A week ago, the Quebec Ministry of Environment presented the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy (PEV) and the Implementation Plan 2021-2026. Quebec wants to focus on four big pillars of actions: Electrification, Innovation, Adaptation and Collaboration. The main environmental issue that the 2030 Plan aims to target is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with a specific and bold target of reducing emissions by 37.5%. How will the new outlined policies impact businesses and organizations? While the plans are comprehensive and their significance varies by the industry, we broke down the plan and dove deeper in each pillar from a strategic perspective. Below is a series of questions that you can use to start helping your business thrive in Quebec’s green economy!
1. Electrification
Breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions in Québec, by sector of activity – 2017.
The Quebec government set ambitious electrification targets such as having 1.5 million electric vehicles on the road in Québec by 2030, and banning gas-powered vehicle sales in 2035. They will also prioritize support for the development of electricity-based technologies and the integration of existing technologies in businesses and organizations. These indicators point to abundant opportunities for businesses to develop their technologies or services/products.
- Have you conducted plans for electrifying your business?
- Is your business carbon-neutral ( are you familiar with the concept of carbon-neutrality?)
- Do you currently track your electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions?
2. Innovation
Quebec is investing significantly in new technologies and the renewable energy sector. In fact, they are looking at a 50% increase in bioenergy production by 2030. The energy industry is also pointing to the rise of renewable alternatives to fossil fuels.
- Does your business partner with or rely on businesses in the fossil-fuel industry?
- Are you exploring alternatives in the renewable sectors for partnership and collaboration?
- Are you aware of novel green technologies that your competitors are using?
3. Adaptation
Another emphasis placed in the 2030 green economy plan is building resiliency for infrastructures and mitigation of environmental impact from climate change. In the context of adaptation, Quebec aims to improve living and working environments with lower cost for the people. For example, they set a target of 50% reduction of emissions related to heating for buildings by 2030.
- How much of your supply chain comes from local/domestic sources versus international sources? What are three ways to decrease energy-use in your business operations?
- Are your physical assets exposed to climate related risks, and how resilient are your business infrastructures to natural disasters?
- Are you adapting your products and services to meet the growing environmental demand from consumers? If your business offers products, how much of your product is recyclable or sourced from recycled materials?
4. Collaboration
The government made it clear that they want to involve all other actors in their green economy plan, including businesses, municipalities, organizations, and citizens. It is therefore imperative for this collaborative framework to be adopted in business strategies as well.
- Is your business part of an industry association, and if yes, do you address sustainability at the industry level?
- How does your business keep up-to-date with provincial and federal environmental regulations?
- Does your business work with stakeholders vulnerable to the environmental impact from your operations and climate change? Does your business collaborate with or donate to organizations doing environmental work?
Was this list helpful? Let us know in the comments or reach us with the contact form if you have any questions! https://changinghabits.solutions/contact-us/
Thankfulness to my father who told me regarding this weblog, this webpage is really amazing. Rozella Dick Josephina