EJQ2 - Fall 2024 - Journal - Page 37
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essary for a healthy industry and environment both now and in the future.
Where there is a huge environmental problem to be solved, there is a huge
opportunity for an environmental leader to emerge—and that’s an opportunity that Canada is missing right now.
and you’ll 昀椀nd two types of fear: the fear about the environmental impacts
of the industry, and the fear that addressing the environmental impacts
will sti昀氀e the industry.
A 2023 public opinion survey by Positive Energy and Nanos Research indicates three in 昀椀ve Canadians agree or somewhat agree that Canada
should expand oil and gas exports. But it also shows that almost six in 10
Canadians say federal and provincial governments do a poor or very poor
job of cooperating on decision-making on climate change.
There is a middle ground to be found between supporting the economy and
supporting the environment when it comes to the oil industry. Canada just
hasn’t yet achieved the level and pace of oil sands reclamation that is nec-
The country cannot a昀昀ord to keep pushing remediation down the line. If
we 昀椀nd ways to make sure that oil sands remediation stays at the top of our
priority list while remaining economically viable, we set the standard for
what can be achieved worldwide.
According to research by Yale and Environment
and Climate Change Canada, carbon dioxide
in the air above the oil sands suggested that the
real emissions were 64 per cent higher than reported. And while this may be an out of sight,
out of mind issue to most, it’s not possible to
overlook for communities like Fort McKay First
Nation, who deal with air quality issues and contaminated groundwater as a result of their proximity to the oilsands.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
GROUNDBREAKING CLEANTECH
TO REMEDIATE OIL SANDS SITES
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • FA L L 2 02 4 • P AGE 3 7
