Canada Releases Plan to End Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies
2023-07-30
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1Canada on Monday presented its plan for ending many of its fossil fuel industry subsidies.
2The plan's release makes Canada the first member-country of the Group of 20 to honor a 2009 promise to end government financial support to the industry.
3Climate policy experts say the announcement marks an important step forward.
4But some argue that the plan falls short by continuing to permit government support for some oil and gas projects.
5The proposed measure includes exceptions that would permit subsidies for projects that plan to reduce emissions through technology like carbon capture and storage, or CCS.
6Canada said it will not cancel any current multi-year subsidy agreements that are already in place.
7Steven Guilbeault is Canada's Environment Minister.
8He said the plan guarantees that "federal support for oil and gas goes to projects that decarbonize" their production and show substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
9Active fossil fuel operations are exempt from the policy if they fall into one of six categories.
10One category is the ability to reduce carbon emissions.
11Another is support for clean energy.
12Businesses that provide critical energy to rural communities are another exempted category, as are those that support native communities in fossil fuel activities or those that have a plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.
13Bringing an end to fossil fuel subsidies is part of a 2022 deal signed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal party and the New Democratic Party (NDP).
14The NDP critic for Climate Change and Environment, Laurel Collins, said the new rules do not go far enough.
15Collins said, "it is clear that this announcement doesn't meet the urgency of the moment when climate disasters are putting everything we value at risk."
16Canada is the world's fourth-largest oil producer.
17Carbon capture is expected to play a major part in decarbonizing the industry.
18Canada last year announced a CCS investment tax credit.
19Carbon capture is a process by which carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere and stored underground.
20The Pathways Alliance is a partnership between Canada's six largest oil sands producers.
21It is planning to develop a $12 billion CCS center in northern Alberta.
22Pathways President Kendall Dilling said in a statement that the organization was happy the framework recognized the need for government partnership on the project.
23Canada is expected to release a plan to end public financing of fossil fuel projects within the next year.
24Julia Levin is with the climate group Environmental Defense.
25"The Government of Canada must quickly take the final step and end all fossil financing - without any loopholes for fossil gas, fossil hydrogen or CCS," she said.
26I'm Dan Novak.
1Canada on Monday presented its plan for ending many of its fossil fuel industry subsidies. The plan's release makes Canada the first member-country of the Group of 20 to honor a 2009 promise to end government financial support to the industry. 2Climate policy experts say the announcement marks an important step forward. But some argue that the plan falls short by continuing to permit government support for some oil and gas projects. The proposed measure includes exceptions that would permit subsidies for projects that plan to reduce emissions through technology like carbon capture and storage, or CCS. 3Canada said it will not cancel any current multi-year subsidy agreements that are already in place. 4Steven Guilbeault is Canada's Environment Minister. He said the plan guarantees that "federal support for oil and gas goes to projects that decarbonize" their production and show substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. 5Active fossil fuel operations are exempt from the policy if they fall into one of six categories. One category is the ability to reduce carbon emissions. Another is support for clean energy. Businesses that provide critical energy to rural communities are another exempted category, as are those that support native communities in fossil fuel activities or those that have a plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2030. 6Bringing an end to fossil fuel subsidies is part of a 2022 deal signed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal party and the New Democratic Party (NDP). 7The NDP critic for Climate Change and Environment, Laurel Collins, said the new rules do not go far enough. 8Collins said, "it is clear that this announcement doesn't meet the urgency of the moment when climate disasters are putting everything we value at risk." 9Canada is the world's fourth-largest oil producer. Carbon capture is expected to play a major part in decarbonizing the industry. Canada last year announced a CCS investment tax credit. Carbon capture is a process by which carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere and stored underground. 10The Pathways Alliance is a partnership between Canada's six largest oil sands producers. It is planning to develop a $12 billion CCS center in northern Alberta. Pathways President Kendall Dilling said in a statement that the organization was happy the framework recognized the need for government partnership on the project. 11Canada is expected to release a plan to end public financing of fossil fuel projects within the next year. 12Julia Levin is with the climate group Environmental Defense. "The Government of Canada must quickly take the final step and end all fossil financing - without any loopholes for fossil gas, fossil hydrogen or CCS," she said. 13I'm Dan Novak. 14Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from Reuters. 15_________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17subsidy - n. money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function 18emission - n. the act of producing or sending out something from a source 19greenhouse gas - n. any of various gaseous compounds (such as carbon dioxide or methane) that absorb infrared radiation, trap heat in the atmosphere, and contribute to the greenhouse effect 20exempt - adj. not required to do something that others are required to do 21category - n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way 22net-zero - adj. when a country, city, etc. removes as many emissions as it produces 23loophole - n. an error in the way a law, rule, or contract is written that makes it possible for some people to legally avoid obeying it