Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector continue to grow in Canada. In this context, many are calling for the rapid imposition of an emissions cap on the industry. Ottawa repeats that the regulation will be revealed this year, but it is impossible to know if the Trudeau government will make the announcement during the United Nations climate conference, COP28.
Since the Trudeau government promised in 2021 to impose a limit on the growth of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector, many, particularly in the environmental community, are urging Ottawa to act to curb the increase in the carbon footprint of the most polluting industry in Canada.
In an interview with The Canadian Press in November 2022, the federal Minister of the Environment, Steven Guilbeault, affirmed that the government was developing these regulations in “record time”, given the complexity of such regulations and the need to consult several stakeholders who will be affected.
Last September, the minister indicated to the Duty that the “draft final regulation” on capping and reducing GHG emissions would be tabled before the next United Nations climate conference, which begins this Thursday.
Tuesday, The duty therefore asked Steven Guilbeault’s office if the announcement would take place in the coming days, as part of COP28. “The minister will make the announcement before the end of the year,” said a written response.
“Carbon neutrality”
Once the regulations are made public, it is expected that they will be “adopted”, and therefore in force, no later than the fall of 2024. According to Ottawa, it will reduce emissions from the oil and gas sectors at the rate and scale necessary to enable the achievement of the 2030 climate objectives, then net zero emissions by 2050.
It remains to be seen how the industry will react, which is still banking on an increase in production over the coming years. In the case of companies active in the oil sands sector, they claim they can achieve “carbon neutrality” by focusing primarily on the development of carbon capture and storage technology. A claim disputed by environmental groups and which is currently the subject of an investigation by the Competition Bureau.
According to the most recent available report on Canada’s GHG emissions, that of 2021, the increase in emissions observed in the country since 1990 “is mainly attributable to an 88% increase” in emissions from the oil and gas exploitation sector. . In particular, they have increased by 12% since 2005, the reference year used by the government as part of its plan to combat the climate crisis.
Emissions from the sector reached 189 million tonnes in 2021, the equivalent of 77 million cars. They reached 100 million tonnes in 1990 and 168 million tonnes in 2005.
The capping system developed by the federal government only concerns emissions on Canadian territory, which excludes those emanating from the combustion of exported resources. Canada exports a large part of its oil and gas production. Emissions linked to the use of oil, natural gas and coal exported from Canada totaled more than four billion tonnes between 2016 and 2020, according to an estimate from the federal Ministry of the Environment.
Triple renewables
Although we do not know whether the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector will be announced as part of COP28, we do know, however, that the Trudeau government will take advantage of the event to formalize its support for the objective of tripling global energy capacity. renewable energy production by 2030.
Ottawa made the official announcement late Tuesday in a press release, citing findings from the International Energy Agency, which point to a marked increase in investments in this area this year. Photovoltaic solar energy and wind energy dominate the picture.
“We need a global commitment to triple renewable energy, double energy efficiency, and bring clean energy to all by 2030,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday. , by encouraging the States which will be at COP28 to make commitments in this direction.