Province Reinforces Provincial Climate-change Initiatives

Nova Scotia has some of the most aggressive legislation in Canada around climate-change reduction, with a commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 10 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

Energy Minister Richard Hurlburt said Nova Scotia should be recognized for its leadership role in climate change and said protecting the environment remains a priority for government.

"We have aggressive legislation, ambitious green energy laws and a spring deadline for creation of a made-in-Nova Scotia climate change action plan," said Mr. Hurlburt. "Government has made environmental protection a key priority, we have enacted aggressive laws to push renewable energy and we are investing millions of dollars into energy efficiency and green energy initiatives."

Some of the province's climate change and green energy initiative include:

• a commitment to create a climate change action plan by spring. Public workshops are taking place around the province.
• a renewable energy standard that, by law, dramatically increases green energy and, by 2013, displaces 750,000 tonnes of greehouse gas each year.
• $17 million in eco-trust funding to community-based programs and technology programs that reduce greehouse gas and improve air quality.
• the creation of Conserve Nova Scotia, an agency that has already helped 300,000 people make energy efficiency a part of their life.
• supporting the Utilities and Review Board's move toward a comprehensive Demand Side Management program, with an estimated $50 million a year for energy conservation and efficiency.
• up to $5 million to convert oil-fired burners at Capital Health to natural gas.
• $600,000 to help HRM buy diesel-electric hybrid buses.
• $250,000 to green transportation initiatives such as TRAX and rural sustainable transportation projects.

For more information about Nova Scotia's climate change action plan, go to www.gov.ns.ca/energy/energystrategy .