FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                   October 24, 2022

WHITEHORSE – To support taking viable action on climate change, the Yukon Party Official Opposition proposed amending the act legislating emission targets to the original target in Our Clean Future of a 30 per cent reduction by 2030.

The 30 per cent target was in the Yukon Party and territorial Liberal platforms in the 2021 election and was reached after broad public consultation with Yukoners and Yukon organizations, as well as work by Yukon government officials on a viable plan to achieve the goal.

The original draft of Our Clean Future said ‘By 2030 we will reduce Yukon’s total greenhouse emissions…so that our emissions are 30 per cent lower than they were in 2010.’ The document then lays out a plan to achieve that target.

A 45 per cent target reduction in GHG’s by 2030 is another patchwork NDP policy resulting from the NDP-Liberal agreement to keep the Liberals in power.

Our Clean Future lays out a clear plan to achieve a 30 per cent reduction; however, government could not explain or demonstrate any new initiatives that would achieve the 45 per cent reduction target.

“We have asked for evidence of any initiatives or plans that will help reach the new target, but the Liberals have been unable to provide one,” said Energy, Mines and Resources critic Scott Kent. “A Clean Energy Act that puts our emission targets into law should have a solid plan behind it and the only plan laid out by government achieves 30 per cent. Yukoners want achievable laws that will help us combat climate change, instead of simply implementing the NDP targets without a viable plan.”

The amendment did not pass, as Liberal and NDP MLAs voted against the proposal.

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Contact:
Tim Kucharuk
Press Secretary
(867) 393-7026