Report Shows Significant Progress in Response to Climate Change
People walk along the dykes in the Wolfville area. (Communications Nova Scotia / File)
Nova Scotia is making significant progress toward a healthier, more sustainable and climate-resilient future for generations to come.
The Province released the third annual progress report on climate action today, July 31. It focuses on progress made on the goals in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act and on the actions in Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth.
“Nova Scotia is recognized as a national leader in climate change action, and we are taking bold steps to reduce greenhouse gases, produce more clean energy and protect more land and water,” said Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “As we prepare for more extreme weather events like floods, wildfires and more intense storms, Nova Scotians can have confidence that we are building a resilient province. This report not only shows our progress but also celebrates Nova Scotians who are creating sustainable, thriving and climate-resilient communities.”
In February, the Province launched Nova Scotia’s coastal protection action plan with 15 actions that empower municipalities and property owners with the tools they need to make good decisions and protect the province’s coasts. The plan supports municipal leadership as they are closest to their communities and best understand how to move forward working with their residents to protect each unique piece of coastline. It also provides resources to Nova Scotians including the coastal hazard map, a guide to help coastal property owners safeguard their properties, and navigators who can help people use these tools and understand their results.
Other highlights of work and progress from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024, include:
- added $15.4 million to the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund to help more Nova Scotians and communities better prepare for climate change events and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- added $1.2 million to the Community Climate Capacity Program to help communities lead local climate change adaptation and mitigation projects
- supported African Nova Scotian communities through $1.8 million for the ENRICH project to address climate change inequities and increase their adaptation capacity
- released Nova Scotia’s 2030 Clean Power Plan, launched the Community Solar Program, and took additional measures to get off coal and generate 80 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030
- released the Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy to protect 20 per cent of the province’s land and water by 2030 and protected 14,000 hectares of Nova Scotia in new and expanded wilderness areas and nature reserves
- signed the Canada-Nova Scotia Nature Agreement with the federal government to secure $28.5 million to protect more land and water and advance Mi’kmaw conservation leadership
- introduced new extended producer responsibility programs for batteries, lamps and small household electric appliances as well as packaging, paper products and other blue bag materials to reduce waste and promote a circular economy.
More examples of progress are outlined in the full report, available at: https://novascotia.ca/nse/progress-report/
Quotes:
“The roundtable is pleased to see the release of the third annual progress report on climate action and sustainability as we collectively work to implement the specific goals and actions in Nova Scotia’s climate legislation and plans. It is encouraging to see increased capacity to plan and act on climate challenges being created in and for communities across the province. Increased capacity and knowledge will enable our communities to be better positioned to respond to the urgency the moment requires. It will also help Nova Scotia take advantage of abundant opportunities for clean inclusive growth that are possible in the years ahead.”
— Scott Skinner, Chair, Minister’s Round Table on the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity
Quick Facts:
- the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act is Nova Scotia’s road map to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, change how the province produces and uses energy, grow the green and circular economies, improve the health and sustainability of Nova Scotia’s environment, and protect more land and water
- the act’s 28 goals include the strongest legislated 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target in Canada – at least 53 per cent below the levels that were emitted in 2005 and achieving net zero by 2050
- Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth, was released in December 2022 and has 68 actions that will help achieve the goals in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act and more
Additional Resources:
Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/environmental%20goals%20and%20climate%20change%20reduction.pdf
Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf
Weathering What’s Ahead: Climate Change Risk and Nova Scotia’s Well-being: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/climate-impacts
The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline: A plan to protect people, homes and nature from climate change: https://novascotia.ca/coastal-climate-change/docs/coastline-plan.pdf
Nova Scotia’s 2030 Clean Power Plan: https://beta.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/1-3582/nova-scotia-clean-power-plan-presentation-en.pdf