Premier Signs Climate Change Declaration
Premier Darrell Dexter, today, Dec. 15, joined provincial and territorial leaders from Canada, and other leaders from around the world in signing a 2009 declaration in Copenhagen to pursue action and policies to reduce climate change.
Premier Dexter signed the Copenhagen Statement of Federated States and Regional Governments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The declaration states that in addition to each jurisdiction's own existing greenhouse gas reduction targets, climate change plans, and legislation, participants will also commit to:
- leading in the area of policies and programs to expand low
carbon technologies including advanced building
efficiency, LED lighting, electric vehicles, renewable
energy production and transmission, and clean energy
technologies - work with networks of regions and businesses to help to
expand these technologies to a global scale - expand partnerships and networks between developed and
developing country regions to address mitigation and
adaptation needs, including avoiding deforestation.
"It was important for Nova Scotia to join leaders from around the world in signing this declaration to make a clear statement that Nova Scotia will do whatever it can to help the world combat the global issue of climate change."
Premier Dexter is also participating in the Climate Leaders Summit where he will be promoting one of Nova Scotia's most impressive green technology companies, LED Roadway Lighting.
The company leads the world in the development of LED based street light fixtures and control systems. The streetlights which are energy efficient and environmentally friendly are designed and built in Nova Scotia. These lights use up to 80 per cent less energy than traditional streetlights.
The lights are now being piloted in more than 70 locations around the world including Toronto, Los Angeles and the United Arab Emirates. Nova Scotia is also supporting a demonstration project with 1,100 installations across the province.
"LED Roadway Lighting is one of the new environmental technologies available that is key to helping reduce climate change around the world while contributing to economic growth in Nova Scotia," said Premier Dexter.
Premier Dexter, along with other provincial and municipal governments from across Canada, will be recognized for their leadership in climate change on Wednesday, Dec. 16. The Ecology Action Centre nominated Premier Dexter and the province of Nova Scotia for the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10 per cent below 1990 levels, for placing hard caps the province's electricity sector, and for committing to increase renewable energy to 25 per cent by 2015.