Climate Action and Sustainable Development in Newfoundland
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Energy and Conservation released its first Climate Change Action Plan in 2005 and passed a Sustainable Development Act in 2007.
A new Climate Change Action Plan, Charting Our Course, was released in 2011 in support of the targets set by the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers:
- 10 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020
- 75–85 per cent below 2001 levels by 2050
The plan lays out areas where action will be taken, including:
- government operations
- transportation
- buildings
- natural resources
- energy
- human health
- ecosystem health
The government also promised to include climate change considerations in its Sustainable Development Strategy and to report annually on the provincial Climate Change Action Plan. There is one update available online, published in 2006
Sustainable Development
The Sustainable Development Act was passed in 2007. It established a provincial Round Table on Sustainable Development, requires a statement of indicators on the state and condition of the natural resources of the province, and requires that the government produce a Strategic Environmental Management Plan for the province.
The Green Fund
The $25 million Newfoundland and Labrador Green Fund was established to support projects that provide real net reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It is a combination of federal and provincial funds ($23 million federal and $2 million provincial).
Turn Back the Tide
The Province has put together an informative public website, Turn Back the Tide, with information and tips on how to save energy at home and work.