Laurie in Question Period – Climate Change Inaction
Ms Blakeman:
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. People want this government to be strong on the environment, to be a leader, to protect us, and to do something concrete on climate change. What citizens see is a lot of talk, lots of pretty pictures, and very little action.
To the Minister of Environment: will the Premier go to Copenhagen and show leadership and not just protectionism for business as usual, like Alberta’s coal-fired power plants?
Mr. Renner:
Well, Mr. Speaker, it’s good timing that the member should ask this question. I just returned as little as half an hour ago from Ottawa, where provincial environment ministers met with the federal minister, and we talked about just that issue: what is Canada’s position going to be in Copenhagen? I don’t have a lot of time to go through a large position in 35 seconds, but if she will ask some supplementary questions, I’ll be more than happy to provide a little bit more information.
Ms Blakeman:
Well, I hope it’s about action, not just talk. Back to the same minister: given that Alberta has excelled at doing as little as possible and the U.S. target is much tougher, is Alberta prepared to leap from doing as little as possible to the U.S.’s more demanding standards?
Mr. Renner:
Well, Mr. Speaker, Alberta has indicated that we support the position that has been adopted by Canada, and that position is that there would be a 20 per cent reduction. The United States just came out yesterday and announced that they would be aiming towards a 17 per cent reduction by 2020. There’s a one-year difference in the base year between the two. You do the math, and it works out to about the same thing. Alberta is prepared and is committed, and in fact Albertans expect the government of Alberta to meet that commitment.
The Speaker:The hon. member.
Ms Blakeman:
Thank you. Back to the same minister. Well, given that this government would have Alberta’s emissions continue to increase until 2020, how will the minister ensure that Alberta meets its part of the federal target of a 20 per cent reduction below 2006 levels by 2020?
Mr. Renner:
Mr. Speaker, part of the plan – and the member knows very well – is the application of technology. That technology takes some time. Technology such as carbon capture and storage, technology such as transformational technology that greens energy production takes some time. The fact of the matter is that this world, this Earth, is going to be dependent to some extent on hydrocarbons for the next 15 to 20 and perhaps even 30 years. What we need to do in Alberta is ensure that we have the same degree of effort, the same commitment to CO2 reduction that the rest of the world is taking.
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