Copenhagen an Important Step in Building Our Green Economy, Op-ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece by Premier Darrell Dexter.

Government and business leaders from around the world are gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark, for what is expected to be the largest conference yet on climate change.

The conference, which runs from Dec. 7 to 18, sets the stage for the international response to climate change and includes the development of a framework to take effect in 2013, when the Kyoto Protocol expires.

Nova Scotia is already doing its part to contribute to national and international climate-change commitments. We're a national leader in climate-change policy, with legislated commitments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and increase the use of renewable electricity sources.

In fact, this is the only province in Canada to have hard caps on greenhouse-gas emissions in the electricity sector. And we've backed that goal up with aggressive renewable targets: by 2013, 18.5 per cent of our electricity must be generated through renewable sources like wind; by 2015, our goal is to reach at least 25 per cent.

This is a real challenge for a province that gets about 88 per cent of its electricity from fossil fuels, mostly coal. However, it also provides us with some exciting opportunities for energy conservation and efficiency, and to develop renewable energy technologies.

As we heard last month from the Economic Advisory Panel, the province is facing some serious financial challenges. Part of the answer is to focus on growing the renewable energy sector, and on developing a skilled workforce that is prepared to compete in the green economy. We need to think about our economy, our energy systems, and the environment in an integrated way. They need to work together to ensure Nova Scotia's prosperity.

That is my focus as I attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, with leaders from around the world.

I am sharing our strong climate-change commitments, learning about new sustainable energy opportunities, and promoting Nova Scotia green industries. In fact, because of our work around tidal energy, LED lighting, and green funding models, I've been asked to speak at the Climate Leaders Summit. This gives me the chance to tell the world about the recent installation of the largest in-stream tidal device in North America, to harness the Bay of Fundy tides, as well as other Nova Scotia success stories.
I am also representing the interests of Nova Scotia, and of the Atlantic Canada premiers, as part of the Canadian delegation in Copenhagen. In this role, I'll work with our federal partners to develop Canada's position on the Post-Kyoto Framework agreement.

Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau is also in Copenhagen, along with several Nova Scotia businesses that are promoting their expertise in renewable energy, carbon capture and energy efficiency.

In the coming months, Minister Belliveau and I look forward to talking more about how our experience in Copenhagen can inform government's own work to meet Nova Scotia's aggressive climate change commitments, and build Nova Scotia's green economy.

I believe there are tremendous opportunities to grow the province's economy in the years ahead, in both the renewable energy and green technology sectors. Growth that will give our talented workforce exciting, well-paid jobs, right here in Nova Scotia.