As part of its ongoing commitment to climate leadership and to maintain its carbon neutrality, the Province has issued a procurement call for greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets today.

The Climate Investment Branch of the Ministry of Environment has posted a Request for Emission Offsets (RFEO) procurement call on BC Bid to solicit proposals for offset projects.

The RFEO sets out offset portfolio objectives to:

• Target the purchase of more lower-cost offsets annually to make the most efficient use of resources; and
• Target investments to support the green economy and jobs, and overcome barriers in key sectors, including clean community infrastructure, new industrial projects and clean technology.

Projects must meet the strict eligibility criteria of the provincial emission offsets regulation, and pass validation and verification audits conducted by third-party, accredited professional bodies.

In November 2013, a Core Review decision was made to dissolve the Pacific Carbon Trust as it had fulfilled its mandate to establish a carbon offset business sector in B.C. This year, the Province established a revised offsets program within the Ministry of Environment’s Climate Action Secretariat. The new Climate Investment Branch has a mandate to secure GHG offsets in a more efficient model for government’s carbon neutral commitment while supporting government’s objectives to drive the growth of B.C.’s green economy.

Quote:

Minister of Environment Mary Polak -

“British Columbia is a world leader in the fight against climate change and in 2010 we became the first major jurisdiction in North America to achieve carbon neutral operations. B.C.’s carbon neutral government successes have shown that offset projects provide a cost-effective approach to meeting the Province’s GHG reduction targets while supporting innovation for new, clean technologies.”

Learn More:

BC Bid: www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

CAS CIB website: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=0382DA98FD3445059EF23CE209B66FE4

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834