The federal government has unveiled its new plan to reduce emissions to meet new greenhouse gas targets by 2030. It predicts that the oil and gas industry must cut emissions by 42 percent from current levels if Canada wants to. to achieve his new goals.
Speaking at the Globe Forum Sustainability Conference in Vancouver, Trinto said it was a “clear, sensible contribution” to the industry and that there was money to be made.
“With record profits, this is the time for the oil and gas sector to invest in a sustainable future that is good for business, good for communities and good for our future,” Trinto said.
“The big oil lobbyists have had their time in the field. Now, it is up to the workers and engineers to come up with solutions.”
The emissions plan, which was tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday, is a statutory requirement under the Net Zero Emissions Act passed by the government last year.  Repeated evaluations and updates are required as Canada moves towards the 2030 deadline.
The plan uses economic and emission modeling to measure the most affordable and achievable projects when it comes to Canada’s goal of reducing emissions by 2030 to no more than 60 percent of 2005.
The most recent emissions inventory is for 2019. It shows that Canada has produced 730 million tonnes of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide.
Canada must reach between 407 and 443 million tonnes to meet its current target.
The oil and gas sector accounts for Canada’s largest share of the carbon footprint, accounting for 26 percent of total emissions.  Oil and gas emissions have increased by 20% since 2005.
The report predicts that emissions from the oil and gas sector – including production, refining and pipeline transportation – could be 110 million tonnes by 2030, up from 191 million tonnes in 2019.
“We see a clear, sensible contribution to the industry so that we can advance our commitment to reduce and reduce emissions,” Trinto said.
“If there is any oil and gas sector in the world that can do that, it is Canada. If there is any workforce in the world that can lead to this shift, it is the Canadians.”
Environment Secretary Steven Guilbeault insists this is not the ceiling on oil and gas emissions the Liberals promised as part of the autumn campaign platform.  The government is currently consulting, but says the analysis used in this plan will inform how this limit is set.
The outlook for oil and gas is not good enough for many environmentalists, who say that Canada’s overall goal is not yet ambitious enough and that the oil and gas sector is not gaining weight within that goal.
If the sector reduced its emissions to 40 to 45 percent from 2005, its target would be 88 to 96 million tonnes, not 110, or 50 to 53 percent below current emissions.
“Tackling climate change should be a team effort, but the plan released today shows that some players are still sitting on the bench,” said Caroline Brouillette, National Policy Officer at Climate Action Network – Canada.
Atiya Jaffar, Canada’s digital director at 350.org, said the plan was out of line with science and that the fossil fuel target was “incredibly low and nowhere near the fair share of the fossil fuel industry”.
The plan includes $ 9 billion in new spending primarily on expanding existing grant and action programs for climate action, including another $ 1.7 billion in electric vehicle discounts.  More details on the new spending are expected in the next federal budget when they are tabled later this spring.
The plan also promises a tougher timetable for turning Canadian vehicle sales into electric models, requiring one in five new passenger cars to be battery-powered by 2026, 60% by 2030 and 100% by 2035.
The current target, which was set just last May, says that half of all new vehicles sold should be electric by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035.
Guilbeault said it would take a little longer for transports to reach other areas in terms of emissions reductions.  Transport accounts for a quarter of all emissions and the carbon footprint has grown by 16 percent in the last 17 years.
The report states that by 2030 the sector should be able to reduce emissions by 23 percent from current levels.
“We are making some progress from now until 2030,” Guilbeault said.  “But there will be even more progress between 2030 and 2035.”
The government will also aim for one-third of medium and heavy commercial vehicles sold to be electric by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
The report predicts that emissions from waste, including landfills, could be reduced by 43 percent by 2030, electricity by 77 percent, heavy industry by 32 percent and emissions from buildings by 42 percent. .
This Canadian Press report was first published on March 29, 2022.