VICTORIA B.C. – B.C. Green MLA Adam Olsen today called on the B.C. NDP government to end fracking.
“We’re in a climate crisis – approving new LNG projects and increasing fracking is the wrong direction for the province,” Olsen said. “It’s time for the B.C. NDP government to stop approving new oil and gas projects and move to end fracking.”
“The B.C. Greens are concerned with the B.C. NDP’s direction for the province. If completed, the five LNG projects that are currently in various phases of development would require the province to more than double its fracked gas production. Premier Eby’s aspirations to expand the LNG industry and increase fracking is incompatible with meeting our legislated emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2050.
Fracking is a water-intensive and chemical-intensive process that threatens human health and safety. The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment have highlighted the serious health dangers of fracking, including birth defects, cancers and air pollution. In November 2022, fracking operations likely triggered two significant earthquakes in northeastern BC.
Fracking also emits large amounts of methane, which is 85 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide while in the air. Researchers have identified the Montney Play in northeast BC as Canada’s largest potential source of greenhouse gas emissions and the sixth-largest in the world. Exploiting these fossil fuel reserves is at odds with what is needed to avoid catastrophic climate change.
“It’s the government’s responsibility to protect public health and safety, and the environment,” Olsen continued. “The anticipated boom in fracking from the B.C. NDP’s pursuit of a massive LNG industry puts corporate profits ahead of people and planet. We need to stop investing in a sunset industry that further locks us into the fossil fuel economy and impacts the health of rural and Indigenous communities. British Columbians overwhelmingly want a clean energy future over LNG for our province. The choice is clear – will the B.C. NDP choose health and pivot towards clean energy opportunities, or further lock BC into the fossil-fuel economy.
Many jurisdictions in North America have banned fracking - Quebec, Nova Scotia, Oregon and Washington state. A recent poll found that British Columbians overwhelmingly prefer that the government develop renewable energy (64.0%) over LNG (18.2%).
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