Nurses make a plea for no new LNG development

As leaders in B.C. consider how to respond to recent tariffs and tariff threats from the US, significant concerns related to our economy and revenue generation have arisen among political leaders and the general population. 

As a result of these concerns, and others, support for natural gas development in BC has intensified. Unfortunately, LNG (liquified natural gas) development is fueling climate change and is detrimental to human health due to the significant risks from environmental pollution, indoor gas exposure and the broader impacts of fossil fuel reliance that are worsening climate change. 

These developments are adding to the strain on our healthcare system. We write as members of the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment to urge our leaders to take no shortcuts in health risk assessments of new LNG projects. As nurses dedicated to promoting health, we encourage our leaders to focus on the important work of overall emissions reductions so that BC does its part in helping Canada meet climate action targets. Fast tracking of potentially harmful projects undermines our health.

We are deeply concerned by the recent increase in climate-related disasters around the world, including wildfires, floods, extreme heat, drought and worsening air quality in many regions. 

In 2024, the annual global temperature was above the internationally-agreed 1.5C target, further intensifying extreme weather events. These changes have direct and devastating impacts on our health and our healthcare system. Recently, intense wildfires ravaged many parts of the world, including California, exposing people to toxic smoke and harmful pollutants and displacing thousands, stripping people of their homes, economic stability, and security. 

This environmental devastation creates a scenario that results in the hospitalization of many people seeking care for conditions that could have been either mitigated or altogether prevented, including exacerbations of heart and lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. While we are observing the short-term impacts now, the economic impacts of these events will only become more evident in the long-term.

While concerns around boosting the economy are expressed as reasons to support the development of LNG projects, the economic repercussions of climate change are also expected to intensify. 

Recent analyses suggest that without immediate efforts to reduce or eliminate carbon dioxide emissions, the global economy could experience a 50 per cent reduction in gross domestic product in the coming decades due to catastrophic climate-related shocks. 

Beyond this decrease in production, climate events have another cost — to healthcare systems, to people, and to other species. As political economist John Rapley states, “we can expect the incidence and ferocity of climate events, and their attendant costs, to keep rising with equal speed. Over time, climate change will thus erode growth until, ultimately, it could potentially stop it altogether.”

As healthcare providers, it is necessary to speak to the root cause of these catastrophes and advocate for prevention. Mitigating climate change is not only an environmental concern, but should be a concern for everyone who will be impacted, and that is all of us — our health, our economy, and our communities. 

By acting now, including advocating for policies that reduce carbon emissions, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and supporting communities experiencing marginalization, we can prevent suffering, reduce hospitalizations, and create a world lightened from the burdens of climate change. 

As nurses, we care not solely for individual patients but also for the health of our communities and the planet, the two being inextricably connected. We echo the recent call by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment for a moratorium on new fracking and LNG development in BC until complete risk assessments are done. 

LNG expansion must not proceed until we know how this expansion will impact the world's climate, the health of British Columbians, and our overburdened healthcare system. We owe it to our children to reduce the harm that our previous emissions have caused and dedicate ourselves to reducing further emissions.

Agnes Black, RN MPH, is a registered nurse, recently retired health care leader, adjunct professor at UBC School of Nursing and board member of the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment. 

Kaitlin Bloemberg, RN MSN, is a registered nurse working in palliative care. She is also an instructor at UBC School of Nursing and a member of Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment.