Even though the Canadian government has not adopted a formal policy on climate change, the new provincial government in Alberta has decided to lead an initiative. Alberta has oil, oil sands and subbituminous coal, making it Canada’s energy leader. “We need to do our part to address one of the world’s biggest problems — climate change,” said Alberta Minister of the Environment Shannon Phillips. In late June, she announced two steps in a renewed climate change commitment so that she and the province can at least be in a position to make a preliminary proposal in time for the COP21 World Summit in Paris at the end of the year.
Alberta will renew its current, expiring regulations governing carbon emissions, Phillips explained. “Second, and more important, Dr. Andrew Leach, associate professor [and academic director of energy programs at the University of] Alberta School of Business, will chair an advisory panel that will comprehensively review Alberta’s climate change policy and make recommendation toward a permanent set of measures.
Alberta’s climate change policy, which was developed in 2007, was set to expire at the end of June. The $C2 fee per metric ton (mt) of carbon emissions (CO2) has now been increased to $C15/mt and will increase to $C30/mt by 2017. The Ministry of the Environment’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13 million mt during 2017.
