B.C. premier rolls out sweeping green plan

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell laid out more details of his green plan Friday, including the promise of legislation to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 33 per cent below current levels by 2020.

During a highly anticipated speech at the Union of B.C. Municipalities annual meeting in Vancouver, Campbell said a specially appointed climate action team will look at how that target will be reached.

Further legislation will be passed to make B.C. the first province in Canada to legally cap greenhouse gas emissions, using an undisclosed carbon trading system, said Campbell.

All energy produced in the province will have to have a net balance of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2016, promised the premier.

Campbell also told delegates his government would introduce legislation this fall requiring all public sector organizations, including schools and Crown corporations, to be carbon neutral by 2010.

B.C. will also become the first province to adopt California's tailpipe emission standards for vehicles and the state's low-carbon fuel standards, he said.

As well, the premier promised all government travel would be greenhouse-gas neutral starting this year. Twenty-five dollars for every tonne of greenhouse gas generated by government travel will be invested in projects to offset the impact of greenhouse gases.