Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith met in Calgary on July 7, 2023. They discussed climate change and energy policies.
Both levels of government aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. However, they disagree on how to reach this goal.
Alberta heavily relies on the fossil fuel industry as the country’s largest oil and gas producer. Premier Smith opposes a federal emissions cap on the oil and gas sector and doubts the feasibility of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Prime Minister Trudeau is willing to collaborate with Alberta. He aims to find a solution that balances the province’s economic needs and emission reduction.
Trudeau and Smith agreed to establish a bilateral working group. The working group’s mandate is to develop an ambitious and achievable plan for net-zero emissions by 2050.
This plan must address the concerns of both the federal and Alberta governments and gain support from both sides. The meeting between Trudeau and Smith marked their first encounter since the federal government announced the intention to impose an emissions cap on the oil and gas sector.
It was viewed as a positive step, but the agreement on climate and energy policies is yet to be determined. Apart from the emissions cap, the working group will discuss clean electricity regulations and carbon capture and storage. They have one year to develop a plan, and public consultation will be part of the process.
