Calls to add scenario to next year’s report

VANCOUVER | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORIES OF THE xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) FIRST NATIONS — David Suzuki Foundation senior climate policy analyst Tom Green released the following statement on the Canada Energy Regulator’s “Energy Futures” report.

“The federal government and the CER missed a huge opportunity to model an energy future that meets our climate target by leaving a 1.5 C scenario out of this year’s report. Instead, the CER modelled an optimistic future for Canadian oil and gas exports, but a dire future for human life on Earth.

“With climate-fuelled weather events like floods, heat domes and wildfires escalating in intensity and taking hundreds of lives in Canada this year alone, it has never been more imperative to model the energy future that will help us reach net-zero by 2050 and keep global warming below catastrophic levels.

“We’re calling on the federal government to rectify this situation and direct the CER to include a 1.5 C-compliant scenario in next year’s “Energy Futures” report. The scenario should also use global oil prices in line with the International Energy Agency’s “Net-Zero by 2050” report. Scenarios must reflect the federal target of up to 45 per cent emissions reductions below 2005 levels by 2030, and go further to show Canada’s fair-share target of 60 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. The report must also compare associated levels of greenhouse gas emissions for each scenario.

“This report is an important signal to communities, governments and businesses on where Canada ‘s energy transition is headed. Without a modelled pathway that reflects our current and more ambitious climate commitments, we’re sending the wrong signal to the rest of the world. It keeps us stuck in a fossil fuel–dependent economy at the very time when swift transition to renewable and clean energy is most needed.”

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For more information or a media interview, please contact:

Theresa Beer, 778-874-3396, tbeer@davidsuzuki.org