GLOBE-Net, November, 14, 2011- A
new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
raises concerns about the impacts of BC's growing shale gas
industry.
CCPA argues that hydraulic fracturing (fracking), the process
used to extract unconventional natural gas from shale formations
in
northeastern BC, will put significant stress on the province's
water resources and jeopardizes its climate change policies.
The study, undertaken in partnership with the Wilderness Committee, argues unconventional gas
is not a green alternative to other fossil fuels because the
escalation of fracking activities will result in the doubling of
the industry's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
This increase would mean other industries would have to
make
deeper emissions cuts if the government is going to meet its
climate action targets. The study also notes that there are
concerns because shale gas is primarily shipped to Alberta to power
oil sands extraction. Conversely, if shale gas was used to displace
coal fired power generation, it could have a significant impact on
emissions reductions in North America.
This study follows a report from the Pembina Institute published
in September looking at the risks shale
gas poses to BC's climate action objectives.
While both reports were prepared by NGOs with a strong
position on climate policy, they consulted widely, and make a
number of recommendations: develop a management strategy (with a
potential cap on annual production); update the Climate Action Plan to account for
increases in shale gas extraction; end subsidies to the industry;
require carbon capture and storage technology to be implemented;
and broaden the application of carbon pricing to cover process
emissions.
According to the CCPA study, these, and other, polices
recommendations would create a more environmentally responsible
industry that doesn't undermine BC's climate action objectives.
What the report doesn't say is whether there is the political will
to make such changes.
The natural gas industry in BC generated $365 million in revenue to the
province in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, a number expected to rise
rapidly as prices rise and extraction expands.
See also: BN 2011-29: Fracking in BC: Integrating climate
change issues (4 February 2011) by Neil Thomson and Alison
Shaw, University of British Columbia
The full report is available
here
Source: PICS News Scan - 15 November 2012, Produced
by ISIS, Sauder School of Business, UBC