The Clean Energy Act, which legislates the Yukon’s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensures long-term climate change accountability, received assent today.
The legislation requires the Yukon government to deliver on key climate actions to reach the goals outlined in Our Clean Future: A Yukon strategy for climate change, energy and a green economy. Under the new legislation, the Government of Yukon is responsible for reporting on current and future actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and on results achieved relative to emissions reduction targets.
The Clean Energy Act is the territory’s first energy and climate change legislation. This makes the Yukon a jurisdiction with one of the most progressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction legislation in North America and lays the foundation for a net-zero economy by 2050. This important piece of legislation will play a critical role in protecting the Yukon for future generations.
The Yukon is seeing the effects of climate change first hand and we must take bold action to mitigate and reduce its impacts. The Clean Energy Act is progressive climate legislation that will hold our territory to account in ensuring we meet our target in Our Clean Future to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent.
It’s great to see this bill pass. Because of the Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Yukon NDP, the Yukon is now one of the most ambitious jurisdictions in North America in responding to climate change. I want to thank the Yukon Climate Leadership Council for providing the direction to achieve this 45% reduction target.”
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Under Our Clean Future, climate action L1 states that the Government of Yukon will “create a Clean Energy Act by 2023 that legislates our greenhouse gas reduction targets and our commitments to energy efficiency and demand-side management to hold the Government of Yukon accountable.
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The Clean Energy Act was also a commitment of the Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) and is supported by both the Yukon Liberal government and the NDP caucus.
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CASA was signed on April 28, 2021. The agreement is between the Liberals and the NDP and is in effect until January 31, 2023.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Brigitte Parker
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-667-3183
brigitte.parker@yukon.ca
Kyle Nightingale
Communications, Environment
867-334-5922
kyle.nightingale@yukon.ca
Pascaline Etter
Chiefs of Staff
Yukon NDP Caucus
(867) 393-7573
Pascaline.Etter@yla.gov.yk.ca