Alberta’s New Climate Plan Chooses Wind Power Over Coal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the country’s premiers will take the first steps Monday toward reversing Canada’s reputation as an environmental laggard in the global fight against climate change.

U.S. President Barack Obama said his country’s efforts to battle climate change would be tarnished by approving TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL pipeline that would ship Alberta oil to Texas refineries.

“Alberta’s new climate strategy, combined with a new federal government that is a true climate change partner for the provinces and territories, positions Canada to enter the Paris conference with a united voice”. Some parts of Canada have a lot of hydro and so it’s easier for them to hit their (emission reduction) targets.

Alberta will also introduce an economy-wide carbon tax of 20 Canadian dollars per ton on carbon-dioxide emissions starting in 2017, increasing to 30 Canadian dollars per ton the year after – a price hike estimated to be slightly less than 2 cents per gallon of gasoline.

When it comes to the cap on oilsands emissions, McInerney says it leaves room for the sector to continue to grow given that it’s now emitting about 70 megatonnes a year.

Rather, he quickly ceded the stage to Notley, giving her a national podium from which to tout Alberta’s new climate plan, which he called “historic” and “a strong positive step in the right direction”. “So let us – industry and governments – build on what’s in place to ensure Canada can become a larger and leading supplier of responsibly produced energy to the world”.

“Even though it means that their costs are going to be a little bit higher than they would have been in the absence of doing nothing, I think there was probably a recognition that doing nothing wasn’t an option”, he said.

“My provincial colleagues have suggested that they’re very pleased with the commitment we’re taking in Alberta on climate change”, Notley said.

Notley promised to work in co-operation with companies that generate, regulate and distribute electricity in Alberta to help east the burden of their transition away from coal, and she also pledged to make sure power prices remain stable for consumers.

The plan imposes a 100-megaton limit on carbon from oil sands projects; plus its share of a strategy to reduce Alberta’s methane emissions by 45 percent from 2014 levels by 2025.

Previously, both environmentalists and energy executives have applauded the NDP climate policy as recognizing the need for balance between the environment and the economy.

Alberta announced plans in June to double a tax on carbon under the authority of Notley, who is seen as an advocate for a low-carbon economy. Oil-sands wells require steam injections to leach out crude embedded in sand, a process that burns up to 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas to produce a single barrel of oil. “We are all now working together to realize the full value provided by the oil and natural gas industry, including jobs, economic benefits and government revenues in a way that addresses the challenges associated with climate change”.