Province Achieves 2010 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target

Newfoundland and Labrador has met its target for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions for 2010, achieving the lowest GHG emissions level for the province since 2000. Data released on April 11 by Environment Canada indicates that Newfoundland and Labrador’s GHG emissions in 2010 of 8.9 million tonnes (MT) were four per cent below the provincial 2010 target of 9.2 MT.

“Our greenhouse gas emissions are now at their lowest level since the year 2000,” said the Honourable Terry French, Minister Responsible for the Office of Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Emissions Trading. “We have witnessed significant real economic growth of 63 per cent since 1990, driven by offshore oil growth, at the same time that our emissions declined. This represents a significant accomplishment for our province.”

In its 2007 Energy Plan, the Provincial Government committed to GHG reduction targets for 2010, 2020 and 2050. The 2010 target called for emissions to be reduced to the 1990 level (to 9.2 MT), the 2020 target is to reduce emissions to 10 per cent below the 1990 level (to 8.3 MT), and the longer-term 2050 target is to reduce emissions to 75-85 per cent below 2001 (approximately 2.5 MT).

The Provincial Government is committed to ensuring that Newfoundland and Labrador is part of the solution in responding to climate change, and the centerpiece of the global response to climate change is reducing GHG emissions. Measures to prepare the province for the adverse impacts of climate change such as severe weather events, rising sea levels and coastal erosion are also important.

“As a government, we are supporting actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Minister French. “Through the Newfoundland and Labrador Green Fund, we have supported a range of projects aimed at reducing energy consumption in the commercial, institutional and transportation sectors. We will also release our detailed plan for reducing emissions from the large industrial sector this year, and continue to move ahead with a series of initiatives on climate change adaptation. This includes developing new flood risk maps for at risk-locations, strengthening coastal erosion monitoring and mapping, improving local climate forecasting and developing a community vulnerability assessment tool to help communities identify their vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change.”

Containing 75 specific commitments, Charting Our Course: Climate Change Action Plan 2011 released in August 2011 establishes a strategic approach to climate change and sets out the Provincial Government’s vision and goals for the next five years in adapting to climate change and reducing GHG emissions. Recognizing that opportunities also exist to improve energy efficiency in a cost-effective way, the 40 action items contained in Moving Forward: Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2011 articulate government’s vision for energy efficiency in our province.

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Media contact:
Melony O’Neill
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca 

2012 04 16                                   11:05 a.m.