradation of intact ecosystems. For bear viewing to continue, we know we need to continue to work diligently to protect these species, and protection starts with dens,” said Katherine MacRae, Executive Director of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association.

“Logging and other forms of resource extraction as they’re practiced today often threaten wildlife throughout the province. Den protection is an important part of keeping healthy, ecologically functioning black bear populations on the landscape,” said Thomas Knowles, Project Director at Echo Conservation.

“I have long believed in the need for legal protection of bear dens in B.C. The scientific research supports this need. It is gratifying to have others come to the same conclusion and I hope the B.C. government acts on the mechanisms suggested in the report,” said Helen Davis, Registered Professional Biologist at Artemis Wildlife Consultants.

The ongoing destruction of bear dens across many parts of the province is a dramatic example of the biodiversity crisis in B.C., particularly for species that depend on intact forests. In 2020, Premier Horgan promised to implement all recommendations made by the Old Growth Review Panel, including to “declare conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity of British Columbia’s forests as an overarching priority and enact legislation that legally establishes this priority for all sectors.” (Recommendation 2). Province-wide regulation that protects bear dens can be rolled out immediately as efforts to implement Indigenous-led conservation solutions to protect all at-risk ecosystems and endangered species habitats continue.

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Link to ELC Report on Protecting Bear Dens

Link to Forest Practices Board Report on Bear Dens

Link to bear dens change.org petition

Link to photo gallery/media

 

For more information, please contact:

Mark Worthing | Coastal Projects Lead, Sierra Club BC
250-8893575 | mark@sierraclub.bc.ca

Calvin Sandborn | Senior Counsel, UVic Environmental Law Centre
250-472-5248 | csandbor@uvic.ca

Tony Hamilton | Former Large Carnivore Specialist, BC Ministry of Environment
250-818-4931 | Hamilton.Anthony.Neil@gmail.com

Kathy MacRae | Executive Director, Commercial Bear Viewing Association
604-762-7751 | kathy@bearviewing.ca

Thomas Knowles | Project Director, Echo Conservation
thomas@echoconservation.org

Helen Davis | Registered Professional Biologist, Artemis Wildlife Consultants
hdavis@artemiswildlife.com

 

 

Photo: Artemis Wildlife Consultants

New evidence shows logging and cutting permits in proposed old growth deferral areas

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 12, 2022

VICTORIA (Unceded Lekwungen Territories) – B.C. groups are releasing new evidence of ongoing logging and pending cut permits in proposed old growth deferral areas in the province.

Conservation North, Sierra Club BC, Stand.earth, Wilderness Committee, and Wildsight are calling on the province to immediately issue deferral orders for ongoing and planned logging in at-risk old growth forests, as well as to increase and expedite funding to First Nations and forest communities to support the transition from old growth logging.

In the absence of deferrals, cutting permits have recently been submitted for priority deferral areas in the Inland Temperate Rainforest. Wildsight has called on the province to immediately defer logging in 19 pending cutblocks from Downie Timber in the Wood River area north of Golden, which overlap important caribou habitat and old growth deferrals by more than 174 hectares.

“The Cutting Permit in the Wood River is a major test to the province’s public credibility on old growth,” said Eddie Petryshen, Conservation Specialist at Wildsight. “Deferring harvest and implementing legal deferrals here will set an important precedent for old growth protection.”

Upcoming research from Stand.earth Research Group (SRG) has identified multiple old growth deferral areas that were logged between March 2021 and March 2022, totalling an estimated 520 hectares of deferrals. Using satellite data from Planet Labs, this initial research, focused on Northern Vancouver Island and the Central Interior, found 43 deferral areas had been partially or mostly logged, including areas near 100 Mile House logged by West Fraser since November. In total, the study identified about 120 hectares of old growth logged after the province released maps of deferral areas on November 2, 2021.

“While Minister Katrine Conroy told us companies were acting in good faith, West Fraser and others continued to log old growth forests that had been marked for deferral,” said Tegan Hansen, Forest Campaigner at Stand.earth. “We cannot entrust the future of these irreplaceable forests to logging companies that profit from cutting them down.”

