Environmental advocates concerned over results of BC election

Two prominent environmental advocacy groups have revealed concerns over the incoming Conservative Party of BC government and their mandate. 

The BC Conservatives ran their campaign on a platform that could see liquefied natural gas (LNG) and forestry production increased. 

They promised to double natural gas production by 2032 and triple it by 2035 and return numerous plots of deferred land back to the forestry industry. 

While the BC Conservatives intend to give land back to the forestry industry through this initiative, they also promised to protect “original” old-growth forests. 

The old-growth advocacy group Ancient Forest Alliance has stated that this definition is ambiguous and redundant under standard definitions since all old-growth forests in BC are inherently “original.”

The organization noted that the wording could enable the government to choose a subset of old growth to place off-limits, while opening up most deferred old growth for logging. 

The BC Conservatives platform sought to increase the rate of logging to 45 million cubic metres from the current annual allowable cut of 30 million cubic metres.

Ancient Forest Alliance says this would mean that much of the unprotected, productive old-growth forests will have to be logged.

Shelley Luce, associate director and campaigns director of Sierra Club BC, says the election results reflect a deep insecurity people feel about BC’s future. 

“Now we face massive uncertainty about the future of nature and climate in BC,” said Luce.

“We know climate disasters like fires, floods and heat waves put our communities in danger. They also hurt our wallets by driving up the cost of food, power bills and home insurance.”

She added that reducing climate pollution and conserving intact forests are proven to safeguard communities from disasters and create economic stability.

Luce also concurred with the Ancient Forest Alliance organization on matters regarding the dangers of clearcutting currently deferred old-growth stands. 

“While the BC Conservatives promised to protect some of the last old-growth forests, their conflicting commitments to double down on unsustainable clearcutting, expand polluting oil and gas projects and their silence on protecting at-risk species and ecosystems spell trouble for the environment and biodiversity,” said Luce. 

She also noted that their promise to repeal DRIPA will threaten Indigenous sovereignty and progress that has been made on Indigenous-led conservation efforts.

Sierra Club BC believes that it is possible to strengthen the economy without sacrificing the environment. 

The organization says it wants to see sustainable development implemented that respects nature’s limits rather than capitalizes on it.