N.S. environment minister suggests offshore wind necessary to meet 2030 climate targets

Nova Scotia's environment minister says he believes his government can still reach its goal of having the province off coal and generating 80 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, but he also suggested Tuesday that effort would require the help of offshore wind.

"I think it has to," Tim Halman told CBC News in an interview.

The problem for Halman is that bids for offshore wind development are not scheduled to open until the end of this year and industry experts say it takes at least seven years to build an offshore wind farm, a timeline considered to be ambitious.

Although the province has approved 14 onshore wind farms, which will play "a major role" in achieving the 2030 goals, the province needs "other things, as well," said Halman, who went on to list expanded solar power and offshore wind.

Greenhouse gas reduction targets on track — report

The 2030 goals are part of legislation the Progressive Conservatives passed during their first mandate that lays out steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat and adapt to climate change and reach net-zero emissions status by 2050.

That legislation requires annual progress reports and the latest update released by the government last week shows mixed findings.

With a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 53 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, Nova Scotia currently has reduced emissions by 38 per cent. The report says the province is on track to reach its target.

It also shows that programs from Efficiency Nova Scotia exceeded their targets for saving electricity and reducing demand.

Some goals appear at risk

But in other areas, the province appears to have an uphill battle in achieving its targets.

Twenty per cent of Nova Scotia's total land and water mass is supposed to be protected by 2030 and to date the figure stands at 13.75 per cent. A provincial food strategy was supposed to be developed, yet the report makes no mention of the fact that the agriculture minister announced the abandonment of that plan earlier this year.

The province is also well off the pace it requires to achieve the goal of having zero-emission vehicles make up 30 per cent of new vehicle sales by 2030. It was at five per cent in 2024, up from 4.4 per cent the previous year.

The report also says a step calling for the banning of oil-fired heating equipment in new buildings by 2025 "is being considered in a way that considers affordability for Nova Scotians."

Halman could not provide clarity on whether that means his government intends to make good on the action. He said he has "a laser focus" on implementing the goals, but also said — without elaborating — that the government does not want to do anything that could cause an increase in the cost of living.

Marla MacLead, director of programs for the Ecology Action Centre, said she was underwhelmed by the progress report.

"The thing that struck me is this government really lacks courage," she said in an interview.

MacLeod said government officials seem unwilling to have mature conversations, are sitting on multiple reports that relate to the environmental goals and won't be up front about targets that have either been abandoned or seem in danger of being missed.

There's real ambition around the talk of offshore wind, which if done well could be "an incredible step" for the province's environment and energy needs, said MacLeod.

But overall, she said, too many of the goals and actions in the plan are lagging behind and the government isn't doing enough to engage with partners that could help.

"We're just not seeing the progress that we need."