Can Canada Expand Oil and Gas Production, Build Pipelines and Keep Its Climate Change Commitments?
This is the title of a new report published by the Parkland Institute in June 2016. The report is by earth scientist David Hughes.
These are the key findings of the report from the Parkland Institute website:
(for the full report go to parklandinstitute.ca Can Canada Expand)
1. Projected growth in oil and gas production under several scenarios means that non–oil and gas sectors of the economy would need to reduce their emissions by between 47 and 59 per cent below 2014 levels by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement commitment. This level of reduction is near-impossible without severe economic consequences.
2. New pipelines are not needed under Alberta’s cap on oil sands emissions.
3. New pipelines with tidewater access will not significantly increase the price Canada receives for its oil.
4. The widely recited rhetoric that Canada must continue its de facto energy strategy of liquidating its remaining non-renewable energy resources as fast as possible to maintain the economy is not credible on economic or environmental grounds.