But the strategy contains little firm commitment on battling global
warming. Its strongest environmental section – a pledge for all provinces
and territories to adopt absolute targets for cutting greenhouse gases –
is marked as a point of contention that might be scrapped.
Alberta has encountered problems in recent years expanding production of
the oil sands because there is not enough transportation infrastructure
for the added oil and bitumen. Various pipeline proposals – Energy East,
Kinder Morgan, Northern Gateway and Keystone XL – have faced stiff
opposition from environmental groups and First Nations. Some proposed
pipelines have also been held up by regulators.
In section seven of the strategy, the premiers agree to “develop and
enhance … transportation networks,” including oil pipelines and
electricity grids, for both domestic consumption and export markets.
“As energy production expands to meet growing domestic and international
energy demands, our country must have the necessary pipelines, electricity
systems and other energy infrastructure in place to move energy products
to the people that need them,” the document says.
Section eight commits the premiers to get approvals done faster. Provinces
and territories, the document says, will “improve the timeliness and
certainty of each jurisdiction’s regulatory approval decision-making
processes for energy developments” in part by cutting “duplication and
inefficiencies” between different jurisdictions.
There is vague environmental rhetoric peppered throughout the draft
strategy, but no binding promises on exactly what the provinces and
territories will do to fight climate change – only a general pledge to
“transition to a lower carbon economy.” One section, for instance, lists a
series of possible climate-change policies, including carbon capture and
carbon pricing, but does not appear to require that provinces and
territories do any of them.
There is also no explanation on how oil-sands production can expand – a
likely scenario if more pipelines are built – while the country still
reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
And the strongest point in the climate-change section is highlighted and
underlined in red in the draft, indicating it is still a sticking point
between the provinces and has yet to gain agreement.
“Actively pursue absolute GHG emission reductions with targets based on
sound science,” the section reads. “Collaborate on the development of an
integrated pan-Canadian and North American approach to GHG reductions.”
The word “absolute” is further singled out as a stumbling block, enclosed
by red brackets.
Absolute greenhouse gas reduction targets are the international standard
used by most developed countries. But Alberta instead uses weaker
“intensity” targets, which only require polluters to use carbon more
efficiently, but allow overall emissions to continue going up.
The non-committal language on climate change may reflect the difficulty of
getting an agreement between all 13 premiers on such a contentious
subject. While some provinces – including Ontario, Quebec and British
Columbia – are cutting emissions, others have allowed them to soar.
Alberta’s emissions have risen 53 per cent since 1990; Saskatchewan’s have
increased 66 per cent in that time.
Rachel Notley’s recently elected NDP government in Alberta has stopped
short of setting absolute greenhouse gas reduction targets, opting only to
make the current intensity-based targets tougher. But she has announced a
review of the province’s environmental policy, the results of which will
be revealed later this year, which could see tougher action on climate
change.
