Page 8 - NorthAmOil Week 47 2022

NorthAmOil POLICY NorthAmOil

COP27 – Canada

faces criticism for

oil and gas stance

CANADA THOUGH global delegates have left COP27
in Sharm El-Sheikh, the criticism of Canada’s
stance on fossil fuels appears unlikely to subside
anytime soon.
Canada was lambasted by activists for refus-
ing to sign a final agreement to phase out oil and
gas, but it also challenged other countries to
adopt carbon pricing as a key element of climate
strategy.
A broad coalition of more than 80 countries
had backed the call, which ultimately was not
included in the conference’s final statement.
Ottawa’s Environment Minister, Steven Guil-
beault, a former green activist, contended that
provinces and territories would likely sue if there
were an attempt to halt oil and gas production.
Canada is the fourth largest producer of oil and
the sixth largest producer of natural gas in the
world, according to the Canadian Association of
Petroleum Producers (CAPP).
“I would like to point out that there is no such
text [to phase out fossil fuels],” Guilbeault told
reporters at the annual UN COP climate confer-
ence. “But we support reducing our dependen-
cies on fossil fuels. The very foundation of our
climate change plan rests on that, which is why
we’ve adopted a law to ban the use of coal-fired on coal was not weakened.
electricity in Canada by 2030, we’re putting in Guilbeault, in an interview on stage at
place measures so that 100% of vehicles sold in COP27, said Canada was focusing its efforts on
Canada will be zero-emission vehicles by 2035, regulating how much methane can be emitted by
our electrical grid will be net-zero by 2035.” oil and gas producers, on reducing demand with
He continued: “All of these measures, and efficiency and electric vehicles.
Guilbeault, in many more, will lead to a significant reduction Julia Levin, National Climate Programme
an interview on of our consumption of fossil fuels and therefore manager for Environmental Defence, told Cana-
stage at COP27, our dependencies on fossil fuels in Canada. And dian Press: “I’d say it’s clear that the government
we obviously support that. That’s what we’re here of Canada is beholden to fossil fuel lobbyists and
said Canada for.” His remarks were reported by the Financial putting their interests ahead of public welfare.”
Post.
CAPP’s president and CEO, Lisa Baiton,
He added, later in the conference: “We have retorted in a written statement: “As global
was focusing to be super careful in terms of what we do … that demand for natural gas and oil will remain
its efforts on what we do will hold in court,” he said. “Other- strong for decades, Canada has a role to play in
regulating how wise we’re wasting time, and precious time, to providing safe and lower emission resources to
the world’s energy mix.”
fight climate change.”
Canada has a carbon price. It covers 80% of
However, Canada led an initiative at COP27
much methane Canada’s total emissions at varying costs per called the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. It
can be emitted tonne, according to carbon credits. calls for a carbon price. At COP26 in Glasgow,
The final agreement at COP26 had called for Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had
by oil and gas nations to move faster to phase out coal. At this challenged the world to triple the global coverage
producers. year’s COP there was a move to add oil and gas of carbon pricing by 2030.
to the statement.
In his closing speech at COP27, the UN’s cli-
Canada resisted. US climate envoy John mate chief, Simon Stiell, said all fossil fuels were
Kerry said his country would agree, but only if on the way out. “[The final agreement] gives the
the language said “unabated” oil and gas. The EU key political signals that indicate a phase-down
said it supported the idea, as long as the language of all fossil fuels is happening,” he said.™

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