Page 4 - NorthAmOil Week 08 2023

NorthAmOil COMMENTARY NorthAmOil

Federal, provincial tensions still

hindering Alberta’s progress on

emissions, CCS

Tensions continue between Canada’s federal government and the provincial

government of Alberta over the question of greenhouse gas emissions

ALBERTA IN Canada, tension between the Alberta and and gas industry. The federal Liberal govern-
federal governments is still delaying talks on ment is being attacked by Conservative Alberta
WHAT: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the use of Premier Danielle Smith, who faces a provincial
Tension has not receded carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to election in May 2023.
between Canada’s Liberal reduce CO2 pollution from the province’s oil and Smith has accused Canadian Prime Minister
federal government gas industry. Justin Trudeau of wanting to phase out the oil
and Alberta’s ruling On February 17, Canada unveiled a sustaina- and gas industry, which employs about 185,000
Conservatives over ble jobs plan, laying out how the federal govern- workers. Alberta’s oil sands are the heart of Can-
emissions and CCS. ment could help train workers from industries ada’s oil industry.
such as oil and gas for a clean energy economy. Smith has called for Trudeau instead to help
WHY: Canada, the world’s fourth-largest oil pro- expand LNG exports to Europe and Asia and
Ottawa wants to cut ducer, has a target of cutting its emissions by to incentivise oil and gas jobs. Meanwhile,
emissions dramatically 42% below 2005 levels by 2030. Oil and gas is Trudeau has accused Alberta of “hesitating
to meet Paris Agreement the country’s highest-polluting industry. around investing in anything related to climate
targets, but the oilpatch The Pathways Alliance, whose six members change”.
is wary. operate about 95% of Canada’s oil sands produc- In a recent letter to Trudeau, Smith called for
tion, has said that such a drastic cut is impossi- a meeting on the sustainable jobs plan – which
WHAT NEXT: ble and will harm the oil and gas industry and has not yet occurred. “It would be premature
A meeting to discuss the Canada’s economy. It has said that a cut of 30% and ill-advised to signal the end of a vibrant,
issue may occur between is a feasible target as long as there is funding for thriving industry that has the ability to reduce
oil companies and federal CCS. Canada’s and the world’s emissions through
and provincial officials. Ottawa’s sustainable jobs plan, to be followed technological innovation and increased exports
by legislation later in 2023, has attracted criti- of LNG and other clean-burning fuels the world
cism from the Alberta government and the oil so desperately needs,” Smith wrote.

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 08 23•February•2023