Canada declares climate emergency, then approves oil pipeline expansion

OTTAWA — The House of Commons voted to declare a climate emergency on Monday night by 186-63 votes. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion was then approved the following day.

Catherine McKenna, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said “Canada has added its voice to a growing movement of governments that are declaring climate change an emergency and affirming that Canada is working to meet its international commitments.”

However, the climate emergency declaration is non-binding and does not require action to be taken. It is similar to the declaration made by the UK last month.

The cities of Vancouver, Kingston and Ottawa have also made their own climate emergency declarations, with varied policy to match.

The Trans Mountain pipeline will pump 590,000 barrels of tar sands oil from Alberta to British Columbia. According to a government report, the producing and processing of the tar sands petroleum will emit 13-15 megatons of carbon per year, the equivilent of adding 212,000 new cars to the road every year. Burning it will emit even more pollution.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attempted to justify the decision saying “We need to create wealth today so we can invest in the future… This project has the potential to create thousands of solid middle class jobs for Canadians.”

The Rainforest Action Network made the following statement: “What stunning hypocrisy for Prime Minister Trudeau to approve a massive tar sands oil pipeline the day after his government declared a climate emergency and reaffirmed its commitment to the Paris Agreement. This is like declaring war on cancer and then announcing a campaign to promote smoking. But this is far from a done deal. First Nations and Canadian environmentalists will continue to fight this project and their international allies will support them in whatever way they can.”

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Jonathan Wilkinson, said: “We remain fully committed to achieving the Paris targets. The upstream emissions associated with this project are captured in Canada’s climate plan, so there’s no inconsistency with the approval of this project and achieving what we’re committed to do.”

There is also ongoing resistance by the conservative government to the carbon tax implemented by the liberals, with misleading claims made on social media that avoid mentioning the tax rebate. According to a report, the carbon taxes may need to be even higher to meet the Paris Agreement.

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer vowed to scrap the carbon tax and put a cap on large emitters instead if elected, claiming that “the answer lies in technology”.

However it is done, Canada will need to step up its climate action if it is to meet the more ambitious Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees. The window of opportunity is becoming increasingly narrow as global emissions rise and new research emerges. Permafrost is melting 70 years earlier than expected in Arctic Canada.

Update: Canada has proposed a net zero by 2050 target with the Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions Act brought forward by liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith.

The quotes in this article are from Global News, Washington Post, Vancouver Sun, and CTV News.