EDITOR:
I applaud the P.E.I. government's rebate program for energy efficient heating equipment; which has seen a dramatic increase in uptake. The planned 30 megawatt wind turbine farm for 2020 is also encouraging on the climate action front.
However, I cannot understand the benefit of the planned three cent decrease in provincial excise tax at fuel pumps to offset the federal four cent carbon tax. According to the P.E.I. Climate Action Plan, transportation makes up the lion's share of our carbon emissions (at a whopping 48 per cent).
Reducing the excise tax will do nothing to curb gas guzzling vehicles. It's also a loss of provincial revenue that could be used to help Islanders move away from fossil fuels. Charging stations across the Island could be vastly expanded to encourage people to buy electric and hybrid vehicles instead.
The latest UN report gives us a window of only 12 years to avoid the point of no return on climate change. It's time for all of us as individuals and for our governments to take giant steps for our future survival.
Melissa Mullen,
Lewes