The logging identified in the initial research has overwhelmingly occurred in big-treed old growth forests (95%), one of three categories prioritized for logging deferrals by the province’s old growth Technical Advisory Panel (TAP). The majority of old growth forests mapped for deferral are in the B.C. interior, with many high-risk areas being in the Northern Wetbelt, an ecosystem ranked by scientists as Endangered under IUCN Red List criteria.

“We have evidence from satellite imagery that licensees have been clearcutting endangered northern old growth spruce forests in the Interior Wetbelt that were within deferral areas identified by the TAP,” said Michelle Connolly, Director of Conservation North.

On Northern Vancouver Island, Sierra Club BC confirmed ongoing destruction of the last productive big-tree old growth ecosystems remaining in Kwakwaka’wakw territory, using satellite and on-the-ground reconnaissance. Productive old-growth forests in the North Island have been disproportionately logged in past decades. This has resulted in an ecological emergency and requires government ground-truthing to confirm old-growth forests that require immediate deferral.

The Technical Advisory Panel mapped 5 million hectares of unprotected at-risk old-growth forests across B.C. and recommended 2.6 million hectares for immediate initial deferrals. Sierra Club BC found active and recent logging in at-risk old growth areas that should have been identified as candidates for immediate deferrals. Also new gates restricting public access to active logging operations in some of these at-risk old-growth deferral areas are cause for concern.

“Both Western Forest Products and BC Timber Sales are attempting to convince the public that they are forest stewards,” said Mark Worthing, Coastal Projects Lead at Sierra Club BC. “The reality is the opposite. Our findings suggest that unless the B.C. government respects Indigenous governance decisions and takes action now, both companies will continue to take advantage of every opportunity to log ancient cedars older than 500 years like the ones that we found last week.”

On Friday, April 1 Forests Minister Katrine Conroy presented new figures about the amount of old growth that has been recently deferred, and stressed that logging companies are acting in good faith to pause logging while the process unfolds. Conservation North, Sierra Club BC, Stand.earth, Wilderness Committee, and Wildsight welcome any progress to implement logging deferrals, but are calling for both more urgency and transparency around this process. In December the Wilderness Committee mapped approved cutblocks in tens of thousands of hectares of at-risk old-growth earmarked for deferral, and there is very little clarity on which of those areas remain under threat and which are deferred for now.

“The public has a right to know which endangered old growth are getting a temporary reprieve and which ones are getting destroyed,” said Torrance Coste, National Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee. “The fate of these forests matters to everyone in the province and a true paradigm shift requires far more transparency from the BC NDP government.”

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Images and documentation can be accessed here and here.

Media contacts:

Ziona Eyob, Media Director – Canada, Stand.earth
+1 604-757-7279 (Pacific Time), canadamedia@stand.earth

Torrance Coste, National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee
250-516-9900, torrance@wildernesscommittee.org

Eddie Petryshen, Conservation Specialist, Wildsight
250-427-9885, eddie@wildsight.ca

Mark Worthing, Coastal Projects Lead, Sierra Club BC
1-250-889-3575, mark@sierraclub.bc.ca

Michelle Connolly, Conservation North
778-349-3667, michelle.connolly@alumni.unbc.ca

 

Featured image is an over 900-year-old tree that was logged in Kwakwaka’wakw territory right before the deferral maps were publicly released (Mya Van Woudenberg/Sierra Club BC).

Three-quarters of at-risk old-growth forests in BC still without logging deferrals

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Environmental groups and First Nations give provincial government poor grades as old-growth logging continues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

March 10, 20212

VICTORIA (Unceded Lekwungen Territories) — In the 18 months since the B.C. government promised to implement the recommendations of the Old-Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) panel, only 24 percent of the most at-risk old-growth forests have been deferred from logging.

The findings are part of an assessment by the Ancient Forest Alliance, Sierra Club BC and Wilderness Committee, who today issued a report card grading the B.C. government’s progress on implementing the recommendations of the OGSR panel. This is the third report card issued since the panel’s recommendations were released on September 11, 2020, and falls at the halfway point of the three-year framework the panel laid out.

The OGSR panel’s recommendations included taking immediate action to protect at-risk old-growth forests and a paradigm shift away from a focus on timber value and towards safeguarding biodiversity and the ecological integrity of all forests in B.C.

