For immediate release: August 16, 2021
Media Contacts:
Gretchen Fitzgerald, Sierra Club Canada Foundation, gretchenf@sierraclub.ca
John Davis, Clean Ocean Action Committee, jbdavis@eco-nova.com
Offshore Alliance applauds NDP and Green commitments – Other Parties Need to Step Up for Climate
In response to calls by the Offshore Alliance to end offshore oil and gas expansion and subsidies, both the Nova Scotia NDP and Green Parties have now stated that they oppose the expansion and subsidies for offshore oil and gas.
The NS Progressive Conservative and Liberals have yet to acknowledge last week’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s “Code Red” on climate. All parties need to commit to safeguarding a safe and healthy future for coastal communities, our province and our planet.
The Offshore Alliance is a consortium of 18 fisheries groups and environmental NGO’s concerned about the wellbeing of our fishery and tourism industries in the face of offshore oil and gas development off Nova Scotia. Our Group has been in discussion with many Nova Scotian municipal units on this critically important issue. There are now twelve Nova Scotian towns and municipalities that have called on our provincial and federal governments to hold a full public inquiry on the risks and impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction so that fully informed and rational decisions can be made.
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Major Party Positions Provided in response to Offshore Alliance Call for Commitments:
NS Green Party
Immediately declare a climate emergency focusing all government departments on climate change as a priority. This will include educating the public and our children
about climate change, its impacts, and strategies to address…
● End all provincial subsidies to fossil fuel sectors
● End exploration, drilling, and extraction of fossil fuels (including exploratory fracking) in Nova Scotia
NS NDP
The NDP is committed to the action that is required to tackle the climate emergency.
An NDP government will end provincial subsidies and promotional activities in support of fossil fuel development and exploration. For example, you can see in our fiscal framework here where we would divert funding from Energy and Mines’ Petroleum Resources Unit. Fossil fuel subsidies and promotion are not compatible with our plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.
In the cases where there are joint federal-provincial statutes that govern offshore activities (CNSOPB, for example), an NDP government will be a forceful actor in Ottawa for divesting from fossil fuel exploration and development and extending the current moratorium in George’s Bank.
NS Liberals
The Liberal Party can confirm that if re-elected would extend the moratorium on oil and gas drilling on George’s Bank.
The Liberal Government recently put out a RFP for 350MW worth of renewable energy projects. This will attract low-cost and innovative solutions to supply 10 % of the province’s electricity from renewables, such as wind and solar. This call for proposals will also help the province get closer to the new Renewable Energy Standard of 80 per cent target and support the province’s goal of achieving a 53 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
The Liberal Government is also making real progress on the Sustainable Development Goals Act and the Climate Action Plan. We are committed to bring in regulations and a Climate Action Plan by the end of the year.
NS Progressive Conservative Party
No Response on Offshore Oil and Gas Expansion, Subsidies, or Georges Bank Moratorium
