Province Celebrates Environmental Achievements During Earth Week
Nova Scotians will benefit from a healthier environment thanks to reductions in the province's greenhouse gas emissions.
In conjunction with Earth Week, which runs until April 22, Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau announced today April 19, the province reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector last year, and is on track to meet its emissions targets.
"One of our government's earliest acts was to place hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, specifically in the electricity sector, which accounts for half of the province's emissions," said Mr. Belliveau. "As a result of this leadership, and additional measures, we are well on our way to meet our greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2020. Our success is due to the efforts of all the people of the province and Nova Scotia Power."
Nova Scotia is the only jurisdiction in North America to place hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector. Emissions from the electricity sector will be 25 per cent lower by 2020.
The province was recognized for this initiative at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December 2010. The David Suzuki Foundation also named it one of the top five best moves on climate change by a province or territory.
"Nova Scotians can take great pride in what we have been able to accomplish when it comes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the electricity sector," said Energy Minister Charlie Parker. "While we have made great progress, we all have a role to play to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption."
Nova Scotia Power's most recent report to the Department of Environment shows that, in 2010, the first year of the greenhouse gas cap, emissions from NSPI were 850,000 tonnes less, a drop of nine per cent, from the base year of 2007.
The province's Renewable Electricity Plan, released in April 2010, is one of the most aggressive in the world. It requires 25 per cent of Nova Scotia's electricity come from renewable sources by 2015, with a goal of 40 per cent by 2020. Legislation tabled this month will allow the 40 per cent by 2020 target to become law.
Another initiative by the province that will reduce emissions from the electricity sector is creating Efficiency Nova Scotia, a new organization that is independent of government, to develop and administer energy efficiency and conservation programs to help Nova Scotians use less energy. The province also has some of the highest levels of wind power capacity as a percentage of peak load in Canada, with plans to expand.
The announcement took place at the Centre for Built Environment, at the Nova Scotia Community College Waterfront Campus. ecoNova Scotia invested more than $1.4 million to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy into the centre. These measures are saving nearly 1,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
"Environmental sustainability is a college-wide commitment," said Don Jardine, academic chair, environmental sustainability and development. "In addition to building renewable energy into the Waterfront Campus, our other 12 campuses throughout the province have worked to decrease the college's total energy consumption by five per cent in each of the last two years, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by another 1,400 tonnes."
For more information visit www.gov.ns.ca/nse .