See a full version of the report card here: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/PDF-2022-March-Full-Report-Card.pdf

 

“The B.C. government has taken some small, slow actions, but has not delivered the fundamental change it promised in the wake of the old-growth panel’s report and in the last provincial election,” said Torrance Coste, national campaign director for the Wilderness Committee. “Premier John Horgan has set some nice intentions for old-growth forests, but done very little to actually limit logging of the most endangered stands – this is more talk-and-log, not the beginning of a paradigm shift.”

Using the limited publicly available data around confirmed old-growth deferrals and logging, the three organizations have calculated that in the 18 months since the Horgan government committed to these recommendations, approximately 624,000 hectares or 24 percent of the 2.6 million hectares of the most at-risk old-growth has been confirmed for deferral or a pause on logging.

The past year has seen the establishment of a Technical Advisory Panel to provide expert guidance around old-growth deferrals and the announcement of the government’s intention to defer logging in 2.6 million hectares of the most at-risk old-growth in November 2021. For the first time, the government has adopted a scientific assessment of the state of old-growth forests in B.C., with a priority on protecting the biggest and oldest trees. But the various announcements and new processes haven’t resulted in substantial on-the-ground protection for threatened forests.

The government’s approach has been criticized by environmentalists and Indigenous leaders as putting unfair pressure on First Nations without providing adequate resources and support.

“The BC NDP government has neglected its responsibility to take swift action and despite all the words and promises, chainsaws continue to roar and threatened old-growth forests across B.C. remain without protection,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. “Premier John Horgan promised permanent protection of old-growth forests, but without providing a clear plan and adequate resources his government has put First Nations in an impossible position – moving slowly is no longer an option if we’re serious about leaving old-growth for our children and grandchildren.”

Last year, the province made some funding commitments to help First Nations review deferral options and support forestry workers impacted by deferrals. Budget 2022 included $185 million to help workers and communities and enable deferrals. This funding commitment is a significant step but not enough to enable both short-term deferrals and lasting Indigenous-led conservation solutions. The federal government has pledged $2.3 billion to achieve the protection of 30 percent of Canada’s landmass by 2030 but the B.C. government has yet to embrace this target and use this opportunity to secure a significant portion of these federal funds to support old-growth protection.

“The B.C. government has taken a step in the right direction in funding for old-growth,” stated Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer TJ Watt. “However, they’ve fallen short on the amount needed to relieve the economic pressure faced by First Nations so that logging deferrals can become an economically viable option. This funding shortfall makes enacting the full suite of old-growth logging deferrals virtually impossible to achieve. B.C. also has a golden opportunity to obtain hundreds of millions in federal funding to support the creation of new Indigenous Protected Areas. It’s high time they embraced this.”

Of the 2.6 million hectares recommended for deferral in November 2021, the province hasn’t provided consistent updates on how much has been deferred to date.

“We are halfway through the timeline laid out in the old-growth recommendations Premier John Horgan promised to implement, but only a small amount of the most at-risk forest in B.C. is temporarily off the chopping block and there is still no path to permanent protection,” said Jens Wieting, senior forest and climate campaigner with Sierra Club BC. “With every day of delay, irreplaceable ancient forests, the web of life that depends on them and our last defense against the climate crisis are clearcut. We must stop the bleeding now.“

Ancient Forest Alliance, Sierra Club BC and Wilderness Committee are calling on the B.C. government to: immediately defer logging in all at-risk old-growth forests while compensating for any lost revenue for First Nations, increase funding to support deferrals, economic transition and permanent protection to at least $300 million, implement legislation to protect biodiversity across B.C., establish a plan with milestones consistent with the OGSR framework and regularly publish accurate and detailed progress updates on the deferral process.

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Download a PDF of the full report card here.

Download a JPEG version of the full report card here.

 

For more information, please contact:

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs
250-490-5314

Torrance Coste, National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee
250-516-9900, torrance@wildernesscommittee.org

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

TJ Watt, Campaigner and Photographer, Ancient Forest Alliance
tj@ancientforestalliance.org

 

SCBC reacts to today’s IPCC report and what it means for BC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 28, 2022

Sierra Club BC Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner Jens Wieting offers the following statement in response to today’s IPCC report and implications for B.C.

