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Media Release/Communiqué
For Immediate Release: 13 September 2007
CLIMATE ACTION INFO & FUN FOR VICTORIA RESIDENTS
VICTORIA, BC–-The BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) presents the Capital
Regional District’s first Climate Action Day, on Saturday September 15th, 2007, in Beacon Hill
Park. Climate Action Day is a free community-based event that will give participants information
on how they can create a climate-friendly future in British Columbia.
“Public awareness of climate change is very high, but many people are asking, ‘where do we go
from here?’” said organizer Jorden Leighton. “Climate Action Day will help answer this question
and inspire people to take necessary action through community collaboration, education and by
having a good time.”
Climate Action Day begins with a 5-kilometre “Walk for Kyoto”, beginning at 3:00pm and taking
participants from the park to Clover Point and back to the Cameron Bandshell. Following the
walk, participants will enjoy music by local musicians and presentations from local activists
working on climate change in our region.
Organizers are challenging the BC Government to enact significant climate change measures in
the next budget, including an oil and gas legacy fund, and a carbon tax that would attach a dollar
cost to greenhouse gas emissions and encourage a shift away from activities that produce them.
“We applaud the climate change commitments the government made in its Throne Speech
earlier this year,” said Naomi Devine, BCSEA Director and Climate Action Day organizer. “The
premier has promised to address climate change in the next budget. Two essential keys to this
are a carbon tax and an oil and gas legacy fund. A carbon tax would signal to all sectors of
society that emitting greenhouse gases has a real cost. An oil and gas heritage fund would start
to give us the financial resources we will need to make the inevitable transition away from fossil
fuel dependency to sustainable energy.”
The Government of Quebec will be the first province in Canada to institute a carbon tax,
beginning on October 1st, 2007 and will apply to 50 companies and on gasoline sales. The tax
on a litre of gas will amount to $0.08, $0.09 for diesel, $0.96 for heating oil and $8 a tonne for
coal. The estimated amount of revenue from this tax is $200 million per year and will fund green
house gas emissions reductions and improvements to public transit.
The BC Sustainable Energy Association is a non-profit society of citizens, professionals and
practitioners committed to promoting the understanding, development and adoption of
sustainable energy, energy efficiency and conservation in British Columbia. Our growing
membership, online resources and eight regional chapters support outreach and information
sharing and collaborative projects.
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Media Contact: Naomi Devine, BCSEA Director - 250.216.1902
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