(Glasgow, UK) François Legault describes himself as a “results guy”. Criticized for the little place that the Coalition futur Quebec gave to the environment during the last election campaign, he swears to have since “evolved”. He is betting that the government will accelerate the green transition by helping companies to provide their share of efforts, while creating wealth.
In a noisy room located in the heart of the great hall hosting the country pavilions, where thousands of people run between the exhibitions of the nations that appear at the United Nations climate summit, the COP26, the Prime Minister has only ‘a slogan in mind: more wealth, less GHGs. And it starts, according to him, with an awareness: that of the importance of green hydrogen.
“Get ready, you’re going to be hearing a lot about it in the next few months and years,” he says with twinkling eyes.
Hydrogen, which is needed in many industries like steel and cement plants, is considered green when produced from renewable electricity. Countries like France have in recent years established development strategies for this carbon-free hydrogen, without CO emissions.2. Last January, Quebec invested 15 million to support projects in this sector.
“Some industrial companies that use gas or fuel oil, you have to replace that with green hydrogen. […] These are the companies that want [ça]. I wouldn’t have said that a year or two ago. It’s really new to see this. […] We are able to do this because of our surplus of clean electricity, ”says François Legault.
“We are going to announce significant investments in the green hydrogens sector. Many companies wish to come and invest in Quebec to develop this sector, and the Quebec government wishes to invest to develop this new sector which will be very important for the rest of things, ”he announces.
Stay competitive
For two days at COP26, Mr. Legault increased the number of meetings and economic announcements. The Prime Minister also made the bet of convincing companies to invest in the green transition of Quebec. He announced on Thursday joint financial contributions from his government and Ottawa totaling 45.8 million to support the Diageo distillery (which produces, among other things, Canadian Crown Royal whiskey), which intends to return its factory in Salaberry-de- Valleyfield will be carbon neutral by 2025.
Businesses still need government help to be able to reduce their GHG emissions while remaining competitive. […] If we want our businesses to be competitive with those of the United States, we have no choice. It will also be necessary that the [Américains] deliver results and put a price on carbon.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
“There is more and more pressure. We saw it with the most recent IPCC report [Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat], some states did not deliver the goods. […] We are not going in the right direction, ”said Mr. Legault.
“This pressure, we can even feel it among companies who say that eventually, the consumer will demand a green product and will even be ready to pay for, or will no longer buy a product if it is not. a green product. We feel this pressure more than ever, ”he adds.
Transition and transport
The Prime Minister leaves the COP26 by announcing the adhesion of Quebec, with a dozen other states which have declared their interest, to the Beyond Oil and Gas Coalition (BOGA). This initiative by Denmark and Costa Rica aims to accelerate the abandonment of the production of fossil fuels. Mr. Legault says he will encourage his provincial counterparts to join, as well as Ottawa.
“Of course, Quebec is ready for the federal government to help provinces like Alberta during the transition [post-pétrole], because there will be a period of transition for a new economy, ”he said in order to prepare for the next discussions in the Council of the Federation.
Quebec can also do more in the fight against climate change, recognizes the Prime Minister. Particularly in the transport sector, where emissions have increased.
” [Avec les] trains and streetcars, we have 55 billion projects and we hope to manufacture them in Quebec. With electric buses [qu’on commande], you really become the leader. There are still the cars. It is unrealistic for Quebec to manufacture electric cars, but we can participate in the manufacture of batteries, ”he said, without ever questioning his megaproject of a third road link between Quebec and Lévis, which could cost as much as to 10 billion.
While at the COP26, the PQ member Sylvain Gaudreault considers that for the government it is “the mammoth in the room”.
“It’s okay, the announcements, and I welcome that. But there is the third link which overshadows greater leadership that the Government of Quebec could exercise, ”he said in the corridors of this international meeting, where it is not uncommon to see walking, talking or negotiating (sometimes all three at the same time) representatives from many countries.
For François Legault, this first presence at a COP as Prime Minister will have served to associate “Quebec and the environment, Quebec and leader”. And in this pre-election year, as he said for green hydrogen: “Get ready, you’re going to hear a lot about it. “