During the launch, Tanaka also praised Canada’s recent climate target announcement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% below its 2005 levels by 2020 under the Copenhagen Accord - a non-binding document that emerged from the international climate change conference in Denmark in December 2009.
Nonetheless, with a view to the long-standing sustainability of the energy sector, Mr. Tanaka stressed that “Canada must continue to develop and implement a comprehensive national energy efficiency strategy, coupled with a coordinated climate change policy targeted at the key emitting sectors, if long-term energy goals are to be realised”.
Canada is one of the highest per-capita carbon dioxide emitters in the OECD and has higher energy intensity than any IEA member country. Yet the IEA report recognises the government’s aim to achieve a balance between the environmentally responsible production and use of energy, the growth and competitiveness of the economy, and secure and competitively priced energy and infrastructure.
Carbon capture and storage key
Noting the federal government’s support of provincial resource management policies, Mr. Tanaka emphasised the need to contribute to the cleaner use and production of fossil energy, especially by reducing the environmental impact of oil-sands and the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS). “Indeed, large-scale deployment of CCS is one of the key components of Canada’s long-term energy future and the IEA commends Canada for this position,” added Mr. Tanaka.
The IEA publication recognises that CCS is a priority for the federal government and presents Canada with an opportunity to develop a new technology that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a large scale. “Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Canada 2009 Review” goes on to recommend that Canada provide international leadership in the development of CCS technology.
Following the conclusions of the G8 L’Aquila 2009 meeting, the IEA has developed criteria to track the progress toward the G8 goal of launching 20 large-scale CCS demonstration projects globally by 2010 with a view to beginning broad deployment of CCS by 2020, to achieve substantial cuts in CO2 emissions. The Agency will submit its progress report to the Canada G8 summit.
“Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Canada 2009 Review” identifies a number of strategic investment issues facing the oil industry, in particular the sustainable development of the oil-sands and future exploration and development in the North. Furthermore, Mr. Tanaka said, “If Canada is to remain a leading energy supplier it must maintain its commitment to streamlining upstream oil and natural gas regulatory processes”.
Referring to sustainability, Mr. Tanaka added that, “the forecast increase in production from the resource-rich oil sands of Alberta will bring with it many challenges. Canada must take care to develop this resource without a disproportionate increase in emissions and other associated environmental risks”. Even the most ambitious IEA scenario presented in the Agency’s “World Energy Outlook 2009” - that aims at stabilising greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) at 450 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide-equivalent, in line with an increase in global temperature of around 2oºC – shows that fossil fuels will still remain the dominant source of primary energy worldwide by 2030 (down from 81% today to 68% in 2030).
Canada, with its diverse and balanced portfolio of energy resources, is one of the largest producers and exporters of energy among IEA member countries. The energy sector plays an increasingly important role for the Canadian economy and for global energy security, as its abundant resource base has the potential to deliver even greater volumes of energy.
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