Government responds to air quality concerns

Commentary by Kevin Laliberte

It didn’t really come as any big surprise late last month to see the government suddenly pull an environmental rabbit out of its hat by formally introducing a long-term vision to address air-borne pollutants in the province. The news, ironically enough, coincided with the release of a report from the Heart and Stroke Foundation calling upon the federal and provincial governments to implement stringent measures to effectively curb pollution from coast-to-coast. That report suggests the length of exposure to air-borne pollutants is a critical factor in cardiovascular disease risk: according to research every 10-unit increase in long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can increase the risk of dying from heart disease and stroke by up to 76 per cent. In a report card on the provinces, the foundation gave British Columbia’s interior, Ontario and Quebec an ‘F’ grade, based on the highest levels of fine particulate matter in a 24-hour period observed over a year. Alberta, meanwhile, earned a dismal ‘D.’ So, just what is our government doing about this entire environmental mess, you ask? Well, the Government of Alberta has unveiled a plan to slice projected greenhouse gas emissions in half by the year 2050 as part of a long-term climate change vision that focuses on carbon capture and storage, consumer incentives and greener energy production. The news (announced just a couple days before the foundation’s findings were released) was aired by Premier Ed Stelmach in late January. According to the government, experts agree the province’s “carbon capture and storage plan” holds great promise for Alberta. Research indicates new and next generation technologies will deliver the majority of the new plan’s reductions - about 70 per cent of the 200 megatonne-reduction by 2050. Under the plan, Alberta will strike a government-industry council to determine a viable plan for implementing technologies, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing air emissions from industrial sources and locking them permanently underground in deep rock formations. The home-grown, made-in-Alberta plan to effectively reduce the carbon footprint on the province, is being driven by a council which will ultimately respond to a federal-provin- cial task force report on carbon capture and storage before delivering a strategy for implementing the technology which will include consultations with industry. The plan calls for increased investment in clean energy technologies and incentives for expanding the use of renewable and alternative energy sources such as bioenergy, wind, solar power, hydrogen and geothermal energy. Reading between the lines, many intelligent Albertans will likely deduct the timing of this announcement is little more than a classic smokescreen to distract from the real issue - the importance of the environment. That being the fact that the government is dragging its feet by placing oil and gas revenues above the environment and collective well-being of each of Albertans as a whole. Make no bones about it, the fact the environment is first and foremost on the minds of Albertans as the number one priority went a long way toward forcing an otherwise reluctant government to put up or shut up.

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