Michael Goehring: BC has a unique opportunity in the battle against climate change

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The world’s attention is now on Glasgow for the 26th United Nations conference on climate change (COP26) following the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which declared that climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying.

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A large-scale global transition to clean energy technologies such as wind turbines, hydrogen fuel cells and electric vehicles is imperative. Minerals and metals such as copper, aluminum, steel coal, silver and indium, all produced here in British Columbia, are indispensable to this global transition.

BC is not the only jurisdiction with the mineral reserves necessary for the transition to clean energy. But we are in a unique position to be a preferred provider. BC’s mines and smelters operate responsibly and safely. We meet some of the most stringent regulatory requirements in the world for environmental protection and worker safety.

Research by Skarn Associates, a leader in the quantification and benchmarking of greenhouse gas emissions in the mining sector, shows that British Columbia has some of the lowest GHG-emitting mines and smelters on the planet, thanks to our energy. clean hydro.

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BC’s mines have invested in decarbonization for some time. Many plan to be carbon neutral by 2050 and are taking concrete steps to achieve this. For example, Copper Mountain is installing a one km aerial tram track that will allow 11 diesel transport trucks to run on clean electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55,000 tons per year. At Pretium’s Brucejack mine, seven new battery-electric cargo trucks will remove 7,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year. These low-carbon technologies are funded in part by our members’ carbon taxes through the provincial government’s CleanBC Industry Program.

According to the International Energy Agency, meeting the growing demand for metals and minerals is a critical mission. Up to six times more minerals and metals will be needed by 2040 to accelerate the necessary energy transition and meet the climate targets of the Paris Agreement by 2050.

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Helping supply these minerals and metals is a great opportunity for British Columbia. Do we want those minerals and metals produced here, mined responsibly with lower GHG emissions where regional and indigenous communities are partners in creating multigenerational jobs? Or would we rather see them produced in jurisdictions where emissions are higher and environmental protection is lower?

I am confident that the 35,000 British Columbia people who work in mining and the communities our industry supports want BC to reach its potential as a leading supplier of the minerals and metals needed to combat climate change.

Reaching our potential means that the government must do its part. British Columbia’s carbon tax is among the highest in the world and is expected to rise further. BC is also the only mining jurisdiction in the world that does not provide significant carbon pricing support to industries selling in global markets, unfairly harming BC workers. British Columbia’s carbon prices must be adjusted so that sectors exposed to trade can compete fairly with jurisdictions that do not pay a carbon tax or do not pay enough.

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However, change may be underway. The government’s CleanBC roadmap, released last week, recognizes that keeping industries exposed to trade competitive is an environmental and economic imperative. This is encouraging. So is the province’s proposal to improve the CleanBC Program for Industry. Changes to the CleanBC industry program could allow mining to make further emissions reductions, while protecting and creating new jobs to support the family. The BC Mining Association will continue to work with the province to push for timely carbon price adjustments as the CleanBC Roadmap is implemented.

If the status quo prevails, the opportunity will pass as investment shifts to higher issuing jurisdictions.

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If we get it right, our industry can decarbonize faster and faster, compete more fairly in global markets, and reach our potential as a responsible supplier of the low-carbon minerals and metals the world needs, supporting the global environment and all. the people of British Columbia.

Let’s not miss this generational opportunity.

Michael Goehring is the President and CEO of the British Columbia Mining Association.

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