Langley MLA Mary Polak represents B.C. in Peru

Mary Polak, Langley’s MLA and B.C. environment minister, will represent the province at the United Nations COP 20 climate change conference in Lima, Peru. The Dec. 6-11 conference is a step towards the new climate pact, to be set next year in London.

“As a global climate action leader, B.C. has been actively encouraging all jurisdictions to have strong climate policies in place,” said Polak. “In particular, B.C. has worked through international forums such as the Pacific Coast Collaborative and R20 Regions of Climate Action to encourage adoption of carbon pricing. We are proud of our carbon tax policy, and it has been recognized as a model for the rest of the world to follow.”

In June the Province announced that it had reached its first interim greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of six per cent below 2007 levels by 2012. Polak will tell conference delegates that B.C. remains committed to achieving its aggressive legislated GHG reduction targets of 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020, and 80 per cent below by 2050.

She said the province’s plans to develop a massive liquid natural gas industry will be a part of greenhouse gas reductions, by displacing coal and other fossil fuels.

Polak is scheduled to speak at four events, including: the International Carbon Action Partnership’s “Emissions trading and carbon pricing”; the

Climate Registry/Climate Action Reserve’s “North America sub-national collaboration on climate change mitigation”; the Pacific Coast

Collaborative/International Emissions Trading Association’s “The Pacific Coast Collaborative on the pathway to Paris” panel; and the International Emissions Trading Association’s “Climate leadership and policy innovation: North America’s sub-national stories.”