Dear Editor,
Re: Minister’s vision for our oil sector in unrealistic, Aug. 9
Guilty as charged – I’m a science nerd and proud of it. So, when I read a comment like Shawn Logan’s that “climate change is a global issue, not a local one,” well, I need to speak up, for my kids and all future kids.
Logan’s mandate, and that of the Canadian Energy Centre, is to promote Alberta’s oil and gas sectors. The CEC claims to be independent but its board of directors consists of three Alberta government ministers. The CEC is funded by Alberta's industrial carbon tax, the Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund and has a $30-million budget.
That said, now we all understand the bias behind Logan’s opinion piece.
I’m not going to argue his numbers, only that when he quotes the International Energy Agency’s NetZero Scenario, he conveniently omits this statement from its NetZero by 2050 report’s press release: “The world’s first comprehensive energy roadmap shows government actions to rapidly boost clean energy and reduce fossil fuel use can create millions of jobs, lift economic growth and keep net zero in reach.”
The IEA has also shown there can be no new fossil fuel projects if the world is to stay within the 1.5°C limit on global warming, as warned by climate scientists.
Look, there’s no doubt that existing oil and gas facilities will be needed for decades to come, and our First World standard of living is built upon it. But there is also no holding back the global energy transition and all of its associated challenges and opportunities/benefits that could position Alberta as a world-class energy leader.
Furthermore, even the upcoming World Petroleum Congress’ (coming to Calgary in September) keynote theme is ‘Energy Transition: The Path to NetZero’.
That makes the abrupt seven-month moratorium on all new renewable energy projects announced by Premier Danielle Smith all the more troubling. The stated rationale behind it has been widely debunked by, yes, vested stakeholders, but also by economists who state the province risks losing $25 billion in private investment and thousands of associated jobs. Even our own Alberta electric system operator has stated in its most recent report that a NetZero grid by 2035 is very much achievable.
All of that during the worst ever wildfire season across the globe and record heat waves. And let’s not forget about the concurrent record profits reported by major oil and gas companies.
Shareholders are happy but not all stakeholders, of which the latter must include our children and all future generations.
Thankfully, the Town of Okotoks has a Climate Action Plan that includes a path to NetZero. We need to hold them to it and push for improvements where needed.
NetZero can result in better built and more resilient and affordable housing that will cost less to heat and cool, thus reducing energy demand, waste and GHG emissions.
Local action does indeed matter.
Gordon Petersen
Okotoks
