New Brunswick’s Environment and Climate Change Minister expresses confidence in the province’s ability to achieve its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions goal, despite a notable increase in the most recent data. Minister Gilles LePage affirmed this projection during a legislative meeting before federal reports indicated an 11.4% surge in emissions in 2024.
The targeted emissions level for 2030 is set at 10.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. However, the 2024 data revealed a rise to 12.8 million tonnes from the previous year’s 11.5 million, posing a challenge to meeting the 2030 target.
Moe Qureshi, the Director of Climate Research and Policy at the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, expressed concerns over this spike, hoping it is an isolated incident. Despite the increase, New Brunswick has generally seen a decline in emissions over the past two decades, with occasional exceptions. The 12.8 million tonnes recorded in 2024 marked the highest figure since 2019.
Minister LePage remains optimistic, stating that current projections still indicate a favorable position to achieve the 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. He attributed a significant portion of the 2024 emissions spike to N.B. Power’s increased generation from fossil-fuel plants during an extended shutdown of the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, which he considers an isolated event.
The Point Lepreau station is currently undergoing maintenance but is expected to resume operations before the peak demand season. Meanwhile, LePage’s department is reviewing an environmental impact assessment for a data center and a natural gas plant in Lorneville, projecting over 755,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the plant, making it a major emitter in New Brunswick.
Qureshi raised concerns about potential upward trends in emissions due to upcoming projects. Despite provincial efforts to reduce emissions through industrial carbon pricing initiatives, challenges remain in offsetting the impact of new emission sources. The province is set to update its Climate Change Action Plan by 2027-28 to further align with emission reduction goals and environmental protection priorities.