Pembina reacts to Premier Stelmach's resignation

EDMONTON, AB — Ed Whittingham, executive director of the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach's announced plans to resign after the current legislative term:

"Under Premier Stelmach's leadership, Alberta
has made some progress on key energy and environment issues, such as land use
planning and jumpstarting carbon capture and storage. The premier's recent
recognition of the gaps in the province's water quality monitoring also
represents a step toward more responsible management of the oilsands.

"Unfortunately, if the premier fails to make
much bolder progress on the environment file during his remaining time in
office, he will leave his successor a legacy of missed opportunities and a host
of environmental problems. Nearly every jurisdiction in the developed world is working
toward capping or reducing greenhouse gas emissions — meantime, Alberta's own
climate change plan will let emissions continue to rise for at least the next
decade. While Alberta has tremendous potential for clean energy like wind
power, Premier Stelmach has put in place few policies to properly encourage the
development of such opportunities.

"The Alberta government's failure to protect air
quality, land and water resources in the oilsands has been well documented. Strong
environmental management in the oilsands is the key to sustaining our export
markets and, consequently, Alberta's economic stability."

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