BILL NO. 62

(as introduced)

3rd Session, 63rd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
70 Elizabeth II, 2021

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Sustainable Development Goals Act (amended)
and
Environment Act (amended)

 

Gary Burrill
Halifax Chebucto

First Reading: March 25, 2021

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Explanatory Notes

Clause 1 changes the short title of the Sustainable Development Goals Act to the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Development Act.

Clause 2 adds a definition of "climate justice".

Clause 3 adds the achievement of climate justice as a focus area in which the goals and initiatives established under the Act and regulations must align.

Clause 4 replaces the 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reductions goal of having reductions be at least 53% below the levels that were emitted in 2005 with the goal of having reductions be at least 58% below the levels that were emitted in 2005, or 9.8 megatonnes.

Clause 5 adds the development of a strategy for including education regarding climate change in the public school program to the items that must be addressed in the Government's strategic plan respecting climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Clause 6 requires additional money from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund to be made available to communities disproportionately impacted by climate change, environmental racism and environmental injustices.

Clause 7

(a) provides that the Round Table established under the Environment Act, instead of the Minister of Environment, must report annually to the House of Assembly respecting the progress made towards the long-term objective of sustainable prosperity, including, among other things, an assessment of the adequacy of the goals; and

(b) replaces the discretion given to the Minister to seek advice from the Round Table in preparing the annual report with the requirement that the Minister must provide the Round Table with all necessary support and information it needs to prepare the annual report.

Clause 8 requires the Governor in Council to make regulations establishing goals to achieve sustainable prosperity and setting numeric targets with timelines in support of the Act's long-term objectives.

Clause 9 amends the Environment Act to require the Minister of Environment to invite the Mi'kmaq people to appoint at least one member of the Round Table to act as a representative of the Mi'kmaq people.

An Act to Amend Chapter 26
of the Acts of 2019,
the Sustainable Development Goals Act,
and Chapter 1 of the Acts of 1994-95,
the Environment Act

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ACT

1 Section 1 of Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2019, the Sustainable Development Goals Act, is amended by striking out "Sustainable Development Goals" in the first line and substituting "Environmental Goals and Sustainable Development".

2 Section 2 of Chapter 26 is amended by adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

(aa) "climate justice" means the understanding that the urgent action needed to prevent climate change must be based on a just transition emerging from community-led solutions and the well-being of local communities, Mi'kmaq communities, African-Nova Scotian communities and marginalized communities, and that the people with the greatest ability to address the climate crisis have the greatest responsibility to address it;

3 Section 6 of Chapter 26 is amended by adding immediately after clause (e) the following clause:

(ea) the achievement of climate justice;

4 Clause 7(b) of Chapter 26 is amended by striking out "53% below the levels that were emitted in 2005" in the first and second lines and substituting "58% below the levels that were emitted in 2005 or 9.8 megatonnes".

5 Section 8 of Chapter 26 is amended by adding immediately after clause (a) the following clause:

(aa) developing a strategy for including education regarding climate change in the public school program;

6 Section 9 of Chapter 26 is amended by adding immediately after subsection (2) the following subsection:

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) or the regulations, additional money from the Fund must be made available to communities disproportionately impacted by climate change, environmental racism and environmental injustices.

7 (1) Subsection 12(1) of Chapter 26 is amended by

(a) striking out "Minister" in the first line and substituting "Round Table"; and

(b) adding "an assessment of the adequacy of the goals," immediately after "including" in the fourth line.

(2) Subsection 12(3) of Chapter 26 is repealed and the following subsection substituted:

(3) The Minister shall provide the Round Table with all necessary support and information it needs to prepare an annual report under subsection (1).

8 Subsection 14(1) of Chapter 26 is repealed and the following subsection substituted:

(1) The Governor in Council shall, after public consultation and before this Act comes into force, make regulations

(a) establishing goals to achieve sustainable prosperity consistent with the principles and focus areas set out in the Act; and

(b) setting ambitious numeric targets with timelines in support of this Act's long-term objectives including, but not limited to, targets and timelines for

(i) the creation of green jobs, including transformation of existing employment,

(ii) increased energy efficiency and conservation,

(iii) reduction of energy poverty,

(iv) generation of electricity from renewable sources,

(v) electrification of public transit and personal vehicles,

(vi) reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides,

(vii) reduction of emissions of sulfur dioxides,

(viii) reduction of emissions of mercury,

(ix) reduction in the solid-waste disposal rate,

(x) increased consumption of local food,

(xi) increased local food production, and

(xii) legal protection for an increased percentage of the total land mass of the Province.

ENVIRONMENT ACT

9 Section 9 of Chapter 1 of the Acts of 1994-95, the Environment Act, as enacted by Chapter 61 of the Acts of 2011, is amended by adding immediately after subsection (3) the following subsections:

(3A) Notwithstanding subsection (3), the Minister shall invite the Mi'kmaq people to appoint at least one member to the Round Table to act as a representative of the Mi'kmaq people.

(3B) For greater certainty, the lack of an appointment made pursuant to subsection (3A) does not prevent the Round Table from functioning pursuant to this Act.

 

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