“Today’s IPCC report (the latest in a three-part series) shows that close to half of the world’s population is already exposed to increasingly dangerous climate impacts and that any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future.

“Today’s report shows that even with multiple crises in the world, our governments can’t afford to lose sight of how little time remains before large swaths of the planet will become uninhabitable. We have waited too long and continued delays are irresponsible as deadly climate impacts are only escalating. Canada is among the top ten global polluters and like Canada, British Columbia has failed to meet emission reduction targets for over a decade. There are few regions on the planet that can do more than Canada and British Columbia to rapidly reduce emissions.

“B.C.’s emissions have increased every year during the last five years data is available for (2015-2019) and remain higher than in 2007, the baseline year chosen by the province. Despite the climate emergency, the B.C. government continues to support and subsidize the expansion of fracking operations and construction of the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat. Unless stopped, this project will drastically increase emissions in 2025, the same year B.C. emissions are supposed to be 16 percent lower than in 2007. LNG Canada and other proposed LNG terminals would almost certainly make it impossible to meet 2030, 2040 and 2050 targets.

“The new IPCC report emphasizes the untapped potential of nature to reduce some climate risks, slow down climate change and improve peoples’ lives and livelihoods. The scientists found that safeguarding the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem services depends on effective conservation of approximately 30 to 50 percent of Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean areas.

“While Canada has committed to increasing protection of lands and waters to 30 percent by 2030 and billions of dollars in funding to achieve this goal, the B.C. government has not developed any plan or committed any funding to increase the amount of permanently protected areas in the province.

“B.C.’s February budget 2022 offered more funding for climate adaptation ($2.1 billion) than new funding for reducing climate pollution ($1.2 billion). While more funding for climate adaptation is needed, today’s IPCC report shows that adaptation strategies become ineffective beyond certain levels of dangerous warming.”

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Latest provincial GHG emissions data in Canada’s National Inventory Report
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/climate-change/greenhouse-gas-emissions/sources-sinks-executive-summary-2021.html#toc6

More information about BC’s skyrocketing uncounted forest emissions

 

Media contact:

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

SCBC reacts to BC government’s 2022 throne speech

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 8, 2022

Sierra Club BC Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner Jens Wieting offers the following statement in response to today’s speech from the throne.

“Today’s throne speech started by acknowledging the heatwave, fires and floods of 2021 but didn’t offer assurances that this B.C. government is ready to do its part to prevent even worse disasters in the future.

“In the speech, the province claimed it has set strong climate targets and that it has a plan that builds on progress towards meeting said targets. Both claims are not true. B.C.’s targets are not consistent with what is needed if we are to have a chance at meeting the Paris Agreement goal of keeping warming below 1.5 to 2 degrees. To make matters worse, B.C.’s emissions have increased every single year for the last five years that we have records for, from 2015 to 2019. And by subsidizing and welcoming the construction of LNG Canada and the Coastal GasLink pipeline, it is almost certain that B.C. will not be able to meet its 2025, 2030, 2040 or 2050 targets. To protect future generations, these projects must be stopped.

“The Throne speech acknowledged the role of protecting forests as another key to tackling climate change but fell short on concrete steps to deliver the implementation of all recommendations made by the Old-growth Panel, a key election promise made by Premier Horgan in the fall of 2020. Close to 18 months later, most at-risk old-growth forests in B.C. remain without temporary or permanent protection.

“Indigenous Nations and forestry dependent communities remain with uncertainty as to whether the province will provide adequate funding to support them through the necessary transition. It is not too late for the province to include much needed funding to enable indigenous-led conservation solutions and support forestry workers in the 2022 budget announcement later this month.

“The throne speech also announced the launch of a new ministry in the coming months to improve stewardship of lands and make the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act a reality. A new ministry may well serve these goals, but nothing will change without the political will to respect the rights of all Indigenous Nations, including those that oppose new fossil fuel pipeline projects through their territory like the Wet’suwet’en.

“The province can demonstrate its commitment to responsible stewardship by enacting Species-At-Risk or Biodiversity legislation, by addressing the missing recommendations on professional reliance reform, by implementing all of the recommendations from the Old-Growth Panel and following through on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, with or without a new ministry.”

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Media contact:

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

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