New column day

Here, on how the Libs' throne speech continues their pattern of paying lip service to climate action while using public resources to make matters worse.

For those interested in the calculations as to the climate impact of new pipelines, the numbers I've used are as follows.

Brian Jean called here for pipelines and port facilities to export an additional two million barrels per day of oil, representing 730,000,000 barrels per year.

The EPA calculates the effect of oil consumption at .43 metric tonnes per barrel - or an additional 314 MT of CO2 per year just from the consumption of the additional oil exports. And Natural Resources Canada references (PDF) the International Energy Agency's calculation that production emissions are about 25% of the total resulting from fuel consumed, resulting in another 105 MT generated on the production side, for a total of 419 MT per year. (I assume, probably too generously, that new oil sands production won't be any dirtier on the production side than oil generally.)

By way of comparison, the best-case scenario for a $50 per tonne carbon price is to reduce emissions by 90 MT per year. And even assuming a higher price results in the same incremental emission reductions (again probably too generous an assumption), that would leave Canadians to pay an additional $232.78 per tonne just to account for the effects of the additional two million barrels produced and consumed.

For further reading...
- Aaron Wherry is far too kind in claiming Justin Trudeau is putting anything at stake in setting new targets for long after he'll be out of office - but his column at least gives a strong indication of the coverage the Libs want. And Adam Radwanski is closer to the mark in noting that Trudeau isn't prepared to do anything meaningful to alleviate the climate crisis.
- Chantelle Bellerichard reports on the demand from some Indigenous peoples for an updated cost estimate on the Trans Mountain pipeline. And Robyn Allan points out how the federal government has already misled the public by concealing updated information about the soaring price.
- The New York Times reports on the "super emitter" effect of methane leaks - which Jason Kenney wants to eliminate from any tracking and reduction regulations in Alberta. And Tzeporah Berman points out the climate damage which we can expect from the Teck Frontier mine which is also on Kenney's tar sands wish list.
- And finally, Climate Action Network International offers its latest review (PDF) of countries' climate commitments - with Canada ranking again among the world's worst offenders.

[Edit: fixed wording.]