Christy Clark appoints LNG industry leader to B.C.'s new Climate Leadership Team

The B.C. government's new Climate Leadership Team doesn't include executives from Enbridge and Kinder Morgan, which are companies that want to build new pipelines from the tar sands to the B.C. coast.

But one of the team's members is a representative of the liquefied natural gas industry, which is also working on pipeline projects around the province.

David Keane, president of the B.C. LNG Alliance, previously held senior roles with BG Canada, Dynegy, Apache Corp., and Conoco, all energy companies with major interests in fossil fuels.

According to a provincial news release, the Climate Leadership Team is expected to, among other things, recommend in October "updates to the current Climate Action Plan as well as new programs and policies required to meet B.C.'s greenhouse gas reduction targets while maintaining strong economic growth and successfully implementing the BC Jobs Plan, including the liquefied natural gas strategy".

In March 2016, a final Climate Leadership Plan is slated to be released by the government.

"We're taking the next step in climate leadership by engaging with British Columbians on new climate actions to support a growing economy," Premier Christy Clark stated in the release. "The Climate Leadership Team brings together leaders from the business, academic and environmental communities, as well as First Nations and local governments, to consider the best actions to keep us on track toward meeting our greenhouse gas reduction targets. Thank you to the team members for accepting the challenge of helping B.C. develop our new Climate Leadership Plan."

Here's the full list of Climate Leadership Team members and special advisors released by the province:

Climate Leadership Team Members

British Columbia Government

* Mike Bernier, chair of the Climate Leadership Team, Parliamentary Secretary for Energy Literacy and the Environment for the Minister of Environment, and MLA for Peace River South

* Jordan Sturdy, deputy chair of the Climate Leadership Team, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, and MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky

* Susanna Laaksonen-Craig, head, Climate Action Secretariat

Academic

* Tom Pedersen, executive director, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions

* Nancy Olewiler, professor, School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University

* James Tansey, associate professor at UBC Sauder School of Business, and CEO and co-founder of Offsetters

Community Interests

* Paul Ives, mayor of the Town of Comox

* Luke Strimbold, mayor of the Village of Burns Lake

* Linda Hepner, mayor of the City of Surrey

Business Interests

* James Gorman, president and CEO of the Council of Forest Industries, and, from May 19, vice president of corporate and government relations for West Fraser

* Greg McDougall, CEO, Harbour Air

* Tim Newton, former vice president of strategic planning with Powerex, and director of Columbia Power

* David Keane, president, BC LNG Alliance

Environmental Interests

* Merran Smith, executive director, Clean Energy Canada and fellow, Simon Fraser University's Centre for Dialogue

* Matt Horne, associate regional director for British Columbia, Pembina Institute

* Tzeporah Berman, strategic advisor on clean energy, oilsands and pipelines, and former co-director of Greenpeace International's Global Climate and Energy Program

First Nations

* Chief Ian Campbell, Squamish First Nation

* Chief Zach Parker, Ulkatcho First Nation

* Chief Michelle Edwards, Cayoose Creek Indian Band

Special Advisors to the Climate Leadership Team

* John Robinson, associate provost for sustainability, and professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia

* Les MacLaren, assistant deputy minister, B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines

* Mary Sjostrom, former mayor of Quesnel, and past president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities

* Jock Finlayson, executive vice president and chief policy officer, Business Council of British Columbia