Media Release
For Immediate Release April 12, 2005
( PDF,
405kb)
BC Duke Point decision undermines Canada’s Kyoto
Plan
Victoria – The president of the British Columbia Sustainable
Energy Association (BCSEA) today pointed out that the decision
by the BC Appeals Court not to allow an appeal of the BC
Utilities Commission’s ruling in favour of the Duke
Point power plant on Vancouver Island, undermines the federal
government’s new Kyoto Plan.
“
We are obviously disappointed that the appeal has not been
allowed to proceed,” said BCSEA president Guy Dauncey. "There
appeared to be clear evidence that the panel had pre-judged
the issue, but the Appeals Court obviously thought otherwise.
Besides the fact that it would be extremely costly for BC
ratepayers and emit toxic fumes, this gas-fired plant undermines
the national effort to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."
BCSEA is a non-profit society devoted to the promotion
of safe, sustainable and environment-ally friendly energy
policies
and practices in BC. With chapters active in five regions
of the province, it recently signed up its 400th member.
“The Duke Point generating plant would increase BC Hydro’s greenhouse
gas emissions by 800,000 tonnes a year,” Dauncey said. “This flies
directly in the face of the fact that all provinces must reduce greenhouse gas
emissions to help achieve Canada’s Kyoto goals,” he said.
Next week the group will release a paper containing detailed
and pragmatic suggestions for provincial policies that will
assist the transition to a sustainable
energy economy for British Columbia. BCSEA also plans to poll parties and
candidates in the coming provincial election on their attitudes
to sustainable energy.
Among the 30 proposed policies, the document will call
for the BC government to publicly support the federal government’s Kyoto commitment to reduce
Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by 6% below the 1990 level by the end
of the 2008–2012 period, and to adopt clear timelines and targets to
implement the Kyoto reductions goal for BC on a best-efforts basis.
“
Some provincial governments across Canada are resisting the laudable federal
attempt to comply with our obligations under Kyoto,” Dauncey continued. “We
believe they are doing this out of ignorance of the future costs of increased
global warming, and from a misplaced fear that provincial targets would put
them at an economic disadvantage.
“
It’s time for this reluctant attitude to end. Kyoto does present a major
challenge, but it also brings significant opportunities for those provinces
and companies that actively support the move away from unsustainable, polluting
energy based on fossil fuels.
“
The Duke Point power plant would significantly reduce the opportunities for
clean, sustainable energy sources and energy efficiency technologies to gain
a market share in BC against cheap, heavily-subsidised, polluting energy sources,” he
explained. “This project clearly contradicts the government’s stated
goal to develop clean energy sources. The BC government should step in and
put an end to this unwise project.
“
There are many positive steps that can be taken to accelerate the inevitable
transition to sustainable energy,” Dauncey said. “BCSEA is prepared
to work with governments, industries, businesses, communities and individuals
to help speed this transition.”
For more information please contact:
Guy Dauncey, president, BCSEA (250) 881-1304
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