Premier
Blaine Higgs says the province needs to focus on researching more
technology for renewable energy before any changes are made. (CBC)
The New Brunswick government is moving toward a "greener and
cleaner economy," but Premier Blaine Higgs says there must also be
economic stability to back it up.
"I think technology will tell us at the time when we can make that happen," Higgs said in an interview with CBC.
"When
we see a change in battery technology and storage capabilities, then
the ability to have renewables becomes real. But right now, we're in the
situation that we don't have that."
On Friday, thousands of New Brunswickers took to the streets to draw government attention to the climate crisis.
The
strike was a part of a global movement called Fridays For Future, which
was started by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist.
Protesters marched from the Avenir Centre to city hall in Moncton's climate strike. (Nicolas Steinbach/Radio-Canada)
Strikes around the world capped off a week of climate action after the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York.
Higgs
said the climate strikes around the province puts climate change into
perspective, but the government must abide by a feasible timeline to
make change.
"I think climate change has been something that's
been very evident in the last few years in New Brunswick. We've seen it
over the years as it's getting more dramatic," he said.
"I think what we have to agree on is what is a timeline for this transition, how do we ramp up the research and development?"
But without the proper technology, the elimination of fossil fuels would lead to an unstable economy, Higgs said.
"Today,
no one is talking about running out of oil or fossil fuels. They're
saying, 'When are we going to stop using it?' And that's the focus.
"And
I'm saying, for us, it's not about using our own [oil] while we have it
there, but expanding our research so we can actually move our timelines
forward. But doing it in a way that we don't shut down our economy."
Premier Blaine Higgs discusses the climate strikes and what his party is doing to answer the call to action. 5:07
Higgs said he doesn't think people
should pay a carbon tax but he thinks emitters should pay for research
on renewable energy technology
"The emitters should finance the
actual research and development of the latest technology and we're
pushing toward that, as we must," he said.
NB
governments AND NB Hydro have simply been negligent in terms of energy
conservation and usage, and I'm not talking about "smart meters".
The time to start adopting is now, sitting back and planning should have
been done long ago, and sitting around planning (without action) will
surely leave us behind, once again.
Ian Scott
Reply to @Terry
Tibbs: What would you like to adopt? Spell it out cause this is the
issue, calamity Jane out there but no great plan. NB really just needs
fossil energy off the grid but it does not solve home heating , vehicles
or any kind, boats included which by the way use gas an diesel and
contribute a significant chunk of economy. As lots of very smart people
have said wind and solar do not cut it in total or anywhere near it. How
about buy it all from PQ and NFLD.?
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks smart meters are 100 million dollar scam N'esy Pas?
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Ian Scott:
Vehicles are about 2 years out, you can buy them in China, but not here.
Wind and solar will do it, but the trick is storage. We have plenty of
opportunity for uphill trapped water storage but no one to do, or pay
for it. The Saint John river should be among the world's most exploited
waterways, but it's not, it's simply ignored.
No one is even trying, no one. Why is it I can see hundreds of windmills in Maine, but none here?
When they are done fooling in Beldune, and the company walks away from
one of the most polluted sites in Canada, just level it out and fence it
off, and build a solar farm. No danger of weeds and trees EVER growing
there.
Reply to @David Raymond Amos:
Smart meters have their place, but the timing is wrong.
With a smart meter a plugged in vehicle becomes a big grid battery, 1000
plugged in vehicles a bigger grid battery, combined with local wind and
solar the power grid takes on a life of it's own quite independent of
distant sources of electricity.
Marguerite Deschamps
This province will never move forward by continuing to elect dinosaur thinking old-schools like the elusive Higgs boson.
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Methinks you are jealous of Mr Higgs and his deputy Gauvin
because those clowns can get more laughs than you N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Lately every time he opens his mouth he embarrasses his
Liberal / SANB predecessors big time ! Gotta be givin' you and Marc (
Al ) fits .
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