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Premier Stelmach, hot air and the oilsands - Updated With Government Response |
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Written by Jason Fekete
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Friday, 26 March 2010 17:08 |
Premier Ed Stelmach went on the offensive Tuesday evening during a speech to oilsands suppliers at the National Buyer/Seller Forum in Edmonton, accusing climate crusader Al Gore and Greenpeace of spreading misinformation about the oilsands.
Turns out that Stelmach himself was disseminating incomplete (many would say incorrect or inaccurate) information on greenhouse gas emissions from the carbon-intensive oilsands.
Speaking to hundreds of national and international delegates, Stelmach said the government recognizes it has some environmental challenges with the oilsands, the second-largest proven oil reserves in the world.
"It’s true, and I’m the first to admit it, that as a maturing industry we are experiencing some growing pains. And it faces its fair share of challenges, especially on the environmental side. But I must tell you, these challenges have been wildly exaggerated by people and groups who have their own agendas. And the many positive steps that the oilsands industry has taken to demonstrate environmental responsibility has not been widely acknowledged," the premier said.
"Al Gore and Greenpeace certainly won’t lead their stories with respect to the carbon dioxide emissions, the reduction from the oilsands, have come down 38 per cent since 1990. And I dare add not too many industries can say that in Canada,” Stelmach added.
FACT: Greenhouse gas emissions from Alberta's oilsands have increased at least 300 per cent since 1990, according to newly released federal documents, and possibly nearly 400 per cent according to provincial numbers. Overall emissions from the oilsands have risen from 10 megatonnes in 1990 to 28 megatonnes in 2006 say the federal numbers, while provincial data say total oilsands emissions were 38.4 megatonnes in 2007 (with emissions having risen further since then, and expected to continue to rise as production increases).
Stelmach was almost certainly referring to the reduction in emissions intensity during oilsands production, which refers to the decrease in the amount of emissions per barrel of oil produced. He's accurate on that point and oilsands producers have won some praise for that. But absolute emissions continue to increase as oilsands production ramps up (it's currently about 1.4 million barrels per day).
While the premier and his officials might say it was simply a slip of the tongue or unintentional - which it could very well have been - Stelmach has repeatedly referred in past speeches to reductions in greenhouse gases in the oilsands without properly explaining what's actually happening.
UPDATE: Here's the official reply from the Goverment of Alberta's Public Affairs Bureau:
Government of Alberta
Good catch Jason! Indeed, the reference is to intensity, but the information we provided to the Premier prior to this speech did not specify that. Ouch!
We proudly point out the per-barrel emissions reduction from oil sands production. We of course acknowledge that increasing production to meet the demand for a commodity upon which the world continues to depend does mean - for now - an increase in absolute emissions. Emissions per barrel have decreased by 33% since 1990. Some operators have actually gone as high as 45%. Earlier this week, Statoil announced it would achieve a 40% further reduction by 2025.
We intend to achieve absolute reductions in GHG emissions under our climate change strategy. We are on that road, and it only begins at reducing emissions per barrel. Again, thanks for the reminder, Jason.
- David Sands, Public Affairs Bureau, Government of Alberta
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