Editor:
As one of his first acts, in Paris, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that Canada would reduce GHG emissions “30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.”
Making gasoline out of oil sand is messy. Mining, roasting, transporting and otherwise treating oilsands to produce dilbit (still a long way from gasoline) takes a lot of water and natural gas. Much of the related GHG emissions can be blamed on the methane leaking from the fracked wells that provide the fuel to heat and hydrogenate the tar. Even the industry admits that the oilsands created 9.8 per cent of Canada’s 2015 GHGs emissions.
If oilsands production increases enough to fill the Kinder Morgan expansion, it will emit even more GHGs. Canada’s promise is “30 per cent below 2005.” Dilbit production is now four times what it was in 2005. The compensating reductions required elsewhere in the Canadian economy will be severe. How will the other provinces cope?
Although Trudeau touts that the Alberta NDP government has “capped” oilsands GHG emissions at 100MT/year, this is 47 per cent above present levels and the cap could easily be changed by any future Alberta government. Besides, it is a very leaky cap: It hides a lot of fossil-fuel fired electricity and other factors and ignores the fracked natural gas used to pump the oil to Burnaby or to ship it to Shanghai.
John Horgan should ask the other premiers, “How much of your industry, transport or home heating are you willing to relinquish so that Alberta can serve the national interest?”
Ontario or Quebec industries await your reply.
Jim Pawley, Sechelt
