I had the pleasure of attending Pembina Institute’s 2015 Alberta Climate Summit on Wednesday, with the ambitious goal of establishing pathways to Alberta’s low-carbon future. The sold-out event brought together experts from across Canada to discuss opportunities for action on carbon and methane reductions, and increasing the uptake of renewable electricity and energy efficiency in Alberta.
There was a sense of renewed optimism amongst panelists and attendees alike: after years of talk, now we can expect to see action from the province. Alberta’s new government has the privilege of engaging civil society and industry with a clean slate, not burdened by the unmet commitments of the past. But commitments are only as good as the policy behind them, as stated by Environment Minister Phillips during her keynote address. And this government has committed to rebuilding the province’s reputation by showing domestic and international partners that Alberta has a meaningful climate change policy.
So what policy will accelerate this trust building exercise? The current Albertan model – the Specified Gas Emitters Regulation – has had lackluster environmental and reputational benefits after nearly a decade in place. It’s time to stop tinkering, and move towards a transformative system.
Alberta’s pursuit of global credibility can be aided by a textbook example of good policy, and one that has already gained widespread global praise from organizations such as the OECD and the World Bank, and which can be found right next door in British Columbia: a revenue-neutral carbon fee. Make it simple, competitive, transparent and predictable. Stimulate our economy while reducing emissions, and bring back the Albertan Advantage on the international stage.
Let’s make sure we get it right Alberta, and get credit where credit is due. To learn more about how you can speak up, check out our Alberta website.