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A report commissioned by British Columbia’s government says its pursuit of new natural gas projects “threatens to set back progress” reducing greenhouse emissions, with B.C. set to fail its 2030 target.
The independent report reviewing B.C.’s climate action plan, known as Clean BC, says new LNG projects promise thousands of new jobs and investments worth billions, but also add climate pollution that “stand to all-but wipe out hard-fought gains in other sectors.”
The provincial government commissioned the report as part of an accord with the B.C. Greens, whose two legislators provide support for the NDP in confidence measures under certain conditions.
Co-authors Merran Smith and Dan Woynillowciz say Clean BC is cutting climate pollution, creating jobs and lowering everyday costs for British Columbia, but is “not yet reaching its full potential” as B.C. will “fall well short” of its 2030 goal to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40 per cent from 2007 levels.
A report released this spring says B.C.’s carbon emissions are expected instead to drop by 20 per cent by 2030.
Smith says B.C. has a “suite of policies that are good,” but needs to do more, as other jurisdictions have matched or exceeded what was once a “world-leading” plan.
B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix says his government accepts Smith’s criticism, adding that government agreed to the review because it wants to do better, especially in transportation, where population growth has led to more emissions.
Asked about the LNG projects, Dix said that while it is a fossil fuel, B.C. has taken what he calls “significant steps” to reduce the emissions of new projects by electrifying them.
B.C. Green MLA Jeremy Valeriote says B.C. has gone from “climate leader” to “climate laggards,” adding that the province cannot meet its climate targets while handing out permits expanding fossil fuels.
Opposition leader John Rustad of the Conservative Party of B.C. meanwhile, says CleanBC has done more damage to the provincial economy than the tariffs of U.S. President Donald Trump.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2026.
Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
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