Submission for Nova Scotia Department of Energy’s Energy Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan

Decades ago, energy crises forced Nova Scotia to choose an energy path for the future; that choice was to exploit the local coal re source because it was cheap and effective and supported local employment. It is now evident that this was the wrong choice due to the high carbon intensity and pollutant emissions of coal. The results are the anthropogenically-induced climate change to which our fossil fuel based economy and society contribute, along with the air quality concerns that directly affect the health of Nova Scotians and add to our health care costs. Now is the time to alter our carbon intensive energy path by taking a long-term, sustainable approach to meet our needs, thus ensuring a prosperous and healthy Nova Scotia for years to come.