For Immediate Release
May 29, 2020

ST. JOHN’S (NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is celebrating a commitment by the provincial government to achieve net zero by 2050. “This is a significant announcement that will energize the province’s cleantech sector and reduce Newfoundland and Labrador’s contribution to climate change,” said NEIA’s Executive Director Kieran Hanley.

On Tuesday Premier Ball revealed that the province had sent a letter to the Prime Minister indicating that the province was committing to achieving the 2050 net zero target.

Related:

• Letter from Premier Ball to Prime Minister Trudeau

‘Net zero’ refers to the striking of a balance within a jurisdiction between greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) produced and GHGs eliminated or taken out of the atmosphere. This commitment will challenge all sectors of the economy to reduce their environmental footprint, said Hanley. “Industries will need to be embrace new innovative ideas to reduce their emissions, presenting a substantial growth opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador’s cleantech sector”.

“In some cases, particularly within heavy industry, reduction to zero emissions is simply not be feasible.” Hanley said this opens the door for investment into ‘offsets’ or new projects and initiatives within the province that will result in the corresponding reduction of emissions.

“A commitment to net zero can be transformative for our province,” said Hanley. “The continued success of our offshore oil and gas industry, for example, will be inextricably linked to the advancement of Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean growth economy.”

Hanley says that there is a lot of learning and education that will need to take place for industries, businesses, and other organizations to understand what a net zero policy means for their operations over time. “NEIA looks forward to working with its partners across the province to help provide that education and guidance,” said Hanley.

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.

Media Contact:
Kieran Hanley
kieran@neia.org

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