Stand.earth reacts to release of Emissions Cap Framework

Today, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson released the long-awaited Framework on the Oil and Gas Emissions Cap. 

Announced at an event led by Wilkinson in Ottawa with Guilbeault attending virtually via live stream from the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the framework outlines an emissions reduction target and a cap-and-trade mechanism that the Federal Government will use to limit climate pollution from Canada’s emitters. 

“We’re glad to finally see a framework, which is an important first step to getting Canada’s climate goals on track and represents a hard fought victory for climate advocates in the face of relentless push back from industry and climate-denying politicians. Now, the federal government must move forward immediately and release strengthened draft regulations so that the emissions cap can be implemented without delay,” said Liz McDowell, Senior Campaigns Director and head of Stand.earth’s COP28 delegation. “The strong majority of Canadians who want to see the federal government tackle this major source of carbon pollution will also be happy to see oil and gas emissions regulations moving ahead. That said, in order to meet our climate commitments, the cap needs to be implemented more quickly, with more ambitious targets and fewer loopholes for big polluters.” 

Polling shows two thirds of Canadians support regulating oil and gas sector emissions, including 60% of Albertans who support a national cap on oil and gas emissions, and 86% of Quebecers who want to see the industry regulated. 

The targets announced in the framework fall short of Canada’s commitment to cut climate pollution to 40-45% below 2005 levels in the next six years, and are further weakened by flexible compliance mechanisms that will allow big polluters to buy offsets rather than sufficiently curb their emissions. Without more ambitious targets and fewer loopholes that give oil and gas companies a free ride, other sectors like electricity, transportation and buildings will need to work overtime to make up the shortfall. 

“The only way to finally meet our climate targets and avoid worsening impacts like wildfires and flooding is to sharply rein in the pollution produced by oil and gas companies in Canada,” said Kiki Wood, Senior Oil and Gas Campaigner at Stand.earth. “Canada is the only G7 nation to see its emissions continue to rise after signing the Paris Agreement, and oil and gas is by far the largest reason for this failure. We’re encouraged to see LNG included in the framework announced today, although we’re disappointed that incessant oil and gas lobbying has resulted in weaker targets than the science demands and loopholes that will let oil and gas companies buy their way into full compliance.”

Oil and gas production is Canada’s largest and fastest growing source of emissions, and the single biggest reason the country is not on track to meet its climate commitments. The sector is responsible for 189 megatonnes of climate pollution, equivalent to 28% of total national emissions. Those numbers have grown sharply over the past decades, increasing 88% since 1990 while Canada’s overall emissions rose by only 13.9% over the same period. This one sector of Canada’s economy has a larger carbon footprint than many entire industrialized nations including the Netherlands, Argentina and the Czech Republic.

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Media contacts: 

In Dubai
(Languages spoken: English, French)
Liz McDowell, Senior Campaigns Director, liz@stand.earth
Tegan Hansen, Forest Campaigner, tegan@stand.earth

In North America
Cari Barcas, Communications Director, cari.barcas@stand.earth
Kiki Wood, Senior Oil and Gas Campaigner, kiki@stand.earth