Premier David Eby and George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, have released the following statement to mark Earth Day 2023:

“Today, we join a global community of people for a common cause – the protection of our planet. As British Columbians, we are fortunate to be surrounded by diverse landscapes and ecosystems that shape our province and sustain us. Earth Day is a chance to reaffirm our commitment to climate action, protection of our natural spaces and to continue working toward a better future for everyone.

“Like countless other places around the world, British Columbia is experiencing the effects of a changing climate. Extreme weather events like drought, record wildfires, flooding and intense heat waves highlight the need for immediate and lasting actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are lowering emissions through our CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, which puts us on a path to a cleaner, more resilient economy that works for all of us. As one of the most progressive climate action plans in North America, it will lead us to a future where new buildings and vehicles produce zero emissions, where we use less energy and create less waste, where communities and businesses are ready for a changing climate, and where industries are the cleanest in the world.

“Our government continues to prioritize investing in climate action, making it more affordable for people afford to switch to electric vehicles and cleaner ways to heat and cool their homes. We are supporting communities with infrastructure that reduces fossil fuel reliance and adapts to a changing climate. We are committed to greater electrification and continuing the transition to other renewable energy sources. And we are making the environmental choice easier for everyone by investing in public transit and active transportation infrastructure – providing safe, reliable and clean travel options.

“We know reducing emissions is only part of the work we must do together. We need to conserve and care for our environment to secure a future for the biodiversity of our province. To achieve this, we are working with Indigenous Peoples and other partners to meet our commitment to protect 30% of our land by 2030, as well as restoring our watersheds to safeguard fish and wildlife habitat.

“We also understand the need to prevent waste. To keep food and yard waste out of our landfills, we have invested in new or expanded composting facilities and organics collection programs. We are expanding our recycling programs and investing in projects that transform used plastics into new products. Further, we have supported the removal of debris from nearly 4,000 kilometres of B.C.’s shoreline.

“Climate change and biodiversity loss affect us all. Earth Day is an opportunity for each of us to dedicate our time and energy to making B.C., and the planet we call home, a cleaner, more sustainable place where future generations can thrive.”