Don't believe the emissions cap hype

Forcing the oil and gas facilities to reduce emissions by law is a step in the right direction, but the plan as presented is already less than promised and it's likely to only become weaker.

Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, pictured in 2022. (Flickr/Taylor Atkinson)

With the cast of characters lining up to condemn the Canadian federal government’s proposed emissions cap for the oil and gas sector officially unveiled on Dec. 7, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that it’s not particularly strong.

The same, of course, can be said of other Liberal climate schemes, such as the carbon tax, a market-based solution to a problem created by the market, or its Clean Energy Regulations, with their heavy reliance on fantastical carbon capture and storage technology.

Still, capping emissions from Canada’s single largest emitting sector is an undeniable step in the right direction and a considerable achievement in a country where the energy industry holds such sway.

The challenge is to not allow industry to dilute the plan further before it reaches its final form as policy.