The British Columbia government prides itself on having protected 2, 4 million hectares of forests since the release of the panel results, in 2021, in consultation with First Nations. Of that number, half are designated high-risk old-growth forests, according to Karen Price.
Camille Vernet (View profile)Camille Vernet
If it was marked by heat records and devastating forest fires in British Columbia, the year 2023 was also distinguished by historic agreements aimed at preserving the environment and fighting against climate change.
Here are the news related to the environment that have captivated people's attention and given them a spotlight of hope during the year.
The “historic” agreement adopted in December by countries participating in the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, leads the way in phasing out fossil fuels.
For the first time, it is indicated that fossil fuels must decrease, and it is therefore finally admitted that this is the cause of climate change. So I think it's going to go a long way in changing the intentions of governments, says Tom Green, senior climate change advisor at the David Suzuki Foundation.
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COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber addresses delegates gathered at the COP28 opening session on climate change, in Dubai.
Reviews for the year 2023 and outlook for 2024
Consult the complete file
Results for the year 2023 and outlook for 2024
Consult the complete file
FollowFollow< p class="StyledBodyHtmlParagraph-sc-48221190-4 hnvfyV">This consensus is also seen as one of the most encouraging news of the year by Jens Wieting of the environmental group Sierra Club of British Columbia . Although it has been long anticipated, the announcement gives rise to optimism.
This will help British Columbia and Canada accelerate policies that help us move away from fossil fuels and adopt solutions, says the head of climate campaigns at the Sierra Club.
The year is also marked by numerous investments aimed at protecting nature. At IMPAC5 in February, the federal government and British Columbia First Nations announced the creation of new marine protected areas.
The British Columbia also announced $300 million in October to protect at-risk ecosystems.
The idea is to conserve more old-growth forests; These are places that are very important for wildlife and fish, says Tom Green of the David Suzuki Foundation.
In November, the federal government and First Nations have joined efforts to protect nature by announcing a $1 billion investment in British Columbia.
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British Columbia has 11.1 million hectares of old-growth forests.
The agreement is described as impressive by Jens Wieting. There are plans to protect up to 1.3 million hectares of old-growth forests and high-risk ecosystems permanently by 2025, he says.
Efforts to protect wild Pacific salmon, a species in decline in British Columbia, are catching the attention of Marie-Pierre Bilodeau, co-founder of Vancouver Urban Food Forest Foundation (VUFFF).
I find it really interesting, the efforts to help salmon reproduction. There are a lot of streams where fish breed that are hidden under the roads in Vancouver, she says.
The cohabitation of salmon and British Columbians encourages city dwellers to find solutions. In August, Cheam First Nation in Chilliwack saved 2,800 juvenile salmon from the heat by moving them into coolers.
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A team captures Juvenile coho salmon in a cooler in Ford Creek, British Columbia, July 15-16, 2023.
Marie-Pierre Bilodeau also welcomes the reforestation initiatives of the City of Vancouver, in particular the announcement, in November, of a new project of nourishing forest.
Over 65 native edible plants were planted. […] I think that projects like this show what it is possible to do in urban spaces, she underlines.
The popularity of programs aimed at reducing the use of fossil fuels also caught Tom Green's attention. He notes the deployment of heat pumps, the increase in the sale of electric cars and the popularity of financing electric bicycles in the province.
That gives me a lot of hope, because we are moving in the right direction, he emphasizes.
