Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has criticized what her government views as federal overreach into oil and gas policy. (CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

Feds hail ‘monumental’ outcome at climate summit as Alberta complains of ‘continued treachery’

Dec 13, 2023 | 1:40 PM

OTTAWA — Canada’s environment minister Steven Guibealt is hailing what he calls a “monumental” outcome at the United Nations climate summit while Alberta officials branded him as a “radical activist”.

It’s the first time the summit of nearly 200 countries has collectively agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.

Guilbeault said Canada played a leading role in solidifying the deal agreed to on Wednesday to close out COP28 in Dubai.

The language of the agreement is stronger than a draft floated earlier in the week, though many warned it was undermined by loopholes.

Liz McDowell, senior campaigns director with environmental group Stand.earth, says the deal is weakened by “dangerous distractions,” such as leaving the door open to so-called transitional fuels, and failing to commit wealthy countries to finance the energy transition.

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The federal government made several announcements during the two-week summit, unveiling its emissions cap for the oil and gas industry and draft regulations to drastically cut methane emissions from the sector.

Meanwhile, Premier Danielle Smith and environment minister Rebecca Schulz included strong language in a statement criticizing minister Guilbeault and celebrating his failed effort to include the elimination of oil and gas production in the COP28 deal.

Smith and Schulz said they were “greatly encouraged” by the success of Alberta and Saskatchewan at pushing against “those obsessed with accelerating the phaseout of sustainable and affordable energy derived from abated oil and natural gas.”

“We were gravely disappointed to see [Guilbeault] and other radical activists continue to push an approach that would consign the world to energy poverty and economic stagnation by focusing only on ending all fossil fuel use,” the premier and minister said.

The United Conservative government called the minister’s effort a “national embarrassment”, saying he has no legal authority to impose his “incoherent and illegal policy pronouncements” on the provinces.

“Although he ultimately failed in his ambitions to include language in the final COP28 agreement regarding the elimination of oil and gas production, Albertans will not forget his continued treachery against our province and millions of other Canadians.”

— with files from the Canadian Press

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