Pembina Institute Advises Oil Sands Panel: Government Must Hold Industry Accountable for Greenhouse Gas Pollution

Edmonton-At the fourth of seven oil sands consultation meetings today in Edmonton the Pembina Institute will urge the panel members to accept the principle of polluter pay for oil sands development in Alberta and calls for "carbon neutral" oil sands production by 2020.Emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases from Alberta's oil sands are set to increase more than threefold between 2003 and 2012, and fivefold between 2003 and 2020. The projections show annual emissions from the oil sands increasing from 25.2 megatonnes (Mt) in 2003 to 61.9-67.9 Mt in 2010. This increase represents 41-47% of the 90 Mt growth in Canada's total annual emissions that the federal government estimates would occur over the same period under "business-as-usual" conditions."The Pembina Institute is calling on the federal and provincial government to set mandatory emissions targets that ensure all oil sands producers contribute to significant emissions reduction by purchasing credits," says Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director of the Pembina Institute. "In the longer term, the oil sands industry should be required to become "carbon neutral," through a combination of emission cuts on-site and the purchase of credits to offset 100% of the remaining emissions."At present, there is no clear prospect of federal or provincial regulations limiting the amount of greenhouse gas pollution that heavy industry can emit. A recent Pembina Institute poll found that 86 per cent of Albertans agree with the statement that oil sands producers "should be required to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for climate change."Calculations done by the Pembina Institute show that oil sands producers have the capacity to become "carbon neutral" (reduce their net emissions to zero) by 2020. The cost to oil sands companies would be in the range of three to nine dollars per barrel. The Pembina Institute urges Albertans to attend the consultation sessions and/or file their comments online (see http://www.oilsandswatch.org/take-action-pc.php). -30 - For more information contact:Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director Cell: 403-607-9427Download: