Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith has made her stand. Her loins girded by her Sovereignty Act, she will strike a blow against the federal government’s proposed Clean Electric Regulations (CER). On Monday her government tabled a resolution in the Alberta legislature that instructs governments and provincial entities to ignore the regulations
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Alberta Politics: Estimated 24,000 jobs, $33B in investments at risk because of renewables freeze: Pembina Institute
An estimated 24,000 jobs and $33-billion in investments are at risk because of the Alberta Government’s seven-month moratorium on renewable energy development, the Pembina Institute said this morning. Pembina Institute spokesperson Courtney Smith (Photo: Pembina Institute). Courtney Smith, spokesperson for the Calgary-based clean energy think tank, said Pembina researchers reviewed
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Climate change—we make progress
Each spring, Canada submits The National Inventory Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The report holds Canada accountable to targets it is committed to under the convention, including reducing emissions by 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. To get expert perspectives on the report
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: The IPCC and the Alberta perspective
On March 20 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the final instalment of its Sixth Assessment Report. The report resulted from the work of 234 scientists on the physical science, 270 scientists on impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities, and 278 scientists on mitigation. This is the bible on climate change. It isn’t
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: The IPCC and the Alberta perspective
On March 20 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the final instalment of its Sixth Assessment Report. The report resulted from the work of 234 scientists on the physical science, 270 scientists on impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities, and 278 scientists on mitigation. This is the bible on climate change. It isn’t
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Sensible Alberta voice appointed to Net-Zero Advisory Body
I was pleased to hear that the Pembina Institute’s executive-director, Linda Coady, has been appointed to the federal government’s new Net-Zero Advisory Body. The body is an independent group of 14 experts who will provide advice to the government on the best ways for the country to achieve net-zero greenhouse
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Albertans support net-zero by 2050, but …
A recent survey by Janet Brown Opinion Research, commissioned by the Pembina Institute, showed some encouraging attitudes of Albertans toward climate change. For example, two-thirds of those surveyed support the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Albertans are not impressed by their government’s fight-back strategy in defending Alberta’s
Continue readingAlberta Politics: It seems Alberta’s inquiry hasn’t found any foreign-funded anti-energy campaigns yet, but it’ll keep looking!
I’m sorry to have to report, Alberta, that the inquiry into foreign-funded campaigns targeting Alberta’s oil and gas industry apparently hasn’t found any foreign-funded campaigns targeting Alberta’s oil and gas industry. Don’t worry, though, they’re pretty sure that if they keep looking they can find something. Energy Minister Soya Savage
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Ed Whittingham seeks energy/environment middle ground
Alberta lives with two conflicting facts: first, humanity is faced with its greatest crisis ever—global warming—caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels; and second, humanity will have to rely on fossil fuels for the indefinite future and production of fossil fuels just happens to be Alberta’s major industry. The
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Keep your eyes on the story of Jason Kenney’s ‘War Room’ – it’s going to be a boondoggle!
The discovery last week Postmedia was trying to cash in on Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s promised $30-million anti-environmental “war room” at the same time it has its hand out to Ottawa for a federal bailout has rather surprisingly turned out to be a story with legs. The irony of a
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Supreme Court says bankrupt corporations’ assets must pay for environmental cleanup first, pay off debtors later
CALGARY Stand by for a veritable tempest of wailing about “activist judges” from banking, oil industry and conservative quarters, now that the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled bankrupt fossil fuel companies can’t use federal bankruptcy law to walk away from their environmental responsibilities as set out in provincial laws.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Anis Chowdhury highlights how industry-wide bargaining which avoids a race to the bottom on wages produces improved efficiency as well as a better standard of living for workers. But Christopher Ingraham discusses the choice of U.S. policymakers to instead pull the rug
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Saskatchewan, Ontario have no constitutional case against Ottawa’s carbon tax, only a political strategy
By vowing to go to court to fight the federal government’s carbon tax, Saskatchewan and now Ontario are rejecting the most cost effective way to reduce carbon pollution, the Pembina Institute complained yesterday. “It is deeply irresponsible of the Saskatchewan and Ontario governments to reject carbon pricing,” said Isabelle Turcotte,
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Notley NDP pass bill to halt oil and gas to BC as Jagmeet Singh finally shows up to the pipeline party
What a day. Turn off the taps: Bill 12: Preserving Canada’s Economic Prosperity Act passed third reading Alberta’s Legislative Assembly and once the bill is given royal assent, proclaimed into law and accompanying regulations are written, New Democratic Party Premier Rachel Notley‘s government would have the power to halt the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Albertans lose money while energy companies continue to let escaping methane make climate change worse
PHOTOS: Gas wells a-flaring in the United States’ Bakken Field (Photo: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric and Administration). Below: Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) and Progress Alberta Executive Director Duncan Kinney (Photo: Progress Alberta). CALGARY Methane released from oil and gas operations in Alberta represents lost natural
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how the Saskatchewan Party’s sad excuse for a climate change strategy (PDF) is really aimed at nothing more than excusing continued carbon pollution. For further reading…– I wrote just a couple of weeks ago about the Saskatchewan public’s strong appetite for real action against climate change – making
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – John McDonnell outlines a progressive alternative to neoliberal economic policy: The increasing automation of jobs, reduced dependence on carbon fuels, artificial intelligence and the so-called gig economy have provoked understandable anger among many workers whose jobs are under threat. More generally, concerns about the effect
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how Brad Wall’s call for Canada to stop funding international climate change adaptation and mitigation reflects just one more example of his government’s tendency to kick down at the people least able to defend themselves. For further reading…– Gregory Beatty again documented the background to Wall’s abandonment of
Continue readingCanada earns a D for environment
Last week the Conference Board of Canada released its environment report card and Canada did not do well. We earned a D, ranking third from last against 15 of our international peers. The only countries that performed worse were Australia and the U.S. The best performer of the provinces was
Continue readingCanada earns a D for environment
Last week the Conference Board of Canada released its environment report card and Canada did not do well. We earned a D, ranking third from last against 15 of our international peers. The only countries that performed worse were Australia and the U.S…
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