Around the world, governments are seeking innovative ways to balance long-term prosperity with evidence-based environmental management. When Alberta released its final wetlands policy for the oilsands region last September, it qualified its approach by saying its goal was to “minimize the loss and degradation of wetlands, while allowing for continued growth and economic development in the province.”
Closer analysis reveals a policy heavy on rhetoric and light on details regarding its practical implications.
Unfortunately, after eight years of collaboration between stakeholders, Alberta’s final policy offers little to enhance protection of wetlands in the oilsands.
This article originally appeared in the March 2014 issue of Oilsands Review.
