Oil has recovered in value due to a drop in global supply resulting from a trade strategy initiated by Saudi Arabia. Alberta took advantage of this, and the Canadian government was tempted to replenish the state coffers by favoring the pursuit of exploration for new deposits, this time off the coast of Newfoundland.
The same goes for natural gas, the price of which has recently jumped due to geopolitical tensions around Ukraine. Under pressure from the United States, Germany, the industrial pillar of Europe, may have to give up Russian gas, while it wants to abandon nuclear power and seeks to free itself from coal. The Canadian hydrocarbon industry therefore wishes to ship its liquefied gas not only from British Columbia, but also from Nova Scotia, thanks to the construction of a new section of the national gas pipeline that would cross southern Quebec.
But, as loathsome as Putin’s regime is, his natural gas represents a lesser environmental evil than that of America. We tend to forget it a little quickly for obviously economic reasons.
Gas from Western Canada, unlike conventional Russian gas, is obtained almost entirely by hydraulic fracturing, a process that considerably increases its harmfulness in terms of GHGs, in addition to ravaging the soil and contaminating groundwater. Its deleterious effects are similar to those of shale gas from the United States.
Claiming that Canada would be a greener supplier of natural gas thanks to the contribution of electricity from BC Hydro for its liquefaction is greenwashing. […]
With climate experts advocating the move away from fossil fuels to accelerate decarbonization and Canada already lagging behind in meeting its goals in this area, Justin Trudeau and his environment minister face a dilemma of on an unprecedented scale.
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