Despite some wins, the EAC says climate progress report is a celebration of failure on the Coastal Protection Act

Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia – The Ecology Action Centre says that the 2024 progress report on the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act (EGCCRA) and associated climate plan has some key wins, but overall signals that the province is unwilling to take responsibility and do its job – especially regarding the recently abandoned Coastal Protection Act (CPA). 

“The progress on climate change mitigation detailed in this report – particularly regarding coal phase out and the Energy Reform Act – is worth celebrating and shows that the Houston government is fully capable of meeting the goals laid out in EGCCRA,” says Marla MacLeod, director of programs with the EAC. “And yet, we're seeing that several actions that would improve the lives of Nova Scotians and safeguard our communities from the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss have been delayed or completely abandoned.” 

Most concerning to MacLeod is the abandonment of the widely supported CPA in favor of a non-binding educational document aimed at coastal property owners – a decision that she says is made worse by the government’s attempt to spin the choice as a success in their report. 

“The coast is for everyone,” says MacLeod. “The government’s decision to scrap regulations that would protect it and us from the effects of climate change is a complete failure of leadership and an attempt to pass responsibility onto municipalities and landowners. To then try and sell this failure as a success in their report is a new level of audacity that shows not only an unwillingness to do their job, but a disregard for the intelligence of Nova Scotians. I don’t think anyone is going to fall for it quite frankly.” 

The EAC is also concerned about what they characterize as a lack of ambition and accountability on several aspects of EGCCRA, including new building codes that would help ensure energy efficiency and lower power bills for new homes, a goal to reduce our province’s reliance on home heating oil and the fulfilment of our 2025 and 2030 land protection targets. 

“This government likes to point to the very real issue of affordable housing,” says MacLeod. “Yet they continue to stall building codes that would improve the energy efficiency of new homes, lower power bills for everyday Nova Scotians and make housing more affordable. Even on issues where progress is being made – like protected areas – we need to see much faster movement if we want to hit our targets.” 

Overall, the EAC hopes the province will recognize the very real role that clear regulations play in achieving the goals in EGCCRA. In order to do so, MacLeod says decision makers need to stop what she sees as a side stepping of responsibility.  

“This report repeatedly touches on a theme of shared responsibility,” says MacLeod. “Communities across the province have been stepping up, but we need the government to do its fair share, and we need them to do it now. This report is titled Urgent Times, Urgent Action, but we’re simply not seeing that urgency.”

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