B.C.'s wealthiest citizens emit almost double the amount of greenhouse gas emissions when compared with low-income British Columbians, according to a study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Based on 2005 data, the study found British Columbians with the lowest incomes produced about 7.2 tonnes of GHG emissions per year in direct and indirect emissions.
By comparison, the wealthiest individuals produced about 12.9 tonnes per year, with the average individual producing about 10.2 tonnes per year.
The study suggests that the government base its provincial GHG-reduction policies on a per capita basis rather than an across-the-board GHG reduction of 33% for every household. The rationale lies in the argument that lower-income families already emit far less than higher income households and it would be more difficult for them to reduce emissions given they emit less in the first place.
The per capita model, however, would recommend the richest individuals cut their emissions the most, by 47.7% versus 5.4% for the lowest-income B.C. residents, based on a per person emission target of 6.8 tonnes per year.
Marc Lee, CCPA-BC's senior economist, said higher-income families can more easily reduce their emissions than low-income families by changing their more GHG-intensive consumption patterns.
"If climate policies are going to be effective, they need to be fair. That means high-income British Columbians should bear the greater burden of reducing greenhouse gas emissions."