New members appointed to BC Climate Solutions Council
The Province has appointed three new members to British Columbia’s independent Climate Solutions Council.
The Climate Solutions Council provides advice to government on actions and policies contributing to emission reductions and sustainable economic development. The council includes members from First Nations, environmental organizations, industry, academia, labour, local government and youth representatives.
“The Climate Solutions Council continues to significantly contribute to the implementation of the CleanBC plan,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “This dedicated group reviews plans and provides recommendations to support CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 priorities and measures, as well as ensuring accountability by assessing and publicly commenting on government’s climate actions for British Columbians. I welcome the new members joining the council to accelerate implementation of climate action under our CleanBC climate plan.”
New council members include:
- Michelle Staples, mayor of Duncan;
- Andrea Reimer, adjunct professor of practice at UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, community organizer and a director on the board at TransLink; and
- Tom Green, a senior climate policy adviser at the David Suzuki Foundation.
“I would also like to thank our outgoing members for providing constructive guidance and comment on policies and processes to achieve its climate targets,” Heyman said.
Outgoing council members are Tamara Vrooman, president and CEO of the Vancouver Airport Authority, and Ian Bruce, former deputy executive director of the David Suzuki Foundation.
CleanBC is a cross-government strategy to build a more prosperous, balanced and sustainable future. The CleanBC Roadmap is the Province’s plan to lower carbon emissions 40% by 2030. It supports government’s commitment to address climate change by meeting B.C.’s emission-reduction targets while creating strong economic opportunities. Progress on climate action is published in the annual Climate Change Accountability Report presented to the legislature each year.
Quotes:
Michelle Staples, mayor of Duncan –
“The first time I remember hearing warnings about future climate changes was in the mid-’80s. At that time, I couldn’t imagine the world we would be facing today: fires, floods and incomprehensible species loss. Working together we can harness the power of innovation, collaboration and policy to address the urgent climate challenges facing our province, ensuring environmental stewardship and a world we are proud to leave for generations to come.”
Andrea Reimer, community organizer and director, TransLink –
“The impacts of climate change on people, communities and the land are clear: we need courageous climate action more than ever. CleanBC represents a solid foundation for action and it’s an honour to be asked to bring my experience in local government climate action and international climate policy advocacy to bear on the next phases of this work.”
Tom Green, senior adviser, David Suzuki Foundation –
“My professional career in academia and the non-profit sector has been devoted to advancing sustainability. All the indicators show that we must do more, so it is an honour to join the Climate Solutions Council to provide independent advice to the minister on strategic policies to lower B.C.’s emissions in line with what the science tells us is necessary. B.C. is well positioned to seize the opportunities of the net-zero carbon economy.”
Learn More:
To learn about the Climate Solutions Council, visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/climatesolutionscouncil
To learn about CleanBC, visit: http://www.cleanbc.gov.bc.ca/
To read the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, visit: http://www.cleanbc.ca/
To read about B.C.’s annual Climate Change Accountability Report, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/climate-change/action/cleanbc/2022-ccar/2022_climate_change_accountability_report.pdf
A backgrounder follows.