Canada, the world’s fourth-largest oil producer, is considering delaying its greenhouse gas reduction schedule for its oil industry, the environment minister told media on Saturday.
The government recognizes that “some of the actions that will be required to achieve these deep emissions reductions may take longer than we have before 2030,” noted Canadian Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault in an interview with The House ‘ by CBC.
“If the industry needs a little more time, there’s an opportunity that we can offer some flexibility while ensuring Canada still meets its 2030 targets,” Guilbeault said.
Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government announced an expanded plan to comply with the Paris climate agreement, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
The oil and gas industry, responsible for more than a quarter of the country’s carbon emissions, is critical to meeting this goal, a milestone on the road to carbon neutrality by 2050.
According to Guilbeault, Ottawa is willing to “give the industry a little more time if it needs that time to build the necessary infrastructure it needs to reduce emissions.”
He did not specify how Ottawa plans to meet its international commitments by 2030 if the oil and gas sector is allowed to postpone its reduction targets.
Canada has never met its previous greenhouse gas reduction targets before.
The Pathways Alliance, a coalition of six Canadian oil producers, plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 22 megatons by 2030, compared to a federal government target of 110 megatons from a total of 191 megatons emitted in 2019, according to the CBC.
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