Saskatchewan Environmental Society calls on province to improve its climate ambition

The Saskatchewan Environmental Society has submitted 25 recommendations to the Saskatchewan government to create deeper emissions cuts in the next decade.

The Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) has released a list of actions it wants taken by the province to limit climate change.

In a letter addressed to Premier Scott Moe and Environment Minister Warren Kaeding, the group provides 25 recommendations in areas including electricity generation, transportation, the oil and gas sector and protected areas.

SES wants policy measures in place to achieve a 45 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 — a recommendation laid out by the United Nations.

The group also wants to see carbon neutrality achieved by 2050.

“One billion tonnes. That is the amount of manmade greenhouse gas pollution the province of Saskatchewan has released into Earth’s atmosphere in the past 14 years,” reads a statement by the SES.

Advocates say more aggressive action is needed for Saskatchewan to meet unendorsed emissions reduction goals locally.

Peter Prebble, an SES board member, said on Tuesday that the current level of emissions is not environmentally sustainable.

He pointed to Saskatchewan weather and climate events from this past summer — such as severe drought and wildfires — which suggested climate change made conditions worse in the province.