Alberta will not recognize federal net-zero mandates: Premier Danielle Smith
Alberta Prime Minister Daniel Smith said he was “disappointed” by federal proposals for net-zero obligations and oil and gas production cuts.
Smith said in a statement on Saturday that the proposed mandate was “unconstitutional” and “extremely harmful” to the economy of Alberta and Canada.
This comes after Federal Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeau announced that he would publish policy guidelines to determine the status of future federal investment flows to Canadian oil and gas companies.
Guilbeau said in an interview from Brussels on Friday that the policy would be similar to the Canadian government’s announcement last year that ended most of Canada’s public financing of international fossil fuel projects.
This means that going forward, new fossil fuel projects in the country will receive federal funding only if the government can align with Canada’s climate change efforts.
“This notion is inconsistent with any credible projections of future global energy consumption. Oil and gas will continue to dominate the energy supply mix for decades to come,” Smith said in a statement on Saturday. .
“Rather than instill uncertainty in investors and seek ways to reduce Canadian energy support globally, the federal government will partner with Alberta to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 while simultaneously We should focus on investing in the nation’s energy sector to increase production, employment and economic growth.” For Canadians. “
Smith added that Alberta does not recognize federally-imposed emission reduction targets because the province’s energy and power sectors are under provincial jurisdiction.
He also said Alberta would not allow any regulation in these areas without provincial approval.
“In initiating a federal and provincial working group to align Ottawa’s climate change efforts with Alberta’s emissions reduction and energy development plans, the Prime Minister asked the relevant Ministers to discuss this issue and all other relevant matters. We ask that you direct us to respect the rights and jurisdiction of the provinces of Canada, and to ensure that the Canadian oil and gas sector is a profitable, secure, and most environmentally responsible sector on the planet. Doing a more effective job of building trust in the home,” she said in a statement. “The reason is.”
— File from Mia Rabson, Canadian Press.
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