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 .
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.
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1125190_renault-city-k-ze-goes-on-sale-in-china-for-8-700
http://theconversation.com/how-pushing-water-uphill-can-solve-our-renewable-energy-issues-28196
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.