Liquefied Natural Gas, Carbon Pollution, and British Columbia in 2017

An overview of B.C. LNG issues in the context of climate change

The development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export industry in British Columbia remains a controversial issue.

Carbon pollution from proposed LNG export plants on the Pacific coast and associated tight gas drilling operations in the Northeast would pose a serious challenge to Canada and B.C. making good on their climate commitments.

As currently proposed, the two most advanced LNG export projects on the B.C. coast — LNG Canada and Woodfibre LNG — would together emit enough carbon pollution to make meeting B.C.’s 2050 climate target virtually impossible. Furthermore, if the permits for Pacific NorthWest LNG were resurrected by the current or a new owner, that project would make the province’s legislated target impossible to reach.

This backgrounder — published by the Pembina Institute and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions — outlines the state of LNG development in B.C., the opportunities to improve the environmental performance of key projects currently under consideration, and the implications of a new LNG export industry for B.C.’s carbon pollution levels.

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The Pembina Institute wishes to thank the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia for their support of this work.