Title BEFORE re-enacted by 2018-32-1, effective November 9, 2018 (BC Reg 235/2018).
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act
Section 1, definition of "carbon neutral" BEFORE amended by 2014-29-58, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
"carbon neutral", in relation to a public sector organization for a particular period, means that the public sector organization has complied with the obligations under section 6 [requirements for achieving carbon neutral status] to
(a) pursue actions to minimize the relevant greenhouse gas emissions for that period, and
(b) net those greenhouse gas emissions to zero in accordance with that section;
Section 1, definition of "emission offset" BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-58, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
"emission offset" means an emission offset, as established, approved or recognized under the regulations for the purpose of
(a) reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or
(b) reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations through storage, sequestration or other means;
Section 1, definitions of "offset unit", "registry" and "retire" were added by 2014-29-58, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
Section 1 definitions of "budget", "climate change risks", "fiscal year", "motor vehicle" and "zero-emission vehicle" were added by 2019-43-1, effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
Section 2 (1) (a) BEFORE repealed by 2018-32-2(a) (part), effective May 31, 2018 (Royal Assent).
(a) by 2020 and for each subsequent calendar year, BC greenhouse gas emissions will be at least 33% less than the level of those emissions in 2007;
Section 2 (1) (a.1) and (a.2) were added by 2018-32-2(a) (part), effective May 31, 2018 (Royal Assent).
Section 2 (2) BEFORE repealed by 2019-43-2(a), effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
(2) By December 31, 2008, the minister must, by order, establish BC greenhouse gas emissions targets for 2012 and 2016.
Section 2 (3) and (4) BEFORE amended by 2019-43-2(c) and (d), effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
(3) The minister may, by order, establish BC greenhouse gas emissions targets for other years or periods.
(4) The minister may, by order, establish greenhouse gas emissions targets for individual sectors.
Section 4 BEFORE repealed by 2019-43-3, effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
Progress reports on reducing BC greenhouse gas emissions
4 Beginning with a report on 2008 BC greenhouse gas emissions, and continuing with a report for every subsequent even-numbered calendar year, the minister must, as soon as reasonably practicable for each year, make public a report respecting
(a) a determination of the BC greenhouse gas emissions level for the relevant calendar year,
(b) the progress that has been made toward achieving the targets under section 2,
(c) the actions that have been taken to achieve that progress, and
Part 1.1, section 4.1, BEFORE repealed by 2019-43-4, effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
Part 1.1 — Preparing for Climate Change
Reports on climate change risks and progress
4.1 Beginning with a report for the 2020 calendar year, and continuing with a report for every subsequent even-numbered calendar year, the minister must prepare and make public, as soon as reasonably practicable for each year, a report respecting
(a) a determination of the risks to BC that could reasonably be expected to result from a changing climate,
(b) the progress that has been made toward reducing those risks,
(c) the actions that have been taken to achieve that progress, and
Part 1.2, sections 4.2 and 4.3, was enacted by 2019-43-5, effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
Section 5 (2) and (3) BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-59, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(2) The Provincial government must be carbon neutral for the 2008 and 2009 calendar years in relation to its PSO greenhouse gas emissions that are directly related to public officials travelling on public business for which the travel expenses are covered by the consolidated revenue fund.
(3) In advance of the obligation under subsection (1), for the 2008 and 2009 calendar years, each public sector organization must pursue actions to minimize its PSO greenhouse gas emissions.
Section 6 (2) BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-59, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(2) In order to be carbon neutral in relation to the PSO greenhouse gas emissions referred to in section 5 (2) [emissions related to travel] for a calendar year, the Provincial government must
(a) pursue actions to minimize those PSO greenhouse gas emissions for the calendar year,
(b) determine those PSO greenhouse gas emissions for that calendar year in accordance with the regulations, and
(c) no later than the end of June in the following calendar year, apply emission offsets in accordance with the regulations to net those emissions to zero.
Section 6 (1) (c) BEFORE amended by 2014-29-60, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(c) no later than the end of June in the following calendar year, apply emission offsets in accordance with the regulations to net those emissions to zero.
Section 6 (3), (4) and (5) were added by 2014-29-60, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
Section 7 (2) BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-59, effective January 1, 2015 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(2) The carbon neutral action reports for 2008 and 2009 must include the following:
(a) a description of the actions taken by the Provincial government in the relevant calendar year to minimize its PSO greenhouse gas emissions;
(b) its plans to continue minimizing those emissions;
(c) a determination of the PSO greenhouse gas emissions referred to in section 5 (2) [emissions related to travel] for the relevant calendar year;
(d) a statement of the emission offsets applied by the Provincial government in relation to those emissions;
Section 7 (3) (d) BEFORE amended by 2014-29-61, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(d) a statement of the emission offsets applied by the Provincial government in relation to those emissions;
Section 7 BEFORE repealed by 2020-43-8, effective December 31, 2020.
