Alberta flayed over gas emissions

September 24, 2001
Source: Globe and Mail
Original story - link verified on September 24, 2001
By Martin Mittelstaedt

Alberta is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Canada, says a study being released today that is highly critical of Alberta and Ontario for adopting policies it says undermine Canada's ability to reduce discharges of planet-warming pollutants. The study by the Pembina Institute, an environmental policy think tank, says Alberta began emitting more greenhouse gases than Ontario for the first time in 1993, and has maintained that position despite having slightly more than a quarter of the population. The institute attributes Alberta's record to its massive oil sands projects, which consume vast amounts of energy to extract petroleum from the sticky tar sands, and to the province's heavy use of coal for electricity generation. "In Alberta, the growth in emissions is just galloping," said researcher Mark Winfield. He said the rise in Alberta emissions is so large, the province could hamper the whole country's efforts to meet Canada's Kyoto commitment to cut greenhouse gas pollution by 6 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012.