COVID-19 crisis offers hope for a clean energy transition
WATERLOO, ONT.—Although the final pages on the unfolding human tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic have yet to be written, the ‘tsunami-scale’ of economic disruption has led to responses by the federal and provincial governments that the most acclaimed of futurists could not have predicted even six weeks ago. If the adage, ‘Do not let a […]
COVID and the environment: a rare opportunity
MONTREAL—COVID-19 may breed fear, but it also spells opportunity. Moments like these are ones where people are listening and change is imminent. But change can move in two directions—the better and the worse. We must push for the former. Above all, I believe we must look to ensure that the changes we make now will […]
What now for the environmental movement in Canada?
OTTAWA—Until recently, the environmental protest movement was definitely on the rise. Protests in British Columbia, Ontario, and elsewhere against the construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline had attracted national attention. Many Canadians supported those blocking access to construction sites or railways as a necessary way to stop the initiation of projects that would develop our […]
Food insecurity demands attention in a hungry, unstable world
The latest data from the United Nations are staggering. In 2019, 821 million people around the world were chronically under nourished, up 10 million from the year before. This means that an astounding 11 per cent of the world’s population does not get enough food to eat. Equally concerning is that around two billion of […]
Charging gray rhinos
GIBSONS, B.C.—The coronavirus is forcing us to learn valuable lessons. Sometimes governments have to act, and quickly, in protecting their citizens. Sometimes governments have to force a closure of business-as-usual, no matter what the cost, in order to protect all of our futures. Sometimes governments have to have a plan to do things not previously […]
Canada is at a crossroads with existential consequences
It is not hyperbole to suggest that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government find themselves today at a truly historic junction—and Canada’s economic and political future are very much dependent on which policy direction he chooses to pursue. There is no middle ground. He either takes the direction suggested by Greta Thunberg, the 17-year-old […]
Canada needs an inclusive approach to climate action
As the consequences of a warming climate become clear in Canada—from wildfires and heat waves to floods and extreme snowfalls—so, too, do the consequences of inadequate planning for how we will adapt to these changes. Of course, we must work to curb carbon dioxide emissions, but there’s an urgent need to also invest in actions […]
The race to net-zero: grounded in reality or wishful thinking?
Just a few months ago, Spanish oil company Repsol made a splash in global headlines by announcing that it would get to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This announcement triggered a cascade of similar pledges from other oil and gas giants in Canada and around the world, including CNRL, MEG Energy, Teck Resources, Cenovus, and […]
Low carbon resilience is Canada’s safe green path in a changing climate
As providers of traditional and new energy resources and residents of a large country with complex energy and infrastructure needs, Canadians face unique pressure to plan strategically for the coming decades as we work to reduce emissions in a changing climate. Canada is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world and will […]
Resolving the oilsands conundrum
An answer to the conundrum of oil sands development lies right beneath the feet. By turning the innovative capacity of Alberta’s oil and gas sector on its head—extraction of heat from the ground rather than carbon—geothermal energy is a cost-effective option ready for advancement on a large scale. It is an abundant resource, widely available […]