Carbon neutral action reports — Provincial government
7 (1) Beginning with a report for the 2008 calendar year, and continuing with a report for every subsequent calendar year, the minister must prepare, and make public no later than the end of June of the following calendar year, a carbon neutral action report in accordance with this section.
(3) The carbon neutral action reports for 2010 and subsequent calendar years must include the following:
(a) a description of the actions taken by the Provincial government in the relevant calendar year to minimize its PSO greenhouse gas emissions;
(b) its plans to continue minimizing those emissions;
(c) a determination of its PSO greenhouse gas emissions for the relevant calendar year;
(d) a statement of the offset units retired on behalf of the Provincial government in relation to those emissions;
Section 8 (2) BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-59, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(2) The carbon neutral action reports for 2008 and 2009 must include the following:
(a) a description of the actions taken by the public sector organization in the relevant calendar year to minimize its PSO greenhouse gas emissions;
Section 8 (3) (d) BEFORE amended by 2014-29-61, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(d) a statement of the emission offsets applied by the public sector organization in relation to those emissions;
Section 8 BEFORE repealed by 2020-43-10, effective December 31, 2020.
Carbon neutral action reports — other public sector organizations
8 (1) Beginning with a report for the 2008 calendar year, and continuing with a report for every subsequent calendar year, each public sector organization, other than the Provincial government, must prepare, and make public no later than the end of June of the following calendar year, a carbon neutral action report in accordance with this section.
(3) The carbon neutral action reports for 2010 and subsequent calendar years must include the following:
(a) a description of the actions taken by the public sector organization in the relevant calendar year to minimize its PSO greenhouse gas emissions;
(b) its plans to continue minimizing those emissions;
(c) a determination of its PSO greenhouse gas emissions for the relevant calendar year;
(d) a statement of the offset units retired on behalf of the public sector organization in relation to those emissions;
Section 10 BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-59, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
Public sector organization authority in relation to emission offsets
10 Without limiting an authority provided under any other Act, but subject to the regulations,
(a) public sector organizations may, for the purposes of this Act or for other prescribed purposes, acquire, dispose of or otherwise deal with emission offsets, and
(b) the Provincial government may act as agent for other public sector organizations in exercising their authority under paragraph (a).
Section 12 (2) (d) and (k) BEFORE amended by 2014-29-62, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(d) respecting what are deemed to be BC greenhouse gas emissions and the basis on which and the methodology by which these greenhouse gas emissions and their levels are to be determined including, without limiting this, respecting accounting for emission offsets in the determination of BC greenhouse gas emissions;
(k) respecting the authority under section 10 [public sector organization authority in relation to emission offsets];
Section 12 (2) (g) BEFORE repealed by 2014-29-62, effective January 1, 2016 (BC Reg 247/2015 as amended by BC Reg 260/2015).
(g) respecting emission offsets including, without limiting this,
(i) establishing one or more systems of emission offsets,
(ii) providing authority for projects or actions to be approved as the basis for emission offsets, including authority to establish the parameters of emission offsets related to projects or actions,
(iii) recognizing as emission offsets for the purposes of this Act units of systems established by other jurisdictions or organizations, and
(iv) providing when, how and to what extent emission offsets are to be applied;
Section 12 (2) (h) and (j) BEFORE amended by 2018-32-4(b), effective November 9, 2018 (BC Reg 235/2018).
(h) providing exceptions from the obligation under section 6 [requirements for achieving carbon neutral status] in circumstances where the relevant greenhouse gas emissions are or are deemed to be below a threshold level;
(j) prescribing circumstances in which public sector organizations are exempt from the reporting obligation under section 8 [carbon neutral action reports] in relation to a calendar year;
Section 12 (2) (b.1) BEFORE amended by 2019-43-13(a), effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
(b.1) prescribing categories of information that public sector organizations must provide to the minister for use in preparing the minister's public report under section 4.1, the timeframes in which that information must be provided and circumstances in which public sector organizations are exempt from providing that information;
Section 12 (2) (h.1), (h.2), (h.3) and (h.4) were added by 2019-43-13(b), effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
Section 12 (2) (i) and (j) BEFORE amended by 2019-43-13(c) and (d), effective November 28, 2019 (Royal Assent).
(i) requiring reports under section 7 or 8 [carbon neutral action reports] to be verified in accordance with the regulations;
(j) providing exemptions from the reporting obligations under section 8 [carbon neutral action reports] in relation to a calendar year;
Section 12 (2) (b.1) BEFORE amended by 2021-3-4, effective March 25, 2021 (Royal Assent).
(b.1) prescribing categories of information that public sector organizations must provide to the minister for use in preparing the minister's public report under section 4.3, the timeframes in which that information must be provided and circumstances in which public sector organizations are exempt from providing that information;