Global energy demand continues to rise faster than the deployment of renewables, and emissions reached new heights in 2025. The world is consuming more energy than it did in 1990, the baseline from which most nations measure progress toward their energy and climate targets. While only 47% of our energy is now derived from fossil fuels, the world is using more coal, gas and oil than ever before.
Continue reading Humanity consuming more than ever; Increased emissions negate Renewable growthMore than a month has passed since Prime Minister Mark Carney took centre stage at the World Economic Forum with a speech calling for middle powers to forge strategic partnerships across energy, food, critical minerals, finance, and supply chains – standing up to lawless superpowers pursuing their own interests. Days have elapsed since Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addressed the Economic Club of Canada, outlining his vision for a stronger Canada. In this morning’s interview, Jennifer Lash, a former senior policy advisor for Environment Canada, compares their visions for the nation’s future.
Continue reading Canada’s Path Forward: Two Visions for a Stronger Nation
By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporters
One of British Columbia’s government agencies is poised to get a lot more power.
Premier David Eby’s NDP government has just introduced legislation to give new responsibilities to the BC Energy Regulator (BCER), which oversees the province’s growing oil and gas sector and other energy projects.
The changes will put the regulator — largely funded by the oil and gas industry — in charge of fast-tracking renewable energy projects like wind and solar, along with the $3-billion North Coast transmission line that will power liquefied natural gas (LNG), mining and other industrial projects.
Continue reading The B.C. agency overseeing oil and gas is about to get more powerful. Here’s why you should careBy Carl Meyer & Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporters
Edward Burrier chuckled as he told his colleagues what he thought about an academic paper written by a prominent U.S. climate scientist.
Burrier, a director of public policy at Canadian fossil fuel giant TC Energy, said the study was largely to blame for public skepticism about whether liquefied natural gas (LNG) is as environmentally friendly as the oil and gas industry claims.
“One quoted study that drove a lot of this initial activism … said that LNG is worse than coal,” Burrier said.
Continue reading The feds raised doubts about a climate scientist’s LNG research; He says they sounded like fossil fuel lobbyists
On March 21, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a press release stating that in 2023 Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions dropped to their lowest level in 27 years (excluding the pandemic years). The exception in this otherwise positive picture was the oil and gas sector, where emissions continue to rise. However there is good news within that sector as well, ‘fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from oil and natural gas have decreased by 33% between 2013–2023, driven in part by Canada’s 2020 oil and gas methane regulations, which have reduced methane venting and leaks.’
“The two main messages from the National Inventory report last week, which I feel are really important, is that climate policy works. Over the last 10 years, Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions have gone down. Our methane emissions have gone down. Our electricity has become less emissions intensive, and all of that has happened while our economy has grown. This is a significant point to make. And this is something that environmental groups, activists, researchers, community leaders, all of them have been saying for decades,” responded Aly Hyder Ali, from Environmental Defence.
“The other aspect of the report was that the oil and gas industry is holding us back. The oil and gas industry has failed to do its part when it comes to emissions reductions and if it was able to or willing to do that, Canadians would be in a much better place.”
Continue reading Are Oil and Gas emissions holding Canada back from reaching its climate goals?
