Far from showing leadership, the Alberta government's new climate change proposals will allow emissions to increase and shift an unfair burden to taxpayers, the Pembina Institute said today.
"The Alberta plan simply isn't serious," said Dr. Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director of the Pembina Institute. "Despite public consensus that we need to start reducing greenhouse gas pollution, yesterday's proposals will do precisely the opposite, by legislating a trajectory of continued emissions growth."
Real emissions will rise, not fall under the government's plan:
- By 2010, "intensity" targets for industrial emitters will allow tar sands producers to be in compliance while more than doubling their real emissions over 2003 levels.
- If recent economic growth rates continue, total Alberta emissions will rise to 72 % above 1990 levels by 2020, a far cry from the deep reductions essential to combat climate change.
In addition, transparency and accountability are sorely lacking. Intensity targets create confusion by presenting emission increases as "reductions". Companies can comply with targets by paying into a fund that will reduce emissions by an unknown amount. And the new regulation contains a sweeping provision for compliance information to be kept secret.
Last but not least, the plan will create uncertainty through loopholes and ambiguity.
"With fuzzy language about post-2007 targets and three-year exemptions for new facilities, the government has not only missed a chance to encourage investment, they've actually created incentives for foot dragging," said Dr. Raynolds. "And if industry doesn't make serious efforts to introduce transformative technologies, taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for the deep emission reductions that are needed."
A new task force to study the use of carbon capture and storage is a commendable step, but implementation should start as soon as possible, with effective environmental and social safeguards in place. Analysis by the Pembina Institute has shown that applying Kyoto-level targets in the tar sands would cost producers no more than about $1 / barrel.
"We know that real emissions reductions are possible and economically feasible, so there's no reason for Premier Stelmach to produce a plan that simply delays action", said Dr. Raynolds. "Albertans will be embarrassed - they deserve a much more earnest effort from industry and from their government."
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For more information, contact:
Jaisel Vadgama
Senior Assistant to the Executive Director
Tel: 403 269 3344, ext. 103
Johanne Whitmore
Climate Change Policy Analyst
Tel: 819-483-6288, ext. 33
