BILL NO. 136

(ca) to achieve objectives that span both environmental and economic aims, government departments need to collaborate across the Province using a whole systems approach;

(1) The long-term environmental and economic objective of the Province is to achieve sustainable prosperity and to this end to

(a) establish clear goals that foster an integrated approach to environmental sustainability and economic well-being; and

(b) work towards continuous improvement in measures of social, environmental and economic indicators of prosperity.

(2) To achieve the long-term objectives set forth in subsection (1), the Province's environmental and economic goals in the areas of cleaner energy, climate change adaptation, healthy air and water, leadership in sustainable practices, protection of biodiversity and sustainable management of natural assets are to ensure that

(a) the Province adopts and implements a framework to support a transition to cleaner sources and sustainable uses of energy to produce greater economic, social and environmental benefits for Nova Scotians by supporting and enabling

(b) of the total electricity needs of the Province,

(c) an updated energy efficiency rating system for new and existing homes is available in the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act;

(d) all new residential dwelling units constructed in the Province after January 1, 2011 are required to meet energy conservation measures adopted in the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act;

(e) the Province continues to work with other levels of government on national emissions standards for greenhouse gases and air pollutants from new motor vehicles, such as the standards adopted by the State of California;

(f) greenhouse gas emissions are, by 2020, at least 10 per cent below the levels that were emitted in 1990, as outlined in the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action Plan 2001;

(g) emissions of nitrogen oxides are reduced by

relative to emissions in 2000;

(h) sulphur dioxide emissions are reduced by

relative to the 1995-2005 emission allocation;

(i) mercury emissions are reduced to no more than

(j) the Province meets and maintains the Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone established by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for airborne fine-particulate matter by 2010;

(k) the Province meets and maintains the Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone established by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for ground-level ozone by 2010;

(l) municipal public drinking-water supplies meet the Province's 2012 treatment standards by 2020;

(m) a comprehensive water-resource management strategy is developed by 2010 and implemented accordingly;

(n) wastewater treatment facility discharges undergo at least primary treatment by 2020;

(o) the solid-waste disposal rate is no greater than 300 kilograms per person per year by 2015 through measures that include the development of new programs and product stewardship regulations;

(p) septage treatment facilities are operated in accordance with the Guidelines for the Handling, Treatment and Disposal of Septage as of 2011;

(q) a sustainable procurement policy for the Province is developed and adopted by 2009 and implemented accordingly, including by integrating sustainable procurement criteria into Provincial government purchasing and promoting adoption of this approach to the greater public sector in the Province;

(r) a government facility is constructed as a demonstration facility in accordance with leading energy efficient design standards by 2015 and used to foster sustainable building practices;

(s) the Province develops a strategy by 2014 to advance the growth of the green economy, and implements the strategy accordingly;

(t) local food consumption is supported and encouraged, with the goal of 20 per cent of the money spent on food by Nova Scotians being spent on locally produced food by 2020;

(u) local food production is supported and encouraged, with the goal of increasing the number of local farms by 5 per cent by 2020;

(v) at least 12 per cent of the total land mass of the Province is legally protected by 2015;

(w) regulatory tools that use the framework within the Environment Act to stimulate redevelopment of contaminated land and contribute to economic development while protecting the environment are brought into effect by 2013 and implemented accordingly;

(x) a policy of preventing net loss of wetlands is established by 2009 and implemented accordingly; and

(y) the Province adopts a natural resources strategy by 2010, focusing on the areas of biodiversity, forestry, geological resources and parks, and implements the strategy accordingly.

(1) The Minister, in consultation with the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, the Minister of Energy, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations and the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, as appropriate in relation to their respective mandates, shall review the goals set out in this Act and the regulations and activities of all Provincial government departments that relate to sustainability and shall report annually to the House of Assembly on the progress made toward achieving those goals, on the adequacy of the goals and on anything that the Minister, or any of the ministers who are consulted, considers should be brought to the attention of the House in relation to the long-term objective of sustainable prosperity.

(da) programs and measures to encourage movement towards more sustainable practices in the sphere of product stewardship;